Candlelight Records is a British

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

based in London, founded by former

Extreme Noise Terror Extreme Noise Terror (often abbreviated to ENT) are a British extreme metal band formed in Ipswich, England in 1985 and one of the earliest and most influential crust bands. Noted for one of the earliest uses of dual vocalists in hardcore,Bonn ...

bass guitarist Lee Barrett in 1993. The record label originally specialized in

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with tr ...

, but quickly expanded to various other forms of heavy metal, extreme metal and hard rock, including

death metal Death metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep death growl, growling vocals; aggressive ...

and

melodic death metal Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, ...

symphonic metal Symphonic metal is a cross-genre style designation for the symphonic subsets of heavy metal music subgenres. It is used to denote any metal band that makes use of symphonic or orchestral elements. The style features the heavy drums and guitars ...

metalcore Metalcore is a broadly defined fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, originating in the 1990s United States and becoming popular in the 2000s. Metalcore typically has aggressive verses and melodic choruses, combined ...

gothic rock Gothic rock (also called goth rock or simply goth) is a style of rock music that emerged from post-punk in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The first post-punk bands which shifted toward dark music with gothic overtones include Siouxsie an ...

post-rock Post-rock is a subgenre of experimental rock that emphasizes Texture (music), texture, atmosphere, and non-traditional song structures over conventional rock techniques. Post-rock artists often combine rock instrumentation and rock stylings wit ...

and

post-metal Post-metal is a music genre rooted in heavy metal music, heavy metal but exploring approaches beyond metal conventions. It emerged in the 1990s with bands such as Neurosis (band), Neurosis and Godflesh, who transformed metal texture (music), te ...

. Some of the company's flagship bands include

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

, 1349,

Blut Aus Nord Blut Aus Nord (; ) is a French black metal band from Mondeville, Calvados, that has incorporated avant-garde music, avant-garde and Industrial metal, industrial elements in its music. History Vindsval began a solo project, under the name "Vla ...

Ihsahn Vegard Sverre Tveitan (born 10 October 1975), better known by his stage name Ihsahn ( ), is a Norwegian musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer who is best known for his work with the black metal band Emperor (Norwegian band ...

Opeth Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. The band incorporates folk music, folk, blues, classical music, classical, and jazz elements into its usually lengthy compositions, as well as strong influences from deat ...

Christian Death Christian Death is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles County, California, in 1979 by Rozz Williams. With major line-up changes over the years, Christian Death has retained "a relentlessly confrontational stand against organized religion ...

Orange Goblin Orange Goblin are an English heavy metal band from London. Formed in 1995, the band's lineup currently consists of singer Ben Ward, guitarist Joe Hoare, drummer Chris Turner, and bassist Harry Armstrong. Their most recent album '' Science, Not ...

, Winterfylleth, Zyklon, Abigail Williams, Insomnium, Havok,

Obituary An obituary (wikt:obit#Etymology 2, obit for short) is an Article (publishing), article about a recently death, deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as Article (publishing), news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on p ...

, Nachtmystium and

Limbonic Art Limbonic Art is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Sandefjord. History Limbonic Art was formed in 1993 by Daemon, and was originally a full band featuring 3 other members. Daemon got in touch with Morfeus after the demise of the first li ...

. In January 2001, Candlelight Records launched an American division, Candlelight Records USA, which is headquartered in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, and is administered by Paula Hogan. In 2002, Barrett sold Candlelight Records to Edward Christie and Steve Beatty, and went on to form the

Earache Records Earache Records is a British independent record label, music publisher and management company founded by Digby Pearson in 1985, based in Nottingham, England, with offices in London and New York. The label helped to pioneer extreme metal by r ...

imprint Elitist Records (which only lasted three years, folding in 2005). In 2004, the company set up a licensing deal with Back on Black Records (also owned by Beatty) to release its titles on vinyl in the United Kingdom, and later (in 2006), in North America. In December 2003, Candlelight Records USA signed a licensing deal to handle the North American manufacturing, distribution and sales of Dutch record label Karmageddon Media. Similar licensing and distribution agreements were later signed with American record label Arctic Music Group in February 2004, Norwegian record label Tabu Recordings in March 2004, Swedish record label Threeman Recordings in April 2004, English record label

Rise Above Records Rise Above Records is a London-based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian, former member of Cathedral and Napalm Death. Founding Lee Dorrian started Rise Above Records in 1988 without the intention of the label being an ongoing pos ...

and French record label Appease Me Records (owned by members of Blut Aus Nord), both in November 2004, Swedish record label Regain Records in February 2005, Norwegian record label Nocturnal Art Productions (for worldwide distribution) in May 2005, German record label

AFM Records AFM Records GmbH is a music label based in Schwalmstadt, Germany. They focus on the heavy metal musical genre, signing bands such as U.D.O., Doro, Lordi, Kotipelto, Masterplan, Nostradameus, Redlight King, and Annihilator. In 2005, Can ...

in June 2005, and American record label Willowtip Records (for European distribution) in August 2007. In January 2016, Christie and Beatty sold Candlelight Records' assets to Finnish company

Spinefarm Music Group Spinefarm Records is an international record label. Founded in Finland in 1990, Spinefarm was acquired by Universal Music Group in 2002. History Spinefarm Records began as a mailorder distribution company, founded by Riku Pääkkönen. The c ...

