Heavy Metal & Extreme Music Record Labels
A directory of independent and major labels across metal, metalcore, deathcore, hardcore, death metal, black metal, sludge, grindcore, power metal, and progressive metal. Updated weekly.
AFM Records
Hesse, Germany
German heavy metal label founded in 1996 (name from founders Allendörfer & Fischer), home to acts like U.D.O., Doro, and Lordi; ceased active label operations in 2025 and now functions as an online merch store under the Nuclear Blast/Impericon commerce group.
Church Road Records
England, United Kingdom
British independent label founded in 2017 by Sammy Urwin and Justine Jones of Employed to Serve, based in Woking, England; roster spans hardcore, death metal, sludge and doom, including Svalbard and Palm Reader.
Displeased Records
North Holland, Netherlands
Defunct Dutch death/thrash metal label founded in 1992 in Zaandam by Lars Eikema and Ron Veltkamp, home to Sinister, Pestilence and God Dethroned; the company was declared bankrupt in 2018.
Fallen Empire Records
New Jersey, United States
Defunct (active 2011-2019) New Jersey, USA black metal label known for cassette/vinyl releases offered as free downloads on Bandcamp; ceased operations in 2019.
FDA Rekotz
Brandenburg, Germany
German heavy/death metal record label and mailorder based in Wriezen, founded in 2006 by Rico Unglaube of Goregast, originally a DIY crust/grindcore label before shifting to classic old-school death metal.
Me Saco Un Ojo Records
United Kingdom
London, UK-based independent death metal record label and distro founded in 2009, specializing in underground death metal vinyl and demo tapes; distributes/releases Undergang, Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice and Faceless Burial.
Memento Mori
Madrid, Spain
Spanish death and death/doom metal label and mail order founded in early 2010 by Raúl Sampedro, focused on old-school death, doom and thrash metal on CD.
Prosthetic Records
California, USA
Founded in 1998, Prosthetic Records is an independent label spanning metal, hardcore, and experimental heavy music, having been home to Lamb of God, Animals as Leaders, and Skeletonwitch; now a division of MNRK Music Group.
Regain Records
Sweden
Swedish independent label founded in 1997 by Per Gyllenbäck, growing out of the earlier Wrong Again Records; known for black and death metal releases from Dark Funeral, Marduk, and Behemoth. Its official web presence now reads as a legacy/archive site, suggesting the label is largely inactive.
SharpTone Records
California, United States
American independent record label founded September 11, 2013 by Nuclear Blast CEO Markus Staiger and former Sumerian Records VP Shawn Keith, based in Los Angeles; specializes in metalcore, post-hardcore and alternative rock, with acts like Emmure, Currents and Loathe.
Southern Lord Recordings
California, United States
American label founded in 1998 by Greg Anderson (Sunn O))), Goatsnake), based in Los Angeles; specializes in doom, drone and sludge metal with artists like Sunn O))), Boris and Wolves in the Throne Room.
Vendlus Records
District of Columbia, United States
American independent label based in Washington, D.C., founded in 2002 by Joseph Cortese, releasing black metal alongside indie pop, industrial, avant-garde metal and electronica.
