Nuclear Blast
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2008-07-04T18:39:40Z
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{{For|nuclear detonations|nuclear explosion}}
{{Infobox record label
| image =
| founded = 1987
| founder = [[Markus Staiger]]
| distributor = Major
| genre = [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]<br>[[Melodic death metal]]<br>[[Black metal]]<br>[[Death metal]]<br>[[Power metal]]<br>[[Folk metal]]<br>[[Thrash metal]]<br>[[Doom metal]]<br />[[Hardcore punk]]<br />[[Grindcore]]
| country = [[Germany]]
| location = [[Donzdorf]], [[Göppingen (district)|Göppingen]]
| url = http://www.nuclearblast.de/
}}
'''Nuclear Blast''' is a [[record label]] and [[mail order]] [[record distributor]] with [[subsidiary|subsidiaries]] in [[Germany]], the [[United States]] and [[Brazil]]. The record label was founded in [[1987 in music|1987]] by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing [[hardcore punk]] records, the label moved on to releasing albums by [[melodic death metal]], [[grindcore]], [[power metal]] and [[black metal]] bands, as well as [[tribute albums]]. Nuclear Blast is widely respected as the top label for the melodic metal scene, along with fellow non-[[RIAA]] label [[Century Media]]. The label's main office is in [[Donzdorf]], [[Göppingen (district)|Göppingen]]. Nuclear Blast America is distributed through Century Media, as part of a strategic partnership between the two independent metal labels. Their most successful artists include [[Blind Guardian]], [[Soilwork]], [[In Flames]], [[Meshuggah]], [[Therion (band)|Therion]], [[Dimmu Borgir]], [[Nile (band)|Nile]], [[Death (band)|Death]], [[Sonata Arctica]], [[Epica]] and [[Nightwish]].
== Music ==
At their inception, Nuclear Blast focused on releasing [[Hardcore punk|hardcore]] records by bands like [[Agnostic Front]], [[Attitude]] and [[Stark Raving Mad]]. They progressed toward metal in 1990, however, currently signing and distributing dozens of artists such as [[Dimmu Borgir]] and [[Hypocrisy (band)|Hypocrisy]]. They have also released a series of compilation albums called "Death Is Just the Beginning". Music from the Nuclear Blast label was featured in the 2005 movie ''[[Alone in the Dark (2005 film)|Alone in the Dark]]''.
== History ==
Nuclear Blast was formed in 1987 after founder Markus Staiger travelled throughout the [[United States]] for four weeks and saw a [[Gig (musical performance)|gig]] of his favorite band [[Bl'ast|BL'AST!]]. The label was originally titled simply "Blast", but this was soon changed to Nuclear Blast. The label's first release was a vinyl compilation called Senseless Death (NB 001) featuring US Hardcore bands like [[Attitude]], [[Sacred Denial]], [[Impulse Manslaughter]] and others. The first edition of 1000 copies was sold out after one year.
Nuclear Blast started signing grindcore acts after Staiger discovered Las Vegas' Righteous Pigs. This followed with releases by [[Atrocity (band)|Atrocity]], [[Master (band)|Master]] and (Incubus) [[Opprobrium (band)|Opprobrium]], which all sold over 30,000 copies. The grindcore explosion is considered a landmark in the label's history, gaining it worldwide attention.
In the early nineties, [[black metal]] became highly popular in the European underground, and Nuclear Blast signed many bands. Many of them, such as [[Dimmu Borgir]] and [[Dissection (band)|Dissection]], are still signed to Nuclear Blast. The black metal trend became increasingly popular, and by 1996, several Nuclear Blast-signed artists were entering European charts. By the end of [[1997]], Nuclear Blast had 20 employees and mailed out a 100 page catalogue quarterly to 50 countries.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, they expanded into a direction of [[power metal]], promoting bands such as [[HammerFall]] and the power metal innovators [[Helloween]]. During the 2000s, Nuclear Blast started promoting some Finnish bands, such as [[Stratovarius]] and [[Sonata Arctica]], and the German band [[Blind Guardian]], expanding their style further into different subgenres of metal.
The Label was featured in the 2006 German movie "Heavy Metal auf dem Lande".
==Discography==
In 2007, Nuclear Blast released two discs to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a record label. The discs are intended to showcase the talent on their roster. The albums are much in the same vein as [[Roadrunner United]]. The first album, Into the Light features songs composed and written by [[Rage (band)|Rage]] guitarist [[Victor Smolski]] with singers Tobias Sammet (of Edguy), Peter "Peavy" Wagner (Rage), Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica), Mats Levén (Therion), Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer (Destruction), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), Andi Deris (Helloween), Oddleif Stensland (Communic), Marco Hietala (Nightwish), and Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish). The second disc, Out of the Dark was written by former [[Soilwork]] guitarist [[Peter Wichers]] and features the drumming of former Soilwork drummer Henry Ranta and current drummer [[Dirk Verbeuren]] and also includes ten tracks with Anders Fridén (In Flames), Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy), Jari Mäenpää (Wintersun), Christian Älvestam (Scar Symmetry), John Bush (Ex-Anthrax), Björn "Speed" Strid (Soilwork), Maurizio Iacono (Kataklysm), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Richard Sjunnesson & Roland Johansson (Sonic Syndicate) and Guillaume Bideau (Mnemic).
[[Nuclear Blast All-Stars: Into the Light]] (Album) - [[June 7]], [[2007]]<br>
[[Nuclear Blast All-Stars: Out of the Dark]] (Album) - [[September 21]], [[2007]]
== See also ==
* [[List of record labels]]
* [[List of Nuclear Blast artists]]
== External links ==
* [http://www.nuclearblast.de/ Nuclear Blast Europe]
* [http://www.nuclearblastusa.com/ Nuclear Blast USA]
* {{MusicBrainz label|3bc70925-d654-4906-b7c0-5135d993495e}}
* {{myspace|nuclearblasteurope}}
* {{youtube channel|NuclearBlastEurope}}
[[Category:Independent record labels]]
[[Category:German record labels]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1987]]
[[Category:Heavy metal record labels]]
[[Category:Hardcore record labels]]
[[Category:Death metal record labels]]
[[Category:Black metal record labels]]
[[Category:Grindcore record labels]]
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