No Colours Records
Encyclopedia
No Colours Records is a German mail order
and record label
from Mügeln
specialised in black metal
.
genres such as thrash
and death metal
. Most releases appear both on CDs and as limited vinyl editions. Furthermore, the label sells merchandising
articles such as T-shirts and embroidered patch
es.
The label's most well-known bands are Inquisition
, Graveland
and Nargaroth. No Colours has also released many of Rob Darken
's side projects such as Lord Wind and Infernum
. Besides neo-nazi bands such as Thor's Hammer from Poland, the label has also signed many apolitical bands like Wigrid
and Suicidal Winds, so some are against an association to the far right.
's first album For All Tid
and the first releases by Graveland after their departure from Lethal Records. In 1996 the label released both Absurd
's and Falkenbach
's debut albums. Absurd's "Asgardsrei" EP was also financed by Zopf but released under the name "IG Farben Production".
In 1999, Nargaroth, another controversial black metal band, was signed. On October 6, 1999, there was a raid by the German police. Besides No Colours label, Christhunt Productions, and Darker Than Black—the former label of Absurd members Hendrik and Ronald Möbus—were also raided.
Since 2003, Finnish black metal band Satanic Warmaster
, was signed to No Colours Records.
The year 2004 witnessed the US/Colombian band Inquisition signing No Colours Records; Inquisition are currently collaborating with Mr. Zopf on their 3rd album with this label. The scheduled release date is March of 2010.
Ukrainian pagan/National Socialist band Nokturnal Mortum was signed in 2005.
and Searchlight
magazines see No Colours as a company serving the NSBM scene.
German media also reported about the label while reporting about the mob attacks that occurred on August 19, 2007. German newspaper TAZ
reported the label was recommended as a "national mail order" in a Nazi internet forum. Nevertheless, the saxonian Verfassungsschutz does not agree with that classification and denies observation.
Mail order
Mail order is a term which describes the buying of goods or services by mail delivery. The buyer places an order for the desired products with the merchant through some remote method such as through a telephone call or web site. Then, the products are delivered to the customer...
and record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
from Mügeln
Mügeln
Mügeln is a town in the district Nordsachsen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is located 9 km southwest of Oschatz and 14 km northwest of Döbeln. The town has a population of approximately 4700 people.- Geography :...
specialised in black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
.
Background
No Colours Records mostly releases Black Metal records, but has also released records related to other extreme metalExtreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
genres such as thrash
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
and death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
. Most releases appear both on CDs and as limited vinyl editions. Furthermore, the label sells merchandising
Merchandising
Merchandising is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity. In the broadest sense, merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products to a retail consumer...
articles such as T-shirts and embroidered patch
Embroidered patch
An embroidered patch is a piece of art which is created by using a fabric backing thread and some form of a needle. Embroidered patches can be attached with a pin or can be sewn on, but some of the more modern methods of attachment include both an iron-on and Velcro backing...
es.
The label's most well-known bands are Inquisition
Inquisition (Colombian band)
The band Inquisition was formed in 1988 in Cali, Colombia by Dagon. The band started as a thrash metal act, and in 1994 evolved into raw black metal....
, Graveland
Graveland
Graveland is a Polish black metal band which was formed in 1992 by Rob Darken . The lyrics of Graveland are strongly inspired by nature, paganism and nationalism.-History:...
and Nargaroth. No Colours has also released many of Rob Darken
Rob Darken
Robert "Darken" Fudali aka Lord Wind is the founder & maintainer of the Polish music projects Graveland and Lord Wind.He has also contributed to other local bands, such as Veles, Infernum, Oppressor , Legion, Wolfkhan, Behemoth and North, most of which as either session keyboardist or artwork...
's side projects such as Lord Wind and Infernum
Infernum
Infernum is a black metal band founded in 1992 in Wrocław, Poland by Grzegorz "Anextiomarus/Karcharoth" Jurgielewicz and Tom Balrog playing also Oppressor at present Baphomets Throne.-Band history:...
. Besides neo-nazi bands such as Thor's Hammer from Poland, the label has also signed many apolitical bands like Wigrid
Wigrid
Wigrid is an underground black metal project that founded by Ulfhednir in 1998. The name is taken from the field where the battle of Ragnarok will be fought according to the Norse mythos.-Early years :...
and Suicidal Winds, so some are against an association to the far right.
History
Steffen Zopf founded No Colours Records in 1993 as a label and mail order for black metal records and merchandise. Among his first releases are Dimmu BorgirDimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
's first album For All Tid
For All Tid
-Dimmu Borgir:* Silenoz – lead vocals, rhythm guitar* Tjodalv – lead guitar, drums on Glittertind* Stian Aarstad – synthesizers, keyboards, effects* Brynjard Tristan – bass* Shagrath – drums, backing vocals, lead guitar on "Glittertind"...
and the first releases by Graveland after their departure from Lethal Records. In 1996 the label released both Absurd
Absurd (band)
Absurd is one of the best-known black metal and pagan metal bands in Germany, classified as right-wing extremist by the Thuringian Landesbehörde für Verfassungsschutz....
's and Falkenbach
Falkenbach
Falkenbach is a Viking metal group from Germany that is currently signed to Prophecy Productions. The name means "Falconbrook" in German. The one permanent member is Vratyas Vakyas.-History:...
's debut albums. Absurd's "Asgardsrei" EP was also financed by Zopf but released under the name "IG Farben Production".
In 1999, Nargaroth, another controversial black metal band, was signed. On October 6, 1999, there was a raid by the German police. Besides No Colours label, Christhunt Productions, and Darker Than Black—the former label of Absurd members Hendrik and Ronald Möbus—were also raided.
Since 2003, Finnish black metal band Satanic Warmaster
Satanic Warmaster
Satanic Warmaster is a black metal band from Lappeenranta in southern Finland. Musician "Satanic Tyrant Werwolf" began recording under this name in 1999...
, was signed to No Colours Records.
The year 2004 witnessed the US/Colombian band Inquisition signing No Colours Records; Inquisition are currently collaborating with Mr. Zopf on their 3rd album with this label. The scheduled release date is March of 2010.
Ukrainian pagan/National Socialist band Nokturnal Mortum was signed in 2005.
Reception
Rock HardRock Hard (magazine)
Rock Hard is a heavy metal magazine originally released in Germany. It was founded in 1983 by Holger Stratmann and is dedicated to all styles of rock and heavy metal. The magazine has independent offspring with the same name in France, Greece, Italy and Spain....
and Searchlight
Searchlight (magazine)
Searchlight is a British anti-fascist magazine, founded in 1975 by Gerry Gable, which publishes exposés about racism, antisemitism, and fascism in the UK....
magazines see No Colours as a company serving the NSBM scene.
German media also reported about the label while reporting about the mob attacks that occurred on August 19, 2007. German newspaper TAZ
Die tageszeitung
die tageszeitung , was founded in 1978 in Berlin. It is a cooperative-owned German daily newspaper which is administrated by a workers' self-management...
reported the label was recommended as a "national mail order" in a Nazi internet forum. Nevertheless, the saxonian Verfassungsschutz does not agree with that classification and denies observation.