The Return of the Classic Thrash and Speed Metal Label
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THE RETURN OF THE CLASSIC THRASH AND SPEED METAL LABEL CD / LP / DIGITAL THE NOISE RECORDS STORY The creation of Karl-Ulrich Walterbach, Noise Records’ origins Britain’s Sabbat would introduce the metal world to Andy lay in the late 70s/early 80s West Berlin Punk rock scene. Sneap, currently one of the scene’s most in-demand Against the backdrop of the Berlin Wall, the convergence of producers. volatile music, left-wing ideals and anti-government sentiment spurred Walterbach to release two punk compilations, The manic, sci-fi explorations purveyed by Voivod brought Soundtracks zum Untergang (Soundtracks to the Downfall), on forth a new level of weirdness, and Watchtower’s outrageous his first label, Aggressive Rockproduktionen, otherwise simply math motifs instantly earned them cult status in the known as AGR. progressive metal scene. Due to the influence of Los Angeles hardcore punk masters Black Flag, Walterbach would gradually turn his interests from punk to metal, forming Noise Records in 1983 as the European response to the likes of Metallica and Slayer. From there, the label would enjoy an unprecedented signing streak of bands who would play a significant role in defining underground metal as we know it today. Voivod But it was the success of Helloween that propelled Noise to the next level. The band’s twin Keeper of the Seven Keys albums (Part I and II) were milestones for the genre. Guided by the stratospheric vocals of Michael Kiske, Helloween’s epic, strident, and symphonic numbers were in a league by themselves circa the late-80s. And with hit songs such as “Future World” and “I Want Out” leading the way, Helloween became the first Noise outfit to reach seven-digit figures in album sales. Noise’s early releases - including the seminal 1984 Death Metal compilation - would lay the groundwork for future European metal mainstays such as Grave Digger, Hellhammer (who became Celtic Frost), Helloween, Kreator, Running Wild and Tankard. These acts would become Noise’s bedrock outfits, leading the charge in heavy metal innovation via death metal (Celtic Frost), power metal (Helloween), and thrash metal (Kreator). Famed “pirate metal” act Running Wild weren’t too far behind, as their 1987 Under Jolly Roger album moved an estimated 250,000 copies, helping the band earn headliner status across continental Europe. The brave, bold, risk-taking Celtic Frost Kreator forever solidified their status as metal’s most adventurous band with 1987’s Into the Pandemonium. The label’s roster was filled with variety. Coroner emerged as arguably metal’s most talented power trio, with budding guitar hero Tommy T. Baron mesmerizing audiences across the globe. Mordred beat the entire rap metal movement to the punch by several years, as the street-level rhymes of Scott Holderby set the table for Rage Against the Machine and Korn. Rage released a string of critically-acclaimed, well-received melodic metal albums, while the serpentine thrash of Celtic Frost 1 Kreator released a string of explosive, neck-snapping albums Not wanting to contend with the oncoming digital revolution, that shaped the face of pure German thrash, and were flanked Walterbach sold Noise to Sanctuary Music in 2001. Sanctuary by Tankard, the first band to proudly proclaim themselves as would steer Noise for the next six years, helping launch the “beer metal.” career of multi-national power metal sensation Dragonforce, until it was sold to Universal Music in 2007. Noise’s catalog has lain dormant ever since… …until now. Kreator BMG purchased Sanctuary Music in 2013, and will re-launch Noise Records in 2016. The label has planned a full-scale campaign featuring 2CD “best-ofs” of select Noise bands, along with reissuing classic titles from Celtic Frost, Coroner, Helloween, Kreator, Running Wild, Tankard, Voivod, and more, featuring expanded liner notes, rare bonus material, and a fresh mastering job. Tankard As the Berlin Wall fell in late 1989, the music scene and political landscape underwent radical changes. By then, Noise’s worldwide distribution setup covered 43 countries, boasting a highly-profitable back catalogue and lasting viability in territories like Japan, ensuring the label’s survival as the genre of metal struggled with diminishing sales and negative public perception. The campaign will prove one thing: few metal labels have a legacy roster with as much longevity and relevance as Noise. Several of the key bands Karl-Ulrich Walterbach signed and developed have actually become more popular as the years have progressed, showing that the lightning in a bottle he captured in the 80s was more than just a passing trend. It was a movement. Bands such as Kai Hansen’s Gamma Ray, British folk David E. Gehlke innovators Skyclad, Floridian melodic metal upstarts Kamelot, February 2016 and Finland’s Stratovarius carried Noise throughout the turbulent 90s, allowing the label to remain vital, even as newer, more “alternative” forms of rock became popular. 