(which also houses

Spinefarm Records Spinefarm Records is an international record label. Founded in Finland in 1990, Spinefarm was acquired by Universal Music Group in 2002. History Spinefarm Records began as a mailorder distribution company, founded by Riku Pääkkönen. The c ...

, Spikefarm Records and Snakefarm Records), which itself has been owned by

Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...

since 2002. As such, Candlelight Records became an affiliate of Universal Music Group, and has since been managed by Spinefarm Records' Dante Bonutto. In December 2022, Universal Music Group announced that all Spinefarm Music Group record labels would be distributed worldwide by

PIAS Group PIAS is a Belgian corporation that specialises in independent music recording, licensing, distribution, sales, and marketing. The company was founded in 1982 by Kenny Gates and Michel Lambot in Brussels, Belgium,. Website] Play It Again, SamDiffe ...

, starting January 2023.

Artists

Candlelight UK

* 1349 * Abaddon Incarnate *Abduction * Abigail Williams * The Atlas Moth * Age of Silence *

Anaal Nathrakh Anaal Nathrakh are a British extreme metal band formed in 1999 in Birmingham by multi-instrumentalist Mick Kenney and vocalist Dave Hunt (musician), Dave Hunt. They are currently signed to Metal Blade Records. The band's name is Irish language, ...

* Averse Sefira *

Burning the Oppressor Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combustion ...

* Carnal Forge * Crionics * Crowbar *Dam * Daylight Dies * Defiance * Earthtone9 *

* Epoch of Unlight *

Forest Stream Forest Stream is a symphonic black / doom / gothic metal band formed in Chernogolovka, Russia in 1995. The band draws inspiration from long and harsh Russian winters. Stylistically, the band's epic sound combines the atmosphere of the British ...

* Grimfist *

* Illdisposed * Imperial Vengeance * Insomnium * Kaamos * Lost Eden *

Manes In ancient Roman religion, the ''Manes'' (, , ) or ''Di Manes'' are chthonic deities sometimes thought to represent souls of deceased loved ones. They were associated with the '' Lares'', '' Lemures'', '' Genii'', and '' Di Penates'' as deities ...

* Myrkskog * Nebelhexe * Novembers Doom *

Nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics * Nuclear space *Nuclear ...

Octavia Sperati Octavia Sperati, formerly known as Octavia, is a Norwegian gothic metal band from Bergen, Norway. The group released their debut album '' Winter Enclosure'' in 2005. Their second album, '' Grace Submerged'', was released in May 2007. Both albu ...

* October File * Omnium Gatherum * Onslaught * Pantheon I * PSOTY * Sear Bliss * Saturnian Mist * Savage Messiah * Sigh * Starkweather * Stonegard * Subterranean Masquerade * Thine Eyes Bleed *

To-Mera To-Mera are an English progressive metal band from South Oxfordshire. They were formed in 2004 and play a technical style of metal characterized by long songs, multiple time changes and jazz interludes. History Formation of the band The word ...

Voices Voices or The Voices may refer to: Film and television * ''Voices'' (1920 film), by Chester M. De Vonde, with Diana Allen * ''Voices'' (1973 film), a British horror film * ''Voices'' (1979 film), a film by Robert Markowitz * ''Voices'' (1 ...

Whitechapel Whitechapel () is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. It is the location of Tower Hamlets Town Hall and therefore the borough tow ...

* Winterfylleth * Wodensthrone *

Wolverine The wolverine ( , ; ''Gulo gulo''), also called the carcajou or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species, member of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscular carnivore and a solitary animal. The w ...

* Xerath * Zyklon

Candlelight USA

See for Candlelight UK, but also: * Absu * Aeternus * Amoral * Audrey Horne * Bal-Sagoth * Battered *

Bronx Casket Co. The Bronx Casket Co. is an American gothic metal band from New York City. They were formed in 1999 by Overkill (band), Overkill bassist D.D. Verni. The band's music features a blend of gothic metal and traditional Heavy metal music, heavy metal ...

* Candlemass *

Centinex Centinex is a Swedish death metal band formed in 1990. They disbanded on 12 April 2006. They were scheduled to perform their final concert at an already booked show in Eskilstuna, Sweden, on 13 May 2006, but later cancelled. Some of the member ...

Dark Funeral Dark Funeral is a Swedish black metal band from Stockholm, founded by guitarists Blackmoon and Lord Ahriman in 1993. They emerged during the second wave of black metal. Their lyrical themes have traditionally pertained to Satanism and anti ...

* Demonic Resurrection *

Destruction Destruction may refer to: Concepts * Destruktion, a term from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger * Destructive narcissism, a pathological form of narcissism * Self-destructive behaviour, a widely used phrase that ''conceptualises'' certain kin ...

