Willowtip Records
Encyclopedia
Willowtip Records is an independently owned and distributed heavy metal
record label
headquartered in Zelienople, Pennsylvania
.
and grindcore
music, mostly from highly technical bands. The first release was a split EP between Fate of Icarus and Creation Is Crucifixion
. Tipton has stated that his proudest moment with the label was re-releasing Onset of Putrefaction
by the band Necrophagist
. It had not been available in the U.S. or elsewhere until Willowtip started redistributing it.
Willowtip have also collaborated with Colorado
"hydrogrind" band Cephalic Carnage
to release an exclusive one song EP entitled Halls of Amenti. Some of the label's more popular former acts include Arsis, Ion Dissonance
, Misery Index
and Neuraxis. The roster features bands from several different countries, including Belgium
, Canada
, Germany
, Finland
, Italy
and Sweden
.
In mid-2007, Willowtip entered into a partnership with Dutch death metal record label Neurotic Records
to distribute their previously unavailable releases in North America.
Willowtip has also entered into a licensing agreement with Candlelight Records
who will issue Willowtip releases for the European (and 'rest of world') market.
Heavy 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...
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,...
headquartered in Zelienople, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Background
Willowtip Records was founded in 2000 by Jason Tipton with a partner named Willosin, who is no longer involved with the label. The combination of the two names is the source of the label's name. They specialize in death metalDeath 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....
and grindcore
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
music, mostly from highly technical bands. The first release was a split EP between Fate of Icarus and Creation Is Crucifixion
Creation Is Crucifixion
Creation Is Crucifixion is a mathcore band that was formed in early 1997 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band was known for its complicated sound, which varied from ambient noise to more complex pieces...
. Tipton has stated that his proudest moment with the label was re-releasing Onset of Putrefaction
Onset of Putrefaction
Onset of Putrefaction is the debut album by German technical death metal band Necrophagist. It was recorded almost solely by the band's founder, guitarist and vocalist Muhammed Suiçmez. He recorded all the vocal tracks and programmed the drum tracks with the help of a computer...
by the band Necrophagist
Necrophagist
Necrophagist is a German death metal band, founded and fronted by Muhammed Suiçmez; a German-born, Turkish guitarist and vocalist. The band is known for its rapid and technical compositions....
. It had not been available in the U.S. or elsewhere until Willowtip started redistributing it.
Willowtip have also collaborated with Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
"hydrogrind" band Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage
Cephalic Carnage is an American grindcore band formed in 1992 in Denver, Colorado. The band comprises vocalist Lenzig Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos...
to release an exclusive one song EP entitled Halls of Amenti. Some of the label's more popular former acts include Arsis, Ion Dissonance
Ion Dissonance
Ion Dissonance is a Canadian mathcore/deathcore band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They're known for their technical mathcore style but changed to a more heavy, groove based style with the release of their 2007 album Minus the Herd.-History:...
, Misery Index
Misery Index (band)
Misery Index is an American deathgrind band formed in 2001 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, by Jason Netherton on vocals and bass guitar, Mike Harrison on vocals and guitar, and Kevin Talley on drums. From 2006-2010, its line-up consisted of Netherton on vocals and bass guitar, Sparky Voyles...
and Neuraxis. The roster features bands from several different countries, including Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
In mid-2007, Willowtip entered into a partnership with Dutch death metal record label Neurotic Records
Neurotic Records
Neurotic Records is an independent extreme metal record label specialising predominantly in death metal, operating out of Tilburg in the Netherlands....
to distribute their previously unavailable releases in North America.
Willowtip has also entered into a licensing agreement with Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
who will issue Willowtip releases for the European (and 'rest of world') market.
Artists
- Afgrund
- AlarumAlarumAlarum are a 4-piece progressive technical metal jazz-fusion band from Melbourne, Australia. They are stylistically quite similar to early-90's pioneers Atheist and Cynic. They are also known to play Death covers in live shows—another band which influences them greatly...
