Happy 40th Metal Blade Records

METAL BLADE RECORDS Celebrates 40 Years! and to mark the milestone they are giving us the presents. A Museum, A Vinyl Re-Release and a years worth of events is what we can look forward to from the Metal Blade Team as the share the love of this massive anniversary.

It all started when on the 14th of June, Metal Massacre was released showcasing the best of Los Angeles’ unsigned acts at the time such as METALLICA, RATT and MALICE, and in it’s 40th year Metal Massacre has gone on to become a cornerstone of Metal Blade Records. 

In the 80’s, LA was cementing itself as the rock ‘n’ roll capital of the United States. Longtime friends and fans of the local rock scene, Brian Slagel and John Kornarens spent many nights inside LA’s locales searching for the most authentic, heaviest and unique bands to hit the West Coast. The pair who envisioned the Metal Massacre project decided to split the workload in half - Slagel responsible for artwork and mastering facilities, while Kornarens secured a studio to make the record. “We were using the Yellow Pages a lot, total amateurs navigating the record like a high school project,” says Kornarens. The compilation was to become the foundation of Slagel’s METAL BLADE RECORDS, one of the premiere heavy metal record labels of all-time.

The first pressing of Metal Massacre contained 10 tracks, with the closer “Hit The Lights” by METALLICA. This was the first song drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist James Hetfield wrote together. “When I was putting together the compilation, he called me up,” Slagel recalls of his conversation with a teenage Ulrich. “He was jamming with James and a couple other guys in their garage playing covers of DIAMOND HEAD and everything. Lars asked me, ‘Hey, if I put together a band and give you an original song, will you put it on the record?’ And I said, ‘Sure, of course.’ So that was basically the beginning of METALLICA.” 

The 40th anniversary reissue track list includes all the original songs featured on the first pressing of the iconic compilation and is available as a limited-edition Ruby Red vinyl variant that will be limited to 5000 copies worldwide and available through Metal Blade Records, while 2,000 copies pressed on clear vinyl are exclusively available at metallica.com . This special releases will be available worldwide on the 22nd of April.

Metal Massacre future releases would help introduce future power houses SLAYER, OVERKILL, POSSESSED and countless other artists to legendary status. METAL BLADE RECORDS, is home to todays big names, AMON AMARTH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, ALLEGAEON, CANNIBAL CORPSE and WHITECHAPEL, which is why the Label is still considered one of the most powerful forces of modern heavy metal music.

While the special re-issue marks the first of many Metal Blade Records activities happening across the world, probably the most exciting for fans is the opening of The METAL BLADE MUSEUM. The museum, in Las Vegas is expected to open its doors to the public later this year and will allow fans to view memorabilia and artefacts dating back to the label’s inception. 

A special concert event is also planned for June 10th & 11th, where METAL BLADE RECORDS will present & sponsor a tour featuring CANNIBAL CORPSE, WHITECHAPEL and REVOCATION. The tour is currently hitting all four corners of the US through March 26th. All cities and dates here. 
Regional events have also started across the US , with Chicago’s favorite metal kitchen KUMA’S CORNER celebrating the labels anniversary throughout the year with a unique, hand-curated menu including the Slagel-style burger, Hit The Lights Mac N Cheese, the Metal Massacre burger and the Eric Wagner / Trouble burger with $1 of every Metal Blade-related burger being donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis societies of Illinois and Colorado.  

For more information on the celebratory events head to METAL BLADE RECORDS website where all you will find all the dates, stream a special 80’s-inspired playlist, personally selected by Brian Slagel, as well as purchase One-of-a-kind merchandise and exclusive designs featuring your favourite Metal Blade Artists. and Bands . 
www.metalblade.com/40thanniversary 

Metal Massacre Volume 1 Track Listing 2022 Re-Issue:

Side One:

1 - Steeler - “Cold Day In Hell”

2 - Bitch - “Live For The Whip”

3 - Malice - “Captive Of Light”

4 - Ratt - “Tell The World”

5 - Avatar - “Octave”

Side Two:

1 - Black ‘N Blue - “Chains Around Heaven”

2 - Cirith Ungol - “Death Of The Sun”

3 - Demon Flight - “Dead Of The Night”

4 - Pandemonium - “Fighting Backwards”

5 - Malice - “Kick You Down”

6 - Metallica - “Hit The Lights”