Relapse Records
Encyclopedia
Relapse Records is an independent record label
based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania
. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.
. The first two releases on the label were 7-inch singles by the bands Velcro Overdose and Face of Decline, closely followed by three death metal bands that would become among the biggest on the label, Deceased
, Suffocation
, and Incantation
.
Jacobson started Relapse Records on a release-by-release basis and wasn’t expecting any far-reaching extensive plan for the future, until one day he realized that there could be a future for the label beyond his own labor of love. He used his extensive list of contacts that he gained from his work at fanzine, Horrendlfled, to network not only the label but also the artists Matthew had signed.
After this, Jacobson became acquainted with William Yurkiewicz Jr., who became his partner in the record label. Yurkiewicz had founded his own record label, which was soon to release albums from the bands General Surgery
, Disrupt
, Destroy
, Misery, and Yurkiewicz's own band Exit-13
. The two joined forces to create Relapse Records, aiming to release high-quality, professionally packaged extreme music.
In 1991, the label moved their headquarters to Millersville, Pennsylvania
. In 1992, the label expanded its range with the creation of its subsidiary label called Release Entertainment, which specializes in experimental
, ambient
, industrial
, and noise titles. With continued growth came a mail-order/wholesale operation that soon became the largest underground distribution center for all things metal in the United States. The mail-order service carried a wide array of extreme music recordings and merchandise, as well as publications from around the world.
Throughout the years Relapse has continued to grow and sign on more influential artists from a broader range of genres. In 1996, Relapse unveiled the Resound Music Resource Guide. Resound gave fans direct access to the label's roster through interviews and reviews, as well as being part mail-order catalog.
In 1998, Relapse opened a promotions office in Berlin, as well as establishing a German Distribution deal. The second milestone came in 2003 when the first ever Relapse Contamination Festival was held January 18 and 19 at the Trocadero Theatre
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and featured various Relapse artists. In 2000, the label relocated to Upper Darby
, outside of Philadelphia and began plans to include a physical record store. In June 2001, the label opened their first record store off of South Street
in Philadelphia, near several other notable underground record stores.
In 2010, Relapse announced that they had done a deal with intellectual property lawyer Eric Greif
and Perseverance Holdings Ltd. to take over the Death catalog and brand internationally.
On August 5 2011, Relapse announced a pay-what-you-want partnership with Moshpit Tragedy Records
, which will see one mp3 album from the Relapse catalog issued weekly through MoshpitTragedy.com.
. Recently, with the increasing popularity of extreme metal, Relapse Records has ostensibly become more mainstream, with bands on their roster frequently appearing on the front cover of the magazine Kerrang!
and video plays on TV music channels, along with some albums charting on the Billboard 200
. The word has also been spread by the sponsorship of such festivals as the Milwaukee Metalfest
.
It would be hard however to label the company as dealing in one specific style or another as there are artists of such a wide variety on their roster, ranging from stoner rock and hardcore bands through grindcore and death metal right the way to retro thrash metal and doom metal.
The officially licensed reissues the label has also released also adds many other genres into their style.
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,...
based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania
Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania
Upper Darby Township is a home rule township bordering West Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Although it retains the term "Township" in its legal name, presumably for historic reasons, it is the largest municipality of any type in Delaware County. Upper Darby is also home to the Tower Theater, a...
. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.
History
The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, ColoradoAurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
. The first two releases on the label were 7-inch singles by the bands Velcro Overdose and Face of Decline, closely followed by three death metal bands that would become among the biggest on the label, Deceased
Deceased (band)
Deceased is a death/thrash metal band from Virginia, that has attained a dedicated, though cult following throughout a lengthy recording and live career. Founded in 1984, by drummer and vocalist King Fowley, the first band to sign Relapse Records, they released four full albums through the label,...
, Suffocation
Suffocation (band)
Suffocation is an American death metal band that was formed in 1989 in Long Island, New York. The band comprises vocalist Frank Mullen, guitarists Terrance Hobbs and Guy Marchais, drummer Mike Smith and bassist Derek Boyer. Suffocation rose to prominence of death metal and created a blueprint for...
, and Incantation
Incantation (band)
Incantation is an American death metal band that was formed by John McEntee and Paul Ledney in 1989. They are one of the leaders in the New York Death Metal scene along with fellow bands Suffocation and Immolation, even though the band is currently located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.The band has...
.
Jacobson started Relapse Records on a release-by-release basis and wasn’t expecting any far-reaching extensive plan for the future, until one day he realized that there could be a future for the label beyond his own labor of love. He used his extensive list of contacts that he gained from his work at fanzine, Horrendlfled, to network not only the label but also the artists Matthew had signed.
