
Three One G is in a sense, a family owned business…and basically a family in itself. I started the label in hopes to better the quality and creativity of things  that I was part of, as well as the music culture that I am part of. Three One G quickly developed into a family of artists who were all intertwined, or on the same page as one another. For me, it is the truest definition of family; people who are of the same breed and people who are from the same way of life. In the beginning, I started off by releasing music by Swing Kids and Unbroken, both of which shared a member, and were part of a musical community that I was submerged in. It was something that I was really a part of and more so, something that was obtainable, tangible, and real. Over the years, Three One G has loosely been related to a band that I’m part of, and better known for, The Locust. The relevance that The Locust had to Three One G brought amazing artists into the picture, either through meeting them on tour, musical collaborations, or other various things that The Locust was doing. This really helped to diversify the label and the sounds that it encompasses up to this day. To me, having bands under the Three One G umbrella like Cattle Decapitation, Arab on Radar, Quintron, Zs, Black Dice, Orthrelm, and so on, all makes sense, regardless of how different any artist's approach to music or their sound may be. We could all conceivably tour together, even sometimes collaborate and share members. To me, this is interesting, bringing so many new avenues of creativity, which are things that the music industry in general has since forgotten. 
The family members who currently make the wheels spin for Three One G, aside from the actual bands and artists are; Sal Gallegos (who also played in Some Girls, which were comprised of members of other label mates such as The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower, and Unbroken), as well as myself. Over the years we have expanded, not only musically, but geographically as well. Even though Three One G is below the radar of the who’s who of labels, the bands manage to grow and reach out beyond the label’s grasp, giving a glimpse into the all too interesting underbelly of an unrefined culture. The bands manage to amaze, challenge, inspire, and essentially blow minds. The labor of love here shows sincerity, as well as integrity. The family here is solid, legitimate, and is here to stay.
 
- Justin Pearson

Metal Blade Records history by Dan Slessor:
Founded upon owner Brian Slagel's enduring drive to find great bands and get their music out to as many people as possible, since 1982 Metal Blade has brought wave after wave of powerful, innovative, and often genre-defining music to the ever-hungry metal masses. It is this ethos that has seen Metal Blade build up a stunning and diverse catalogue, weather the various storms facing any independent label, and in an age of declining record sales boast the most successful years of its existence as it strides into its fourth decade.

What perhaps makes this achievement all the more notable is the fact that Slagel never even intended to start a label. Working in an LA record store and writing for various publications, Slagel was acutely aware that many great bands in the local metal scene were being ignored, and he decided to release a compilation of tracks drawn from these ranks. "There were a lot of really good bands and I was just bummed out that nobody could hear them. It just seemed like I could help them out and have some fun at the same time, and that compilation was the first Metal Massacre," he states. Collating tracks from then unknown bands including Ratt, Bitch, Cirith Ungol, and Metallica amongst others, the compilation sold out immediately. "How important is Metal Blade to our career? They're only the reason we are enjoying the worldwide success we have today," states Metallica's James Hetfield. "Without Brian's openness to some raunchy teens with a crap sounding cassette tape we would be who knows where, and playing who knows what!" With the popularity of the tape spurring Slagel on, the first seeds of Metal Blade were sown. "After the success of those compilations I just started putting out records of bands that I was friends with, but without ever really intending it to be a label at all," he explains. "After I put out four or five releases I started to feel like something was happening, and I decided to quit the record store and quit college and see where it went."

Battling through the first few lean years, when the label consisted solely of Slagel working out of his mom's poorly ventilated garage in the San Fernando Valley, it gradually grew in both revenue and stature. Within a few years Metal Blade would go on to release the debuts of Slayer, Armored Saint, Trouble, and Corrosion Of Conformity amongst others, fanning the flames of the burgeoning metal scene and launching careers of bands that would go onto reap global success. "Without Metal Blade, there is a damn good chance we never would've made it out of L.A," says Slayer's Kerry King. "That was the one bit of luck we needed. You can be the most awesome band on the scene, and if no one notices you, you don't catch on. And Brian Slagel is still one of the biggest metalheads I know!" This genuine love and devotion to metal is central to the relationship many of the artists have with Metal Blade, and King Diamond credits much of its relevance and strength to this passion. "I refer to it as having 'boots on the ground'," the mighty Dane states. "It's not like a major label where some people might be into what you're doing but a lot of them just see it as a job – there's a genuine love for metal there. Through staying true to that and doing their own thing they've carved out a very specific niche that they control, and as an artist it's wonderful to be a part of that."over the years. Clearly without those people we couldn't do what we do, and to everyone out there who has helped us along by being a fan we are so very grateful to you."

Read more: http://www.metalblade.com/us/about-us/

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CVLT Nation is an online magazine focused on the darker side of life. We premiere new underground music every week, and here you can also find our bi-monthly podcast the CVLT CAST.

Prosthetic Records was founded in Los Angeles, California in 1998 by friends and metalheads, E.J. Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald. Prosthetic Records released the first two albums by Lamb of God, the first two albums from Animals As Leaders, numerous albums by Active Rock mainstays All That Remains and introduced the world to The Acacia Strain and North America to Gojira.  Prosthetic is currently home to Scale The Summit, Skeletonwitch,  Marty Friedman, Exmortus, Spellcaster, Holy Grail, Schammasch, and many others killer bands that we hope you check out here!

Drown Within is a label based in Italy. It is focused on limited physical releases. Home to darkness and inner struggles.

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