* Dismember *

Electric Wizard Electric Wizard are an English stoner metal, stoner/doom metal band from Dorset. Formed in 1988 under the name Lord of Putrefaction, the band have recorded nine studio albums, two of which have been considered genre landmarks: ''Come My Fanati ...

* Elvenking *

Attila Csihar Attila Gábor Csihar (; born 29 March 1971), also sometimes known as Void, is a Hungarian extreme metal vocalist, best known for his vocal work in Norwegian black metal band Mayhem and American drone metal band Sunn O))). Author Ian Christe ...

* Enslaved * Entombed *

Fear Factory Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial met ...

(2009–2012) *

Firebird Firebird and fire bird may refer to: Mythical birds * Phoenix (mythology), sacred firebird found in the mythologies of many cultures ** Fenghuang, sometimes called Chinese phoenix * Vermilion bird, one of the four symbols of the Chinese constella ...

Gorgoroth Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. It was formed in 1992 by guitarist Infernus, who is the sole original member remaining, and has released nine studio albums. Gorgoroth are a Satanism, Satanic band and have drawn contro ...

* Grand Magus * Havok * Hevein * Jorn *

Keep of Kalessin Keep of Kalessin is a Norwegian extreme metal band from Trondheim, formed in 1993. The group's early lineup consisted of Ghash on vocals, Obsidian C. (the group founder) on guitars and keyboards, Warach on bass, and Vyl on drums. They released t ...

Khold Khold is a Norwegian black metal band formed in Oslo in 2000 after the split-up of Tulus (band), Tulus. The band plays mid-paced black metal. History Khold was formed in Oslo in 2000. A demo was recorded in late 2000, which caused Khold to b ...

Kotipelto Kotipelto is a Finnish power metal self-named band by Timo Kotipelto, created during a hiatus in activity for power metal band Stratovarius. Kotipelto has been commercially well received in their native Finland, with a top 10 single "Beginning" ...

* Krieg *

Lord Belial Lord Belial is a Swedish black metal band. History The band formed in 1992 and released their debut album in 1995; placing them among the pioneers of Swedish black metal. Their sound has been compared with bands such as Dissection Dissecti ...

Marduk Marduk (; cuneiform: Dingir, ᵈAMAR.UTU; Sumerian language, Sumerian: "calf of the sun; solar calf"; ) is a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of Babylon who eventually rose to prominence in the 1st millennium BC. In B ...

* Masterplan *

Morbid Angel Morbid Angel is an American death metal band based in Tampa, Florida, formed in 1983 by guitarist, primary composer and sole remaining original member Trey Azagthoth, vocalist and bassist Dallas Ward, and drummer Mike Browning. Widely considere ...

Necrophobic Necrophobic is a Swedish blackened death metal band. History The band was formed in 1989 by drummer Joakim Sterner and now-deceased guitarist David Parland. It is believed that the band named themselves after a Slayer song from the 1986 semin ...

* Odious Mortem *

* Overmars * Pro-Pain * The Project Hate MCMXCIX * Ram-Zet *

Rob Rock Robert Rock (born June 29, 1959) is an American heavy metal singer who is best known as the longtime frontman of Impellitteri, a position he has held from 1987 to 1988, 1992 to 2000, and now from 2008 to the present day. Rock has also release ...

Sahg Sahg is a three-piece Norway, Norwegian hard rock/doom metal band formed in Bergen in the summer of 2004, by key figures in the metal scene of their country: Tom Cato Visnes (King ov Hell), Einar Selvik (Kvitrafn), Olav Iversen and Thomas Toftha ...

* Sarah Jezebel Deva * Satariel * SCUM * Setherial * Seven Witches * Shakra * sHEAVY * Sothis * Sinister *

Sourvein Sourvein is an American sludge metal band that formed in Cape Fear, North Carolina during 1993. The band has released four full-length albums, three EPs, and various 7" splits. Discography *Split with Buzzoven (Mudflap, 1995) *''He's No Go ...

* Spektr * Susperia * Taint *

Theatre of Tragedy Theatre of Tragedy was a Norwegian band from Stavanger, active between 1993 and 2010. They are best known for their earlier albums, which influenced the gothic metal genre. History Formation (1993) Theatre of Tragedy was founded on 2 October 199 ...

* Thyrane * Thyrfing * Time Requiem * U.D.O. * Vader * Vision of Disorder *

Vreid Vreid is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 2004 after the breakup of Windir following the death of lead singer and founder Valfar. The remaining members along with new guitarist Ese formed Vreid. The band's name is an archaic Norwegian word ...

Windir Windir ("Warrior" in English) was a black metal band from Sogndal, Norway. The band was formed in 1994 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Terje "Valfar" Bakken, and released its debut album, '' Sóknardalr'', in 1997. Windir combined blac ...

Witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

References

External links

* * * * {{Authority control Spinefarm Records 1993 establishments in England American record labels Black metal record labels British companies established in 1993 British record labels Death metal record labels English record labels Labels distributed by Universal Music Group Record labels established in 1993

Artists

Candlelight UK

Candlelight USA

See also

References

External links