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/

The band: Petros Potamianos (vox, guitars), Apostolos Boules (guitars), George Paraskevopoulos (bass), Haris Anagnostou (drums)

10 Code gathered together for the first time around November 2011. They all came from the so-called greek ”alternative” scene, they all played in several (some of which, successful) bands, but 10 Code has been a brand new start for all of them. The band started working on original material and soon began presenting it live, creating a small yet loyal fanbase.

Their first release, “the connection ep.” came out in May 2013 and received very good reviews from the music Press and audience. Superman’s Cape was the single to stand out, gaining airplay time in major FM radio stations. The band became a featured artist in the Jamendo, the world’s #1 platform for free and legal music downloads. Superman’s Cape became one of the top hits ever, with over 300.000 plays and 55.000 downloads.

In May 2014, the “Transmitter” single (with bonus track “Today”) was released as a sneak peek of the forthcoming full-length album.

In June 2014, 10 Code performed in the EuroMusic Contest 2014 final in Paris, after being chosen with 9 more artists among 3267 contestants from 40 European countries.

In September 2014, George Paraskevopoulos and Stefanos Sakellariou joined 10 Code, replacing Simos Simeonidis and Dimitris Adamopoulos respectively.

40 Years Of Disruptions #Virgin40. Virgin EMI - Home to Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Emeli Sande, Iggy Azalea, Laura Marling, Jake Bugg, SHM and many more...

Οι Amantes Amentes δημιουργήθηκαν στην Αθήνα το Σεπτέμβριο του 2012 από το Θοδωρή Κέπα και Κώστα Μπερτόλη με αφορμή ένα LIVE.

Το όνομα τους προέρχεται από μια λατινική φράση που σημαίνει
‘’ οι ερωτευμένοι είναι τρελοί’’ . (πρωτοχρησιμοποιήθηκε από τον Ρωμαίο κωμωδιογράφο ονόματι Τερέντιος, 185-159 π.Χ.)

Η μουσική τους κινείται σε ελληνικούς Rock ρυθμούς με στοιχειά επίσης από Funk και Reggae.

Η αρχική σύνθεση του σχήματος αποτελούταν από το Θοδωρή Κέπα ( Φωνή), Κώστα Μπερτόλη ( Ακουστική κιθάρα), Θανάση Αλαμάρα ( Ηλεκτρική κιθάρα), Γιώργο Καψάλη ( Μπάσο) και Νίκο Ψυχογιό (Τύμπανα).

Τον Ιανουάριο του 2013 αποχωρεί από το σχήμα ο Θανάσης Αλαμάρας και την θέση του, στην ηλεκτρική κιθάρα, συνεχίζει ο Κώστας Μπερτόλης αφήνοντας πλέον την ακουστική.

Το Μάρτιο του ιδίου χρόνου αποφασίζουν να μπουν στο studio και ξεκινούν να γράφουν το πρώτο τους υλικό.
Κατά τι διάρκεια των ηχογραφήσεων μετά από κάποιες δυσκολίες που προκύπτουν στη σύνθεση, αποχωρεί από το σχήμα ο Νίκος Ψυχογιός και την θέση του αντικαθιστά ο Φοίβος Ανδριόπουλος. 

Μέχρι σήμερα οι Amantes Amentes έχουν εμφανιστεί σε διάφορα σημεία της Αθήνας και σε γνωστές μουσικές σκηνές oπως ο Σταυρός του Νότου. 
Σε σύντομο χρονικό διάστημα έχουν καταφέρει να αποκτήσουν το δικό τους κοινό, που τους ακολουθεί σε κάθε τους live!

Αυτή την περίοδο είναι αφοσιωμένοι στη δημιουργία του πρώτου τους προσωπικού άλμπουμ στο οποίο θα έχουν συμμετοχές από μεγάλα ονόματα της ελληνικής μουσικής σκηνής.

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