Best Heavy Metal Record Labels
They have some of the finest extreme metal bands, like Carnifex, Children of Bodom, Machine Head, Suicide Silence, and Death Angel. One of the biggest metal labels in the world.
Biggest and best label in the world that is totally dedicated to metal.
Suicide Silence is under this label!
They've got some great bands signed, like As I Lay Dying, Whitechapel, Amon Amarth, and Cannibal Corpse.
Metal Blade has some of my favorite metal bands such as As I Lay Dying, Amon Amarth, Killswitch Engage, and Cannibal Corpse! m/
Tiamat, The Gathering, Stuck Mojo, Strapping Young Lad, Samael, Trouble, Rotting Christ, Merauder, Sentenced, Nevermore, Eyehategod, Morgoth - a great blend of European and American metal with only one common thing - great quality.
Iced Earth and At The Gates, also as previously mentioned, Lacuna Coil.
The definitive metal label of the 1990s, giving us Sepultura, Type O Negative, Biohazard, Life of Agony, King Diamond, Deicide, Machine Head, and Trivium. The arch-enemy of Earache on the other side of the Atlantic, Roadrunner and Earache were at war in the 90s, trying to lure the best death metal bands to their rosters.
Some very well-known bands are signed to Roadrunner, such as Killswitch Engage, Slipknot, Trivium, The Devil Wears Prada, and others.
Slipknot makes Roadrunner Records the best record label for metal bands. It's the best of the best.
A label that does its job - introducing and supporting new blood, regardless of genre. Not playing safe. Kind of what Roadrunner was about before it became irrelevant.
Love the black metal bands on this label. While I do love Unique Leader, Metal Blade, Relapse, etc. bands, this label has the most of my favorite bands on it.
Biggest French metal label, home to Morbid Angel, Cynic, Obsidian Kingdom, St. Vitus, Floor, and lots of fine black metal avant-garde bands.
This label has the most extreme bands in 2019. It used to be Nuclear Blast and Century Media, but not since 2015. Peaceville has stepped it up while the two giants from decades ago have gone way downhill with their non-extreme, crap signings.
Famous for the so-called "Peaceville 3" bands that created English doom-gothic: Paradise Lost, Anathema, and My Dying Bride.
Someone forgot to mention Kamelot under unappreciated metal bands. Kamelot is epic! But Amberian Dawn and Delain are epic too. Those are my personal top favorites, but the others mentioned are really good as well!
This is where I find the less popular metal bands that actually have great songs! Like Xandria, Delain, and Visions of Atlantis!
So many unappreciated metal bands... People like Amberian Dawn and Alestorm are probably their biggest bands.
While they have some of the more popular bands like Asking Alexandria, they have some great metal bands too. Perfect examples: The Faceless, Upon a Burning Body, and After the Burial.
They have bands like Periphery, Animals as Leaders, After the Burial, and Veil of Maya. The list goes on. Amazing label.
The best metal label period. Born of Osiris and Periphery... enough said. There are other kick-ass bands on it too.
Relapse Records has the most consistent roster, as well as the best-looking vinyl releases. Their releases are always on time (if not early). They have the best prices for a majority of their products, as well as the cheapest shipping prices compared to all of the other labels listed.
Deserves top 3. So many good bands are signed to Relapse (e.g., Nile, Mastodon, Pig Destroyer, Dying Fetus, Neurosis, and the list goes on and on).
In my opinion, the top three are Metal Blade, Relapse, and Nuclear Blast.
They have amazing bands like Nile and Obscura. What's not to like?
Season of Mist would be a close second, with Archspire and Beyond Creation, plus plenty of amazing black metal bands!
The Newcomers
It's a small label, but there are many awesome bands like Manowar, Rhapsody of Fire, and Luca Turilli.
This is a small label, but there are some awesome bands like Rhapsody, Manowar, and Luca Turilli.
This is a small group, but there are some awesome bands like Rhapsody and Manowar.
Legendary grindcore and death metal label, responsible for giving the world the gifts of Godflesh, Napalm Death, Carcass, Entombed, Morbid Angel, Repulsion, Bolt Thrower, Fudge Tunnel, Scorn, Dub War, OLD, Painkiller, and many more.
The fact that Earache is this low down proves that this site is filled with children...
One of the best labels for extreme metal bands.
Kalmah, Ensiferum, Bullet for My Valentine - do I need to say more?
Iwrestledabearonce... that's enough.
With amazingly talented bands such as Escape the Fate, Falling in Reverse, and Bring Me the Horizon, why aren't they up there?
Only by having Architects under their name is already worth a vote.
The only metal band signed to this label is Parkway Drive.
If you get signed to Fearless, you are already set. Bands like Ice Nine Kills, Get Scared, Pierce The Veil, August Burns Red, Motionless In White, and Set It Off are all thriving on Fearless Records (or at least were until they left). I am not saying that these are all metal bands - Set It Off is not, and while INK and MIW are, what I am saying is that it is a great record label!
Great roster. Positive message. Check them out!
Underrated despite having signed bands such as August Burns Red, Underoath, Norma Jean, Demon Hunter, Extol, and He Is Legend.
In the meantime, they are also home to rising talent such as Silent Planet, Phinehas, and Fit For A King.
The Devil Wears Prada, Fit For A King, Demon Hunter. What more could you want?