Top 10 albums not released on a major metal label

Rules:

1. This means no Century Media, Combat, Metal Blade, Nuclear Blast, CBS, Sony, Atlantic, Elektra, Megaforce, Noise, Sanctuary, Earache, Pavement, Def Jam/American, Intense, Solid State, Tooth & Nail, Massacre, Music for Nations, Relapse, SPV / Steamhammer, Roadrunner / Roadracer, etc. etc.
2. Only one album per band
3. Have fun and think hard! Most of our discussions here are only about bigger label bands. This is a chance to mention and talk about different acts than your average Iced Earth / Iron Maiden thread.

My list:

Honorable Mention: MYSTIC FORCE - Man Vs. Machine
10. FLESHTIZED - Here Among Thorns
9. ARTILLERY - B.A.C.K.
8. CHAOS INCEPTION - Collision with Obliveon
7. LICH KING - World Gone Dead
6. ELIMINATOR - Breaking the Wheel
5. TENSION - Breaking Point
4. MERCURY RISING - Upon Deaf Ears
3. SCREAMER - Target: Earth
2. DEADLY BLESSING - Ascend from the Cauldron
1. CAULDRON BORN - Born of the Cauldron

Cresent Shield - Last of My Kind


Flat out awesome!

This is probably cheating a little but the first one that popped into my head was Crimson Glory's debut album -- yeah, it was released on Roadrunner eventually but initially it was put out by the tiny Florida based indie PAR Records.

I don't know if I can even come up with another nine. Will have to think about it some more.

Fat Freddy wrote:

This is probably cheating a little but the first one that popped into my head was Crimson Glory's debut album -- yeah, it was released on Roadrunner eventually but initially it was put out by the tiny Florida based indie PAR Records.

Yeah, I thought of adding ONWARD but didn't include them for that reason.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

This is probably cheating a little but the first one that popped into my head was Crimson Glory's debut album -- yeah, it was released on Roadrunner eventually but initially it was put out by the tiny Florida based indie PAR Records.

Yeah, I thought of adding ONWARD but didn't include them for that reason.

Yeah, that was originally supposed to be on Sentinel Steel (did S.S. ever actually release it? If so I've never seen a copy of their version) till Century Media bought their contract.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

Yeah, I thought of adding ONWARD but didn't include them for that reason.

Yeah, that was originally supposed to be on Sentinel Steel (did S.S. ever actually release it? If so I've never seen a copy of their version) till Century Media bought their contract.

I don't think they did. I've never seen a SS copy of that disc.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

Yeah, I thought of adding ONWARD but didn't include them for that reason.

Yeah, that was originally supposed to be on Sentinel Steel (did S.S. ever actually release it? If so I've never seen a copy of their version) till Century Media bought their contract.

I don't think they did. I've never seen a SS copy of that disc.

Maybe not. I do have an old 'zine somewhere with an Sentinel Steel Records ad on the back cover which listed it as "Coming Soon" though. I guess that's about as far as they got with it before C.M. came into the picture.

No way I could do 10

5.Anthelion-Bloodshed Re-befallen
4.Fearful Symmetry-This Sad Veil of Tears
3.Miseration-The Mirroring Shadow
2.Believer-Sanity Obscure
1.Kadenzza-Second Renaissance

By major label, I am assuming you also mean labels like Metal Blade, Combat, Intense, R.E.X., Century Media, Megaforce, etc.? Correct?

I don't know about a top 10, but here are some that come to mind...

Cerebus - Too Late To Pray (New Renaissance)
The Moshketeers - The Downward Spiral (independent)
Raven - Rock Until You Drop (Neat Records)
Dirty Looks - In Your Face (Sticky Records)
Hirax - New Age of Terror (Masoleum/Black Devil)
Havok - Burn (Candelight Records I believe)
Havok - Time Is Up
Avenger of Blood - Death Brigade (Heavy Artillery Records)
October 31 - No Survivors (Thrash Corner)
Place of Skulls - As a Dog Returns (can't remember the record company, but I know it was not a major)
Pentagram - Relentless (originally Pentagram Records, later Peaceville)
Anvil - Metal on Metal (as far as I know, only released on obscure Attic Records)
Ultimatum - Into the Pit (Retroactive/I know, but I like it, so why not list it?)
Vektor - Black Future (Heavy Artillery Records)
CJSS - World Gone Mad / Praise the Loud (Leviathan, I think?)
Heathens Rage - s/t (EP/Rock Dreams)
TT Quick - s/t (EP/Avalanche)
Metanoia - In Darkness or in Light (Rowe)
Ethereal Scourge - Judgment & Restoration (Rowe)

metalhead777 wrote:

No way I could do 10

5.Anthelion-Bloodshed Re-befallen
4.Fearful Symmetry-This Sad Veil of Tears
3.Miseration-The Mirroring Shadow
2.Believer-Sanity Obscure
1.Kadenzza-Second Renaissance

Sanity Obscure was released on Roadrunner Records and R.E.X. Records. and also was re-released on Metal Mind. Not sure if those are considered "major labels" or not, but they did have major label distribution.

ultmetal wrote:

metalhead777 wrote:

No way I could do 10

5.Anthelion-Bloodshed Re-befallen
4.Fearful Symmetry-This Sad Veil of Tears
3.Miseration-The Mirroring Shadow
2.Believer-Sanity Obscure
1.Kadenzza-Second Renaissance

Sanity Obscure was released on Roadrunner Records and R.E.X. Records. and also was re-released on Metal Mind. Not sure if those are considered "major labels" or not, but they did have major label distribution.

