Record Label - Metal Blade Records

Metal Blade Records is one of the hallmarks of the indie metal scene. The Los Angeles-based label was founded in the early 80's by Brian Slagel, at least in part as a vehicle to record something by a favorite band of his, the then-unknown Metallica. And so the Metal Massacre series was born, unquestionably the best unsigned metal band compilation series ever, with the list of bands first recording on a Metal Massacre album reading as a Who's Who of 80's metal: Fates Warning, Slayer, Voivod, Armored Saint, the list goes on and on. Metal Blade Records itself, of course, signed several bands and flourished as a result, eventually becoming a worldwide entity it is today, in fact its European signings are now the backbone of the label.