Century Media Records
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| Century Media Records | |
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| Founded | 1988 |
| Distributing label | Caroline Distribution (US) |
| Genre(s) | Rock, Metal |
| Country of origin | US |
| Official Website | http://www.centurymedia.com/ |
Contents |
[edit] Background
Century Media Records is an independent metal record label with offices in the USA, Brazil, the head office in Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Century Media was founded in 1988 and has gone on to start the careers of such famous bands as Nevermore, Blind Guardian, Cryptopsy, Iced Earth, Lacuna Coil, and Shadows Fall. They specialize in power metal, death metal, and black metal, as well as some related sub-genres. A number of artists listed are licensed to Century Media for the American market from labels mostly based in Europe.
The label’s two biggest bands are Lacuna Coil and Shadows Fall. Lacuna Coil’s 2002 album, Comalies, became Century Media’s first act to crack the Billboard Top 200 chart 2 years after its release. Shadows Fall’s 2004 album, The War Within, set a new milestone for the label with a Top 20 debut on the Billboard Top 200 and also debuted at No. 1 on the Independent Albums chart, having sold 250,000 copies since its release. Lacuna Coil's latest album, Karmacode, has sold over 200,000 copies since it’s release. Other notable artists on the label that have also made appearances on the Billboard Top 200 include Arch Enemy, Children of Bodom, and God Forbid.
[edit] Century Black
During the mid to late 1990s, Century Media had a label off-shoot called Century Black, which served to be the "Miramax Films of 'black metal", releasing or re-releasing hard-to-find black metal albums that normally would be near impossible to find on American shores (usually released under smaller labels such as Malicious Records or Candlelight Records). By 2000, the plug was pulled on Century Black, seeing as more than a few bands under that label either moved on to other labels, changed their musical direction, or became part of the actual "Century Family".
[edit] Abacus Records
Abacus records is an imprint of Century Media, signing mostly metalcore bands.
[edit] See also
- List of record labels
- Century Media Records artists
- Abacus Recording artists
- List of Century Black Albums