2 2CD BEST OF TITLES NOISE2CD001 KREATOR LOVE US OR HATE US (THE VERY BEST OF THE NOISE YEARS 1985-1992) CD ONE CD TWO 01. Endless Pain 02. Tormentor 03. Flag Of Hate 01. Extreme Aggression 02. Some Pain Will Last 04. Total Death 05. Bonebreaker 06. Pleasure To Kill 03. Bringer Of Torture 04. Love Us Or Hate Us 07. Under The Guillotine 08. Riot Of Violence 05. Betrayer 06. Terror Zone 07. Coma Of Souls 09. Ripping Corpse 10. Command Of The Blade 08. People Of The Lie 09. When The Sun Burns Red 11. Terrible Certainty 12. Toxic Trace 10. Agents Of Brutality 11. Renewal 12. Depression Unrest 13. Storming With Menace 14. No Escape 13. Karmic Wheel 14. Europe After The Rain 15. Behind The Mirror 15. Winter Martyrium 4 050538 188233 NOISE2CD002 HELLOWEEN RIDE THE SKY (THE VERY BEST OF 1985-1998) CD ONE CD TWO 01. Oernst Of Life 02. Metal Invaders 03. Starlight 01. Kids Of The Century 02. Back On The Streets 04. Murderer 05. Walls Of Jericho (Instrumental) 03. When The Sinner 04. Step Out Of Hell 06. Ride The Sky 07. Phantoms Of Death 08. Gorgar 05. Get Me Out Of Here 06. Where The Rain Grows 09. Judas 10. Initiation 11. I’m Alive 12. Future World 07. Why? 08. Mr. Ego (Take Me Down) 09. Steel Tormentor 13. Halloween (Video Edit) 14. Follow The Sign 10. Wake Up The Mountain 11. Power 12. A Million To One 15. Dr. Stein 16. March Of Time 17. I Want Out 13. Hey Lord! 14. Time 15. I Can 18. Save Us 16. Back On The Ground 4 050538 190274 NOISE2CD003 KAMELOT WHERE I REIGN (THE VERY BEST OF THE NOISE YEARS 1995-2003) CD ONE CD TWO 01. Eternity 02. Black Tower 03. Call Of The Sea 01. New Allegiance 02. The Fourth Legacy 04. The Gleeman 05. Ascension 06. Heaven 03. Desert Reign 04. Nights Of Arabia 07. Rise Again 08. Creation 09. Millennium 05. Until Kingdom Come 06. We Three Kings 10. Expedition 11. Where I Reign 07. We Are Not Seperate 08. Wings Of Despair 12. Rhydin 09. The Spell 10. Karma 11. Center Of The Universe 12. The Edge Of Paradise 13. Descent Of The Archangel 14. III Ways To Epica 4 050538 191509 NOISE2CD004 SINNER NO PLACE IN HEAVEN (THE VERY BEST OF THE NOISE YEARS 1984-1987) CD ONE CD TWO 01. Danger Zone 02. No Place In Heaven 01. Age Of Rock 02. Comin’ Out Fighting 03. Lupo Manaro 04. The Shiver 05. Shadow In 03. Rebel Yell 04. Germany Rocks The Night 06. Wild Winds 07. Rattlesnake 05. Playing With Fire 06. Faster Than Light 08. Born To Rock 09. Bad Girl 10. Shout! 07. Madhouse 08. Don’t Tell Me (That Love Has Gone) 11. The Storm Broke Loose 12. Out Of Control 09. Knife In My Heart 10. Dangerous Charm 13. Too Late To Run Away 14. Hand Of Fate 11. Nobody Rocks Like You 12. Tomorrow 15. Masquerade Doesn’t Matter 13. Fight The Fight 14. Back In My Arms 15. Desperate Heart 4 050538 202212 NOISE2CD005 RUNNING WILD RIDING THE STORM (THE VERY BEST OF THE NOISE YEARS 1983-1995) CD ONE CD TWO 01. Victim Of States Power 02. Genghis Khan 01. Riding The Storm 02. Evilution 03. Bad To The Bone 03. Prisoner Of Our Time 04. Walpurgis Night 04. Tortuga Bay 05. Blazon Stone 06. Little Big Horn 05. Branded And Exiled 06. Fight The Oppression 07. Over The Rainbow 08. Genocide 09. Whirlwind 07. Chains And Leather 08. Under Jolly Roger 10. Fistful Of Dynamite 11. Pile Of Skulls 12. Soulless 09. Beggar’s Night 10. Diamonds Of The Black Chest 13. The Privateer 14. Fight The Fire Of Hate 11. Raw Ride 12. Intro / Port Royal 13. Uaschitschun 15. The Phantom Of Black Hand Hill 14. Final Gates 15. Conquistadores 16. Lions Of The Sea 16. Calico Jack 4 050538 191547 3 NOISE2CD006 TANKARD OLDIES & GOLDIES (THE VERY BEST OF THE NOISE YEARS 1986-1995) CD ONE CD TWO 01. Zombie Attack 02. Mercenary 03. Maniac Forces 01. Open All Night 02. We Are Us 04. (Empty) Tankard 05. Poison 06. Total Addiction 03. Dancing On Our Grave 04. Beermuda 05. Space Beer 07. Tantrum 08. Don’t Panic 09. For A Thousand Beers 06. Jurisdiction 07. Broken Image 08. Stone Cold Sober 10. Chemical Invasion 11. Alcohol 12. Intro / 09. Freibier 10. Death Penalty 11. Nation Over Nation Commandments 13. Shit Faced 14. F.U.N. 12. Two-Faced 13. Grave New World 14. Minds On The Moon 15. Try Again 16. The Morning After 17. Alien 15. Atomic Twilight 16. Hope? 18. 666 Packs 19.