Originally published in ‘zine issue #5, 1992
This year marks the tenth for Metal Blade Records, based out of Tarzana, California. Started out of The New Heavy Metal Revue ‘zine by Brian Slagel, the label started putting out its famous Metal Massacre compilations, which helped such bands early on as Armored Saint, Dark Angel, Fates Warning, Flotsam & Jetsam, Metal Church, Metallica, Sacred Reich, Slayer, and Voivod. Slagel started signing bands to his groundbreaking label in 1982 for album deals, and by 1984 had a roster including some of those above and Hellhammer, Lizzy Borden, and Trouble, among others. In 1985, Metal Blade released albums by Destruction and Sodom, to name two. With 1987 came the label’s Death Records off-shoot, which boasted Corrosion Of Conformity, Cryptic Slaughter, and later on Cannibal Corpse and Atheist, just to name a few.
Metal Blade’s signing practices expanded under Slagel’s direction, and the label picked up such alternative/AOR bands as the Junk Monkeys and the Goo Goo Dolls. And in 1990 the label signed a wide distribution contract with Warner Brothers Records, a tactic used in 1985 with Enigma/Capitol Records that didn’t go well. Going the other way, Metal Blade began distributing independent labels Red Decibel’s and Epidemic’s releases.
So congratulations to Brian Slagel and Metal Blade Records, and thanks to Jim Filiault and Marco Barbieri for providing info for this piece. Let’s hope Metal Blade keeps going for another ten years! ■
