SharpTone Records is an American independent record label started on September 11, 2013. The label was founded by Nuclear Blast CEO Markus Staiger and former vice president of Sumerian Records Shawn Keith. The label's roster includes an amalgamation of metalcore and rock bands: Don Broco, Loathe, Miss May I, We Came as Romans, Of Mice & Men, Holding Absence, Story of the Year, August Burns Red, Polaris, Currents, Crystal Lake, Emmure, and Alt.
| SharpTone Records | |
|---|---|
| Founded | September 11, 2013 |
| Founder |
|
| Distributor(s) | Nuclear Blast, Believe |
| Genre | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Official website | sharptonerecords |
History edit
Conception and first releases (2013) edit
The record label was started by Markus Staiger, the current CEO of Nuclear Blast Records and Shawn Keith, the former vice president of Sumerian Records.[1] The label has been described as an offshoot label of Nuclear Blast which primarily focuses on rock and alternative music, similar to Arising Empire. Arising Empire focuses on metalcore and punk bands.[2] In an interview, Keith spoke about the label: "Developing this label has been very exciting for me. The opportunity to partner and cultivate new and established artists working toward broadening their global potential is thrilling. SharpTone will continue to diversify and evolve as a brand for music fans to truly identify with. We are not just another record label. We are a new-music company, allowing artists to be as creative and passionate as they choose to be."[1]
The record label was first hinted at on June 23, 2016,[3] when several bands shared a mysterious teaser image reading "A New Era of Music Begins..." on their social media. These bands included Attila, Don Broco, Loathe, Miss May I and We Came as Romans.[4] The first release of the label would be a re-issue of the debut EP Prepare Consume Proceed by UK metal band Loathe less than a month later, but the labels first studio album release would be Attila's sixth album titled Chaos, released November 4 the same year.[5][6] Other later releases for the year included the American release of Don Broco's Automatic, and a release of Craig Owens new side project, badXchannels, who was also signed later in 2016, with the EP being named WHYDFML. Emmure also signed in 2016.[7][8]
Releases and signings (2017–present) edit
The label's roster would increase from nine bands in 2016 to seventeen acts by the end of 2017. They released 12 studio albums from bands including Emmure's Look at Yourself, Loathe's The Cold Sun, While She Sleeps' You Are We, and Miss May I's Shadows Inside to name a few. In 2018, along with signing four new bands including Bleeding Through, the label's first band to move away from the label, Attila, said they wanted absolute creative freedom. That was their reason for going solo without the help of any record label.[9][10] In 2018 the label issued Don Broco's Technology, Sink the Ship's Persevere, and Bleeding Through's Love Will Kill All among others.[11][12]
Music edit
The record label primarily focuses on different subgenres within rock music, more specifically the post-hardcore and progressive metalcore side of rock.[13] Early signings included Attila,[14] Emmure,[8] Currents,[15] and Loathe.[16]
Notable artists edit
Current edit
Former edit
| Artist | Years Labelled | Origin | Genre's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annisokay | 2017[28] | Germany: Halle (Saale), Saxony-Anhalt | Post-hardcore |
| Any Given Day | 2019[29] | Germany: Gelsenkirchen | Metalcore |
| Attila | 2016[1]–2018[10] | US: Atlanta, Georgia | Metalcore |
| badXchannels | 2016[7] | US: Davison, Michigan | R&B, Pop-punk, Post-hardcore |
| Being as an Ocean | 2017[30] | US: San Diego, California | Post-hardcore |
| Imminence | 2017[31] | Sweden: Trelleborg | Post-hardcore |
| Make Out Monday | 2018[32] | US: Los Angeles, California | Rock |
| Novelists | 2017–2020[33] | France: Paris | Metalcore |
| Of Virtue | 2019[34] | US: Lansing, Michigan | Metalcore |
| Rise of the Northstar | 2018[35] | France: Paris | Hardcore punk |
| Stuck Out | 2020–2022 | Australia: Melbourne | Pop punk |
| While She Sleeps | 2017[36]–2018 | UK: Sheffield, England | Metalcore |
Releases edit
| Album | Type | Artist | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare Consume Proceed (Re-issue) | EP | Loathe | July 8, 2016 |
| Chaos | Studio Album | Attila | November 4, 2016 |
| Automatic (North American Release) | Don Broco | November 11, 2016 | |
| WHYDFML[7] | EP | badXchannels | November 18, 2016 |
| Look at Yourself | Studio Album | Emmure | March 3, 2017 |
| This Is Goodbye[37] | Imminence | March 31, 2017 | |
| The Cold Sun | Loathe | April 14, 2017 | |
| You Are We | While She Sleeps | April 21, 2017 | |
| Shadows Inside | Miss May I | June 2, 2017 | |
| The Place I Feel Safest[38] | Currents | June 16, 2017 | |
| Cold Like War | We Came as Romans | October 20, 2017 | |
| The Mortal Coil | Polaris | November 3, 2017 | |
| Technology | Don Broco | February 2, 2018 | |
| This Is as One | Split EP | Loathe/Holding Absence | February 16, 2018 |
| Love Will Kill All | Studio album | Bleeding Through | May 25, 2018 |
| Arms | Annisokay | August 17, 2018 | |
| Waiting for Morning to Come (Deluxe Edition) | Being as an Ocean | September 7, 2018 | |
| The Legacy of Shi | Rise of the Northstar | October 19, 2018 | |
| Visions of Hollywood | Make Out Monday | October 26, 2018 | |
| Split Series #1 | Split EP | Kingsmen/ExitWounds | November 2, 2018 |
| I Let the Devil In | EP | Currents | December 14, 2018 |
| Everyone Around Me | Studio Album | Commonwealth | January 18, 2019 |
| Helix | Crystal Lake | February 15, 2019 | |
| Holding Absence | Holding Absence | March 8, 2019 | |
| Overpower | Any Given Day | March 15, 2019 | |
| Fault | EP | Alpha Wolf | April 19, 2019 |
| I Let It In and It Took Everything | Studio album | Loathe | February 7, 2020 |
| The Death of Me | Studio album | Polaris | February 21, 2020 |
| The Way It Ends | Studio album | Currents | June 5, 2020 |
| Hindsight | Studio album | Emmure | June 26, 2020 |
| A Quiet Place to Die | Studio Album | Alpha Wolf | September 25, 2020 |
