Specializing in quality roots and Americana music since 1978.

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/

Creative Commons project. New digital single every monday since 2009. Stimulating people to listen, download, share and remix.

RocketNumberNine (UK), Ocelote Rojo (CHI), Monster Rally (USA), Delicate Steve (USA), Great Lake Swimmers (CAN), Frederik Teige from Efterklang (DK), Barzin (CAN), Anders Ilar (SWE), CIVIL CIVIC (AUS), Venice (IT), Southern Shores (CAN), 1-Speed Bike from Godspeed You! Black Emperor (CAN), A Weather (USA), Yawn (USA), Beat Culture (US), Gareth Dickson (UK), worriedaboutsatan (UK), golau glau (UK), Gaspar Claus (FR), Teamforest (DE), The American Dollar (USA),  Fuji Kureta (TUR), Possimiste (EST), memotone (UK), Ricky Eat Acid (US), Falcon Lake (UK), Louis Aguilar (FR), American Green (JP), NQ (DE), Good Weather For An Airstrike (UK), Desmond &amp; the Tutus (ZA), Symfoniorkestern (SWE), Talvihorros (UK), junior85 (IRL), Foxes In Fiction (CAN), BABY JAZZ (USA), All India Radio (AUS), Bomarr (US), Inca Gold (UK), Bing &amp; Ruth (USA), endsnotnear (JP), Útidúr (IS), Johnny Hawaii (FR),  The Echelon Effect (UK), James Irwin (CAN), Ergo Phizmiz (UK), Populous (IT), Kira Kira (IS), James Yates (UK), Ori (ISR), Boy Without God (US), Le Chevalier (CA), a.damned.age (DE), trog'low (CAN), Lost Boy? (USA), Berlinist (ESP), Errnois (IT), The Great Red Shark (US), The Parish Of Little Clifton (CA) and many more.&#13;
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STICKY STRANGLETS bio:


James Datis: Lead Vocals, Guitar, & Bass
Chris W. Cody: Bass, Guitar & Vocals
M. Sean Miller: Drums, Guitars, & Vocals
Chris Gianettino: Guitars & Vocals

"Sticky Stranglets is an alternative rock band from Oklahoma City. The band’s debut record, Scissor Hissy, is an ode to doing things yourself; the band recorded, produced, and released the album completely on their own. Sonically, Sticky Stranglets are a band that sounds like they grew up on and love them some ‘90s alternative rock. Depending on the song, Scissor Hissy goes from a fuzzy Smashing Pumpkins vibe to a funky Faith No More vibe to a bouncy Dave Matthews Band vibe. There are also darker hints of things like Type O Negative (see “Inertia”) and a smidgen of Alice In Chains meets Morrissey (on “There Is”). What Sticky Stranglets does well is mixes these divergent influences to create a sound and vibe that is all their own. I’m definitely interested to see what this band does next."
     - Dave Brown, Oklahoma Lefty (Apr 15, 2012)

 Sticky Stranglets' new single Smellin' Evil(released August 7th, 2012) is the band's first professionally produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered song. It was recorded in Atlanta,Georgia at Universal Recording Studios/Pendlwood for Capitol USA. Smellin' Evil is one of five tracks that will be on the EP (and LP) to be recorded for Make.net and Capitol USA. The band will also be returning to Atlanta in The Fall of 2013 to cut six more tacks to be released as an LP album with the previous tracks. Smellin' Evil is also featured on the self-released EP, Corn Dog Bones. Also this Spring, the band will release the remainder of their self-recorded tracks on a split EP entitled Bath Salt Babies, a joint venture with good friend Maria Fantasma(Ryan Wallace) of Okie Indie Music Hub.

 The promotional and marketing support from these crucial contributors, along with LiveMusicOklahoma.com and Okie Indie Music Hub, the band plans to support the album with local, regional and national tours and festivals.

With the band being an unusual creature, Smellin' Evil mixes Alt-Psyche creativity with Indie-Rock sensibility, creating a sound that has rocked Oklahoma. The record truly captures the raw energy and untapped potential that this emerging group has to offer with gritty attitude and a dark, entertaining sense of humor.  The boys will be headed back to Atlanta this Fall to finish the record, to be released shortly after.


THE EARLY YEARS  ...
by Chris W. Cody, STICKY STRANGLETS


I was attending an "Art-Walk" at The Velvet Monkey in The Plaza District in late 2009. My first band from high school, Psymbience was playing and I ran into my old buddy, James Datis, who I knew from my Alseep, Audience ... Dream days in The Paseo Art District at our rehearsal spot. James would tend bar at shows there and he also went on our regional tours to help us out with camera work, gear, and other various tasks. 



I had my first solo gig the following month and needed to book an opener ... I asked James if he wanted the gig (his first!).  From there, we played the solo show and just started working on the project together. We played a couple of gigs around town as "Sticky Stranglets" which, essentially , consisted of James on Vocals and Acoustic Guitar for his solo songs, with me on Bells, and vice-versa. 


We were loaned a 24-track Digital Recorder from a good friend for our debut album.  I recruited my close friend and former band mate, M. Sean Miller, to play Drums, Guitars and help produce and engineer the record. He's been jamming with us ever since. Sean was instrumental in solidifying us as a band. While finishing up the recoding sessions, we decided to do an tripped-out jam song that we would invite our friends in on. One of these friends was my brother-in-law, Chris Gianettino. I knew he could play guitar, so he started jamming with the regular group and has been with us since then.
     -Chris W. Cody, STICKY STRANGLETS

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ...

"Someone named Captain C-Note sent me a link to their music video for the track “Topsy Turvy World".  With all apologies to Red City Radio, Josh Sallee and the Non, they now may be my favorite local band.
     - Patrick James, The Lost Ogle (Jul 02, 2012)


Founded in 1996, Vagrant Records is currently the home to: The 1975, Active Child, Albert Hammond Jr., Alexander, AlunaGeorge, Bad Suns, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Black Joe Lewis, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Blitzen Trapper, Bombay Bicycle Club, Circa Waves, CRUISR, DIVE IN, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Elected, Fossil Collective, French Kicks, James Vincent McMorrow, John Gold, Justin Townes Earle, Letts, Mark Lanegan, Maudlin Strangers, Mayer Hawthorne, PJ Harvey, Placebo, Rogue Wave, School of Seven Bells, Wake Owl and WATERS.

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