After this, Jacobson became acquainted with William Yurkiewicz Jr., who became his partner in the record label. Yurkiewicz had founded his own record label, which was soon to release albums from the bands General Surgery
General Surgery (band)
General Surgery is a Swedish goregrind group, known as one of the earliest Carcass clones. Their 1991 debut, Necrology, was released by Relapse Records and would be General Surgery's only material released until 2001, when the group recorded one track for the Carcass tribute album, Requiems of...
, Disrupt
Disrupt
Disrupt was an American grindcore/crust punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, United States. They only released one mainstream album , however the band acquired a cult following on the strength of several underground 7-inch EPs and compilation appearances...
, Destroy
Destroy (band)
Destroy! was an American crust punk band from Minneapolis from 1988 to 1994. Vocalist Felix Havoc founded Havoc Records in 1992 as a vehicle for Destroy!'s Burn this Racist System Down 7" EP.-Members:*Felix Havoc...
, Misery, and Yurkiewicz's own band Exit-13
Exit-13
Exit-13 was a grindcore band from Millersville, Pennsylvania. The band were formed in 1989 by Relapse Records founder and co-owner Bill Yurkiewicz , guitarist Steve O'Donnell and bassist Joel DiPietro...
. The two joined forces to create Relapse Records, aiming to release high-quality, professionally packaged extreme music.
In 1991, the label moved their headquarters to Millersville, Pennsylvania
Millersville, Pennsylvania
Millersville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 7,774.-Geography:Millersville is located at ....
. In 1992, the label expanded its range with the creation of its subsidiary label called Release Entertainment, which specializes in experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
, ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
, and noise titles. With continued growth came a mail-order/wholesale operation that soon became the largest underground distribution center for all things metal in the United States. The mail-order service carried a wide array of extreme music recordings and merchandise, as well as publications from around the world.
Throughout the years Relapse has continued to grow and sign on more influential artists from a broader range of genres. In 1996, Relapse unveiled the Resound Music Resource Guide. Resound gave fans direct access to the label's roster through interviews and reviews, as well as being part mail-order catalog.
In 1998, Relapse opened a promotions office in Berlin, as well as establishing a German Distribution deal. The second milestone came in 2003 when the first ever Relapse Contamination Festival was held January 18 and 19 at the Trocadero Theatre
Trocadero Theatre
The Trocadero Theatre, opened as the Arch Street Opera House in 1870, is a historic theater, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the years, it has offered musical comedies, vaudeville and burlesque. Burlesque performer Mara Gaye performed at the Troc in the 1950s...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and featured various Relapse artists. In 2000, the label relocated to Upper Darby
Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania
Upper Darby Township is a home rule township bordering West Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Although it retains the term "Township" in its legal name, presumably for historic reasons, it is the largest municipality of any type in Delaware County. Upper Darby is also home to the Tower Theater, a...
, outside of Philadelphia and began plans to include a physical record store. In June 2001, the label opened their first record store off of South Street
South Street (Philadelphia)
South Street is an east-west street forming the southern border of the Center City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the northern border for the neighborhoods of South Philadelphia. The stretch of South Street between Front Street and Seventh Street is known for its "bohemian"...
in Philadelphia, near several other notable underground record stores.
In 2010, Relapse announced that they had done a deal with intellectual property lawyer Eric Greif
Eric Greif
Eric Greif is a lawyer and entertainment personality known first for a management career within the heavy metal musical genre in the 1980s and later within the legal profession...
and Perseverance Holdings Ltd. to take over the Death catalog and brand internationally.
On August 5 2011, Relapse announced a pay-what-you-want partnership with Moshpit Tragedy Records
Moshpit Tragedy Records
Moshpit Tragedy Records is an independent record label from Canada which releases punk, metal and some of their subgenres . In 2007, they became the first record label to abandon physical releases in favour of a fully "sliding-scale" or "pay-what-you-want" download model.- Origin :Moshpit Tragedy...
, which will see one mp3 album from the Relapse catalog issued weekly through MoshpitTragedy.com.
Musical style
The label specializes in various types of heavy metalHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
. Recently, with the increasing popularity of extreme metal, Relapse Records has ostensibly become more mainstream, with bands on their roster frequently appearing on the front cover of the magazine Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
and video plays on TV music channels, along with some albums charting on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. The word has also been spread by the sponsorship of such festivals as the Milwaukee Metalfest
Eric Greif
Eric Greif is a lawyer and entertainment personality known first for a management career within the heavy metal musical genre in the 1980s and later within the legal profession...
.
It would be hard however to label the company as dealing in one specific style or another as there are artists of such a wide variety on their roster, ranging from stoner rock and hardcore bands through grindcore and death metal right the way to retro thrash metal and doom metal.
The officially licensed reissues the label has also released also adds many other genres into their style.
External links
- Official website
- Relapse's entire back catalogue on BandcampBandcampBandcamp is an online music store, as well as a platform for artist promotion, that caters mainly for independent artists. Artists on Bandcamp have a customizable microsite with the albums they upload. All tracks can be played for free on the website and some artists offer free music downloads...