- As Eden Burns
- Blood Freak
- CapharnaumCapharnaum (band)Capharnaum is an American technical death metal band from Sanford, Florida, formed by brothers Jason and Jordan Suecof.-History:Capharnaum was founded in 1993 by Jason and Jordan Suecof, who are the only continuous members of the band. In 1997, the band released their debut album, Reality Only...
- Circle of Dead ChildrenCircle of Dead ChildrenCircle of Dead Children is a deathgrind band formed on October 24, 1998, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania known for being purveyors of pure aural destruction with their claustrophobic, dense take on extreme metal...
- Corpus MortaleCorpus MortaleCorpus Mortale is a Danish death metal group. Established in 1993, the band has released two full-length albums.-History:Corpus Mortale was founded in Copenhagen in 1993 by Nicholas Maschøln and Søren Jensen, followed by Martin Rosendahl completing the lineup in 1994. From the beginning the band...
(North America only) - Crotchduster
- Defeated SanityDefeated sanityDefeated Sanity is a German death metal band from Dachsbach, Bavaria, that was formed in 1994, originally as a side project of guitarist Wolfgang Teske and his son, drummer Lille Gruber. Gruber is the only original remaining member left in the band, following the departure of Teske in July 2008....
- Defeatist
- Dim MakDim Mak (band)Dim Mak is a death metal band from New Jersey. The band was formed from the ashes of Ripping Corpse, by guitarist Shaune Kelley, vocalist Scott Ruth, and drummer Brandon Thomas...
- DisavowedDisavowedDisavowed is a death metal band from Amsterdam, Netherlands and Esbjerg, Denmark.-Biography:Inspired by bands like Suffocation, Pyrexia, Vader and Dying Fetus, Disavowed was formed in 2000 from the remnants of Nocturnal Silence. With the goal to write music that is brutal, yet well structured,...
(North America only) - Electro QuarterstaffElectro QuarterstaffElectro Quarterstaff is an instrumental metal band hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They play a form of progressive/technical heavy metal and employ three lead guitarists. Initially consisting of just three guitarists and drummer, they added a bassist to their line-up in winter 2006 and...
- Gigan
- Goatsblood
- GorodGorod (band)Gorod is a technical death metal band from Bordeaux, France. They formed in 1997 under the name Gorgasm, releasing their debut album Neurotripsicks on Deadsun Records in 2004...
- Harakiri
- Illogicist
- ImpaledImpaled (band)Impaled is a death metal/goregrind band from Oakland, California.-History:The band's name is an acronym, standing for: Impaled - Immoral Medical Practitioners And Licentious Evil-Doers...
- Infanticide
- Kalibas
- MacabreMacabre (band)Macabre is an extreme metal band from Illinois. They were formed in 1985 in Chicago, Illinois, and have never had a line-up change. They blend thrash metal, death metal, and grindcore to form their own unique style dubbed murder metal...
- MagrudergrindMagrudergrindMagrudergrind is an American powerviolence and grindcore band formed in 2002. They have released numerous splits and two full length albums. Since its inception the band has toured Europe and North America multiple times, Puerto Rico, Japan, and South East Asia, along with Misery Index, Unholy...
- MalignancyMalignancy (band)Malignancy is a technical death metal band from Yonkers, New York formed in 1992.-Overview:Malignancy is recognized as one of the longest standing and well-known death metal bands in the New York death metal scene along with Incantation, Mortician and Suffocation.-History:Malignancy formed in...
- Maruta
- Odious MortemOdious MortemOdious Mortem is a death metal band from San Francisco, California, USA, currently signed to Willowtip Records.They have released two studio albums, through Unique Leader Records and Willowtip Records, as well as an independently released demo in 2003.-Style:...