I dont really think R.E.X was a major label. Didn't seem like it.

Pantokrator-Blod
Crimson Moonlight - The Pilgrim Progress
Crimson Thorn - Purification
Slechtvalk - The War that Plagues the Lands
Antestor - Martyrium
Crutch - ...Hope Prevails


Just some that popped into my head that's more niche oriented

I couldn't do a top 10 list but I can do a 10 list (i.e. not in order):

Seasons Of The Wolf-Nocturnal Revelation
Gates Of Winter-Lux Aeterna
Aska-Absolute Power
Theocracy-Mirror Of Souls
Moonlight Agony-Echoes Of A Nightmare
Pentagram-Anatolia
Sacred Oath-s/t
Shiva-Desert Dreams
Ethreal Scourge-Judgement & Restoration
Prototype-Trinity

These are my favorites (there are some more that don't make the list). Although technically not major labels, I didn't count Retroactive, Bombworks, or Nightmare because of the long list of metal bands featured on the labels.

Agent Steel Alienigma 2007 Mascot Records
Crashdiet Rest in Sleaze 2005 Stockholm Records
The Upper Crust Let Them Eat Rock 1995 Upstart Records
Haken Aquarius 2010 Sensory Record
Innocent Rosie Bad Habit Romance 2009 Swedmetal Records
Keldian Heavens Gate 2007 Perris Records
Wolf Wolf 1999 Prosthetic Records
Moon Safari A Doorway to Summer 2005 Blomljud Records
Psychotic Waltz A Social Grace 1990 Subsonic Records
Sabaton Primo Victoria 2005 Black Lodge Records

"A Social Grace" is a great pick but it was reissued by Metal Blade.

A few that come to mind for me:

Vulture - Easier To Lie (Overdrive)
Cyclone - Inferior To None (Justice)
Carbide - Spiral Termination (Independency)
Alligator - Cerebral Implosion (Last Scream)
Jurassic Jade - Gore (Explosion)
Jewel - Revolution In Heaven (Classic Trash)
Mezzrow - Then Came The Killing (Active)
Razor - Shotgun Justice (Fringe)
Archaic Torse - Sneak Attack (1MF)
Mottek - Fatal Violence (Sucker)

Somehow I knew you'd mention CARBIDE.

SideShowDisaSter wrote:

A few that come to mind for me:

Vulture - Easier To Lie (Overdrive)
Cyclone - Inferior To None (Justice)
Carbide - Spiral Termination (Independency)
Alligator - Cerebral Implosion (Last Scream)
Jurassic Jade - Gore (Explosion)
Jewel - Revolution In Heaven (Classic Trash)
Mezzrow - Then Came The Killing (Active)
Razor - Shotgun Justice (Fringe)
Archaic Torse - Sneak Attack (1MF)
Mottek - Fatal Violence (Sucker)

Good List Ben! Vulture and Alligator would make my list for sure.

Artch - Another Return
Witchhammer - 1487
Angel Dust - To Dust You Will Decay
Ark - Burn The Sun
Attacker - Battle At Helm's Deep
AxeHammer - Lord of the Realm
Bloodbound - Noseratu
Candlemass - Tales of Creation
Desperado - Bloodied, But Unbowed
Doomsword - My Name Will Live On

etc.

Eviction - The World Is Hours... Away!
Witchfinder General - Death Penalty
Juggarnaut - Baptism Under Fire
Saint Vitus - Die Healing
Meanstreak - Road Kill
Sword - Metalized
Death Warrant - Time Of Dying
Denial - Anti-Christ President
Riff Raff - Give The Dead Man Some Water
Sacred Denial - Shifting Through Remains

I was going to add Armed Forces - Take On The Nation but upon closer inspection it appears to have been distributed by Rhino Records. No idea they had any metal offerings on that label.

I'm not much for lists but it seems like Pentagram and Manilla Road ought to go somewhere...

Temple of Blood wrote:

Somehow I knew you'd mention CARBIDE.

I'm nothing if not predictable!

I guess Attic and Fringe Records were obscure in America, but pretty sure they had distribution to a lot of Canadian record stores, but not sure about shopping outlets like Zellers.

I will probably change this, didn't incude any Stormspell or Roxx releases in this list !

AGGRESSION - The Full Treatment
DEATHRASH - Thrash Beyond Death
FATALITY - Beers From The Grave
INSANITY - Death After Death
MASSACRE - The Second Coming
RIOTOR - Beast of Riot
TWILIGHT HAMMER - Orcish Steel
VEKTOR - Black Future
VOOR - Evil Metal
WATCHTOWER - Energetic Disassembly

kmorg wrote:

Artch - Another Return
Witchhammer - 1487
Angel Dust - To Dust You Will Decay
Ark - Burn The Sun
Attacker - Battle At Helm's Deep
AxeHammer - Lord of the Realm
Bloodbound - Noseratu
Candlemass - Tales of Creation
Desperado - Bloodied, But Unbowed
Doomsword - My Name Will Live On

etc.

good call on that Bloodbound!

exact33 wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Bloodbound - Noseratu

etc.

good call on that Bloodbound!

I hope this album is really good! I just snagged a new copy on eBay for $5!