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Nuclear Blast Records is a Germanrecord label withsubsidiaries in located in Germany, the United States and Brazil. It was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger inDonzdorf. Originally releasinghardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums bythrash metal,melodic death metal,grindcore,industrial metal,power metal andblack metal bands, as well astribute albums. It also distributes and promotes post-hardcore/metalcore labelsSharpTone Records; another post-hardcore/metalcore label,Arising Empire, was in Nuclear Blast portfolio until its acquirement by Kontor New Media in 2020.
| Nuclear Blast | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parent company | Believe Digital |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Markus Staiger |
| Status | Active |
| Distributor(s) |
|
| Genre | |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Location | Donzdorf, Germany |
| Official website | nuclearblast |
In October 2018, French independent labelBelieve Digital acquired a majority stake in Nuclear Blast.[1]
History
edit
Nuclear Blast was formed in 1987 after founder Markus Staiger traveled throughout the United States for four weeks and saw a gig of his favorite bandBL'AST!. The label's first release was a vinyl compilation calledSenseless Death (NB 001) featuring US hardcore bands like Attitude, Sacred Denial, Impulse Manslaughter and others.
Swedish bandMeshuggah became the first band in the history of Nuclear Blast Records to crack theBillboard 200, landing at number 165 with their 2002 album,Nothing. Meshuggah also became the first Nuclear Blast band to be reviewed inRolling Stone magazine.[2]
In 2004, Finnish symphonic metal bandNightwish releasedOnce on Nuclear Blast, which rocketed to the top of the charts in multiple countries, including Finland, Germany, Norway, Greece, Sweden, Austria, and more. It became the first release in the company's history to reach number 1 on the German charts.Slayer released the albumRepentless in 2015 which went to number 4 on theBillboard 200 making it the highest charting Nuclear Blast release in the United States.[3][4]
During the 2000s and 2010s, Nuclear Blast signed many veteranthrash metal bands includingSlayer,[5]Exodus,[6]Testament,[7]Anthrax,[8]Kreator,[9]Overkill,[10]Sepultura,[11]Destruction,[12]Tankard,[13]Death Angel,[14] andHeathen.[15]
In 2021, Nuclear Blast founder Markus Staiger launched a new record company calledAtomic Fire GmbH.[16]
In June 2022, Nuclear Blast unveiled a new logo. The logo caused some controversy when the canned water companyLiquid Death jokingly noted its similarities with their logo (which also features a melting skull), inadvertedly leading to its designer, Justin Moll, receivinghate mail.[17] Liquid Death quickly apologized for the joke, saying that it was not targeted at Moll but at Nuclear Blast, whose personnel had reportedly raised concerns over the new logo's similarities with Liquid Death's before it was implemented.[17]
On 23 August 2022, the video gameSaints Row was released, which features an in-game radio station that includes Nuclear Blast artists.[18]
Blood Blast Distribution
editBlood Blast Distribution is a subsidiary of Nuclear Blast that focuses solely on the distribution of extreme music. The company was founded in 2020 by Bryce Lucien, Jerome Riera, Denis Ladegaillerie and Myriam Silberstein.[19]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Believe buys majority stake in rock and metal label Nuclear Blast".Music Business Worldwide. 10 October 2018.
- ^"Meshuggah Breaking New Ground With 'Nothing'".Blabbermouth.net. 8 September 2002. Retrieved23 February 2019.
- ^MFN2001LD, Advertiser."History 2003–2007 – Nuclear Blast".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^"SLAYER's "Repentless" SLAYS Through The Charts".The Daily Rind. 30 September 2015. Archived fromthe original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved12 September 2017.
- ^Grow, Kory (24 April 2014)."Slayer Debut New Song 'Implode' During Surprise Golden Gods Appearance".Rolling Stone. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"EXODUS Sign With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 28 August 2003. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"TESTAMENT Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 28 June 2007. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"ANTHRAX – Nuclear Blast".www.nuclearblast.de. Retrieved23 September 2020.
- ^"KREATOR Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 9 February 2010. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"OVERKILL Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 30 October 2009. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"SEPULTURA Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 6 July 2010. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"DESTRUCTION Signs New Deal With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 9 June 2010. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"TANKARD Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 14 February 2012. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"DEATH ANGEL Sign With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 8 October 2003. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^"HEATHEN Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS".Blabbermouth.net. 10 April 2012. Retrieved26 November 2020.
- ^Blabbermouth (11 November 2021)."NUCLEAR BLAST Founder Launches New Label ATOMIC FIRE".BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved11 April 2022.
- ^abRhombus, Emperor (21 June 2022)."Liquid Death Water Roast Nuclear Blast's New Logo, Apologize to Designer When Their Fans Blame Him".MetalSucks. Retrieved8 August 2023.
- ^Lambgoat (28 September 2022)."Nuclear Blast Records curates in-game radio station for Saint's Row (2022)".lambgoat.com. Retrieved27 December 2022.
- ^STASSEN, MURRAY (25 February 2020)."BELIEVE AND NUCLEAR BLAST TEAM UP TO LAUNCH BLOOD BLAST DISTRIBUTION 'DEDICATED TO EXTREME MUSIC'". Retrieved4 June 2020.