IMPORTANT QUESTION - What record label SHOULD Novembers Doom be on?

[Novembers Paul]

I'm totally curious as to what you people think. I get tons of email all the time with people saying "You should be on (insert lablel name here)".

What do you think?

Dark Symphonies?
The End?
Hammerheart?
Century Media?
Metal Blade?
Nuclear Blast?

You tell us who, and why.

 

[ColdDarkNord]

hmmm hard question... The End looks pretty nice for this moment...

 

[OPETH_DT]

I would say if not DS, then definitely The End.....enough of these companies interact and distribute through one another, so it kind of works out, as long as the company promotes the band properly without any serious bullshit that could force a band to have their hands tied (see CM's situatiions with Nevermore and Iced Earth.....2 of the biggest names they had). Another thing would be trying to get distrbution through Peaceville for overseas promotions....just my take on it. Take care, guys.

 

[MindInsane]

Whichever label can get them the promotion they deserve! They need to be heard by the masses...

 

[FrostGiant]

CM has got a bad reputation because of Nevermore and Iced Earth (I really haven't heard about them screwing anyone else), but to be honest they do the best with promotion, IMO. I'd say about 1/3 of my cd collection is CM and the big reason for that is cuz I can buy their albums in Best Buy and The Exclusive Co. Metal Blade and Nuclear Blast are also distributed a bit, but don't seem to do the promotion Century Media does.

 

[J.]

Originally posted by FrostGiant
CM has got a bad reputation because of Nevermore and Iced Earth (I really haven't heard about them screwing anyone else),

Samael, The Gathering

I think the best fit for November's Doom is Dark Symphonies. If not them, then The End. Hammerheart concentrates more on the heavier side of things with lots of death, viking/pagan stuff. Metal Blade can't seem to move beyond Six Feet under and the like. CM and Nuclear Blast have so many bands on their rosters that they can't manage and promote them all. IMO, the better stuff is found more underground than these two labels are willing to go.

Like Jerry Maguire said- "It's about relationships, not money" (or something to that effect)

 

[Novembers Paul]

Everyones made some great points! Here's something to think about. The bands that complain about their labels, you have to wonder those who were "screwed" by their labels, maybe turned on the "rock star" attitude and pissed off the label? I dont know this to be true at all, but knowing what DS has done for us on the past CD, I would be the asshole to say anything negative about them, especially in public. Maybe some bands "have it coming"? Whatcha think?

 

[ricochet]

I agree that if not DS then The End. I talked to Andreas for a while at ProgPower this year, and he is a really great guy. He and Tomer are all about promoting the bands and have very little profit margin because they just care about promoting good music. Everyone knows they offer great prices and no shipping (much like DS). I'd say DS is a great fit for Novembers Doom, though.

 

[turnloosetheswans]

i know from first hand experience that the kids in nevermore think they own the metal earth...not one sliver of humility in them.... arrogent towards opening acts and for the most part just kinda jags as people[at one show i was at.....warrel was waaaaaaaaaay more intrested in sniffing on teenage girls during their set than rememberin the words to i am the dog] and i do really like nevermores music...... and fer my opinion....koch would be the label id suggest fer yer band... they do a good job with anathema and opeth and gunk...

 

[The Wanderer]

Originally posted by Novembers Paul
Everyones made some great points! Here's something to think about. The bands that complain about their labels, you have to wonder those who were "screwed" by their labels, maybe turned on the "rock star" attitude and pissed off the label? I dont know this to be true at all, but knowing what DS has done for us on the past CD, I would be the asshole to say anything negative about them, especially in public. Maybe some bands "have it coming"? Whatcha think?

There is definately some truth to that. I think Iced Earth are a prime example of having it coming.

and those bands did sign the deals.

Like Deicide, they hated being on roadrunner, but why the fuck would you sign for 7 albums?

and some bands move away from the labels original interest (style, whatever, like the gathering), or the label moves away from the band, like roadrunner.
who knows. messy deal this business is.

then there are the cases where the label totally drops the ball. It's both sides. But CM does seem to be messin up a bunch, who knows.

 

[Steve]

I'm not sure, but not Hammerheart. They're bad working with bands and don't know wt the hell they are doing from what I've herd. CM is a good label for some bands, although NB an TE have great distro online and offline. I'm not really sure.