- PhobiaPhobia (band)Phobia is a Grindcore band from Orange County, California. The band was formed in 1990 and is heavily influenced by crust punk and grindcore. Their lyrical content focuses mainly on socio-political issues and left-wing politics.- History :...
- Prostitute DisfigurementProstitute Disfigurement- Biography :Prostitute Disfigurement started out as a 3-piece near the end of 2000, under the name of Disfigure. They were joined by Roel van Kruysdijk on guitars, just before making their demo recordings...
(North America only) - Rune
- Severed Savior
- Spawn of PossessionSpawn of PossessionSpawn of Possession is a death metal band from Kalmar, Sweden, founded in 1997.-Biography:Spawn of Possession formed in February 1997, consisting of Jonas Bryssling , Jonas Karlsson , and Dennis Röndum ....
(North America only) - Squash Bowels
- Sulaco
- Terminal FunctionTerminal functionA terminal function is a function in a parse tree which is a leaf in that parse tree.-Background:A parse tree is made up of nodes and branches...
- UlcerateUlcerateUlcerate is a death metal band from Auckland, New Zealand. The band formed in 2000 under the name Bloodwreath with Michael Hoggard on guitar, Jamie Saint Merat on drums and Mark Seeney on vocals...
- Visceral BleedingVisceral BleedingVisceral Bleeding is a technical death metal band from Sweden.-Biography:Visceral Bleeding was formed sometime in the late nineties by Peter Persson and Niklas Dewerud. Influenced by bands such as Suffocation and Monstrosity, they performed what they thought the death metal scene was lacking...
(North America only) - Vulgar Pigeons
Former Artists
Includes bands signed to the label before splitting- Arsis
- Cephalic CarnageCephalic CarnageCephalic Carnage is an American grindcore band formed in 1992 in Denver, Colorado. The band comprises vocalist Lenzig Leal, guitarists Steve Goldberg and Brian Hopp, drummer John Merryman and bassist Nick Schendzielos...
- Commit Suicide
- Creation Is CrucifixionCreation Is CrucifixionCreation Is Crucifixion is a mathcore band that was formed in early 1997 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band was known for its complicated sound, which varied from ambient noise to more complex pieces...
- Crowpath
- Fate of Icarus
- Fleshgod ApocalypseFleshgod ApocalypseFleshgod Apocalypse is an Italian symphonic technical death metal band.-Biography:Fleshgod Apocalypse was formed during 2007 and recorded their first demo the same year. The demo was re-released the following year on a split CD with fellow Italian bands Septycal Gorge, Modus Delicti, and Onirik....
- Ion DissonanceIon DissonanceIon Dissonance is a Canadian mathcore/deathcore band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They're known for their technical mathcore style but changed to a more heavy, groove based style with the release of their 2007 album Minus the Herd.-History:...
- Kill the Client
- Leng Tch'eLeng Tch'eLeng Tch'e is a grindcore band based in Belgium. The band describes their style as "razorgrind", a combination of grindcore with death metal, stoner rock and metalcore....
- Misery IndexMisery Index (band)Misery Index is an American deathgrind band formed in 2001 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, by Jason Netherton on vocals and bass guitar, Mike Harrison on vocals and guitar, and Kevin Talley on drums. From 2006-2010, its line-up consisted of Netherton on vocals and bass guitar, Sparky Voyles...
- NecrophagistNecrophagistNecrophagist is a German death metal band, founded and fronted by Muhammed Suiçmez; a German-born, Turkish guitarist and vocalist. The band is known for its rapid and technical compositions....
- Neuraxis
- PsycropticPsycroptic-External links:**...
- Rotten SoundRotten SoundRotten Sound is a grindcore band from Vaasa, Finland, formed in 1993. The band comprises vocalist Keijo Niinimaa, guitarist Mika Aalto, bassist Kristian Toivainen and drummer Sami Latva...
- Sadis Euphoria
- Sickening Horror
- The Dying Light
- The Year of Our Lord
- Upheaval
- Watchmaker