| The Things They Believe | Studio Album | Loathe | February 7, 2021 |
| The Greatest Mistake of My Life | Studio Album | Holding Absence | April 16, 2021 |
| Amazing Things | Studio Album | Don Broco | October 22, 2021 |
| Echo | Studio Album | Of Mice & Men | December 3, 2021 |
| The Lost & the Longing | Split EP | Alpha Wolf/Holding Absence | August 15, 2022 |
| Curse of Existence | Studio Album | Miss May I | September 2, 2022 |
| Darkbloom | Studio Album | We Came As Romans | October 14, 2022 |
| Datura | Studio Album | Boston Manor | October 14, 2022 |
| Tear Me to Pieces | Studio Album | Story of the Year | March 10, 2023 |
| Death Below | Studio Album | August Burns Red | March 24, 2023 |
| The Death We Seek | Studio Album | Currents | May 5, 2023 |
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g "SharpTone Records Opens With Attila, Miss May I & We Came as Romans on Roster". Billboard. June 24, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ "Nuclear Blast: Metal record label's 30-year history". loudersound. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Attila, Miss May I, WCAR rumored to have signed with new label". Lambgoat. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- ^ "Multiple metalcore bands have shared this image". Alternative Press. June 24, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ^ "Loathe Re-Release New EP, Prepare Consume Proceed - National Rock Review". www.nationalrockreview.com. July 12, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Attila's "Chaos" is as much a celebration as it is a confrontation". Alternative Press. October 27, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c Sayce, Rob (October 31, 2016). "Craig Owens Has A Weird New Project - News - Rock Sound Magazine". Rock Sound Magazine. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Emmure drop first single with new lineup, sign deal with SharpTone Records—listen". Alternative Press. October 13, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ^ a b Robert Pasbani (January 22, 2018). "BLEEDING THROUGH Forging A Comeback, New Album Coming This Year?". Metal Injection. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ a b Natasha Heinz (February 13, 2018). "Attila announce they're unsigned, tease new music: 'We can do anything we want'". Alternative Press. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ Everley, Dave (February 13, 2018). "Technology Sharptone Out Now Bedford Bro-Rock-Ers' Overdone Third Album". Q: 108. Retrieved May 8, 2018 – via PressReader.
- ^ "Persevere - Sink the Ship | Releases". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ a b Caitlyn Ralph (February 10, 2017). "Sharptone Records sign Cardiff heavyweights Holding Absence—watch their new video". Alternative Press. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ "Attila announce new album, headlining tour". Alternative Press. August 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ^ Lindy Smith (April 7, 2017). "SharpTone Records signs new band and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ^ "Watch Loathe's Crushing Video For New Song 'Dance On My Skin'". Rock Sound Magazine. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
- ^ "SharpTone Records signs Vukovi". Lambgoat. July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "Alpha Wolf Sign to SharpTone Records + Announce New EP 'Fault'". Sound Fiction. March 22, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "August Burns Red sign with SharpTone Records, prepare new album". Lambgoat. March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
- ^ https://www.brooklynvegan.com/ex-every-time-i-die-members-dillinger-escape-plans-greg-puciato-form-new-band-better-lovers-share-debut-single/
- ^ "NEWS: Boston Manor sign to SharpTone Records!". Dead Press!. July 23, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ Broadside announce Sharptone signing with new song "Foolish Believer"
- ^ "Currents Sign With SharpTone Records, Debut "Night Terrors" Video". Theprp.com. March 3, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ "Crystal Lake Joins Sharptone". SharpTone Records. November 28, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
- ^ Major, Michael. "Letters Sent Home Release New Single 'Request Denied'". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- ^ "OF MICE & MEN Announces 'Timeless' EP, Drops New Song 'Obsolete'". Blabbermouth.net. January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ^ "【NEWS】オージー産メタルコアバンドPolaris (SharpTone Records)が今週リリースのデビューアルバムから新曲 "LUCID" のMusic Videoを公開". Alternative Press Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ "SharpTone Records Announces Signing of ANNISOKAY". Sound Fiction. July 13, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ "Any Given Day Release 'Overpower'". SharpTone Records. March 15, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "Being As An Ocean start pre-order for deluxe vinyl and release new music video". Frontview Magazine. July 24, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ "Imminence release awesome new video and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. March 31, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ "Make Out Monday Sign To SharpTone Records & Share Music Video for New Single, "Bullet For Your Sweetheart"". The Prelude Press. October 26, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ "Novelists announce new album 'Noir' - Distorted Sound Magazine". Distorted Sound Magazine. July 28, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Of Virtue Sign With SharpTone Records, Debut "Suffer" Music Video". Theprp.com. January 11, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ "Rise Of The Northstar signs with SharpTone Records". Lambgoat. August 2, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
- ^ "While She Sleeps announce UK headline tour". loudersound. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "This Is Goodbye - Imminence | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "The Place I Feel Safest - Currents | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2018.