Steve

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

I cant really butt my nose into other people's business, but while I have heard the stories about CM "screwing" bands such as Iced Earth, Nevermore, and The Gathering, all I know is that those three bands in particular were always given money to be able to tour worldwide, during the 90s no less (when metal tours did NOT make much revenue), they were given budgets to make videos (which unfortunately are not as inexpensive as they ought to be), and furthermore the fact that bands like Iced Earth and Nevermore, who play a more traditional type of metal, we're able to get as much exposure in the past several years as they have, really says something good about their PR department. I'm not kissing ass here to either the bands or the label, I'm just saying that you have to look at the big picture and realise how much was actually done over the years to make those bands as big as they are now. If the label seems to be losing interest or dropping the ball with the bands now, well maybe its just time for them both to part ways. That sort of thing happens alot in this business.

 

[YouFoolWarrenIsDEAD]

The End Records, if only for the fact that they are home to some of the best and most avant garde bands in the world.

 

[FuSoYa]

Dark Symphonies
pros = complete artistic freedom and support as much as they can give
cons = don't have much money so their best might not always be enough

The End
pros = they know everyone
cons = not a single awesome band on their label so you'd have that association of being with the "mehs"

Century Media
pros = can give pretty much limitless support. They've paid for bands to make MTV videos, even.
cons = will OWN you. Also might not be willing to give support if they're feeling moody.


One thing that really really sucks about metal labels (CM almost excluded here) is that they are METAL labes. Meaning that there's this stupid metal scene loyalty crap and that all the contacts they have are in the scene. So if you have an ambition to reach beyond the metal scene, I don't think that you could get that support from ANY metal label. Metal labels will sell you to metal fans and push you in metal magazines and that's it.

Century Media is almost discluded because they have had bands that have stopped being metal but have stayed on the label. But:

1) they got signed to CM as metal bands
henceforth
2) they probably were forced into a 7-albums-or-nothing deal so CM decided to release the non metal record anyway as opposed to dropping the band.

 

[frigidpony]

Metal Blade, circa 1985. That would rule.

 

[DEEK]

The End. why?? i don't know, it would just fit you guts better.

or CM.

 

[Thorns of Sorrow]

I dunno Toby, Agalloch is on The End, and they are pretty fucking incredible. Personally, Toby, I think you guys are the best band on the planet, and both Maudlin and Novembers Doom would do ALOT to break that label HUGE. If The End can nab both of you guys' bands, the stock of that label will skyrocket and better bands will start joining you guys. When my bands demo is done, I'm gonna shop it to Relapse, Elitist, The End, and Dark Symphonies. You are right about CM though, but metal blade IMO is worse that CM as far as the label owning you.

 

[valgalder]

CM have screwed a lot of bands. I used to talk with Atle from Twin Obcenity quite a bit.. I know CM has fucked them over quite a bit. They never even promoted their debut for CM much less even release bloodstone in the USA, EVER!

Fuck Century Media.. they only like to promote trendy bands or already established sellers.

What's wrong with Dark Symphonies? They may be small, but they seem like an honest company that wont screw you, and is very fair. Sure they can't afford to push you as much as other labels because of limited money, but they did pay for your studio and Neil Kernon for gods sake! Hopefully you were re-embursed anyway.

 

[Novembers Paul]

Originally posted by valgalder
CM have screwed a lot of bands. I used to talk with Atle from Twin Obcenity quite a bit.. I know CM has fucked them over quite a bit. They never even promoted their debut for CM much less even release bloodstone in the USA, EVER!

Fuck Century Media.. they only like to promote trendy bands or already established sellers.

What's wrong with Dark Symphonies? They may be small, but they seem like an honest company that wont screw you, and is very fair. Sure they can't afford to push you as much as other labels because of limited money, but they did pay for your studio and Neil Kernon for gods sake! Hopefully you were re-embursed anyway.

Never did I say there was anything wrong with DS. We're very happy with what DS has done for us, we were curious to see where others felt we should be.

 

[Demonic Rapture]

I say The End, too. It'd be nice to see you guys on the same label as Arcturus...and Epoch of Unlight...from Memphis.