BMG will relaunch seminal metal label Noise Records with a major reissue campaign kicking off in May this year.
Founded by Karl-Ulrich Walterbach in 1983, Noise Records played an integral part in defining underground metal as we know it today.
Early releases - including 1984's 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).
As part of a wide and varied roster, it was Helloween that propelled Noise to the highest levels, being the first band on the label to reach seven digit figures in album sales with hit songs such as 'Future World' and 'I Want Out' leading the way.
Walterbach sold Noise to Sanctuary Music in 2001 where it stayed for the next six years, during which time it helped to launch the career of multi-national power metal act Dragonforce. Sanctuary was sold to Universal Music in 2007.
Noise Records lay largely dormant until Sanctuary was purchased by BMG in 2013. The label will re-launch in May with a full-scale campaign featuring eight Best Of 2CD and digital releases from Kreator, Kamelot, Running Wild, Tankard, Skyclad, Grave Digger, Helloween and Sinner as well as reissued LPs and expanded CDs from Celtic Frost, Helloween and Voivod later in the year.
Peter Stack, BMG executive vice president global catalogue recordings, said: “The Noise label made an invaluable contribution to metal music as home to a long list of artists who helped define the genre as we know it today. I'm really excited about giving Noise's rich heritage a new lease of life in 2016 and beyond.
“This is yet another example of BMG's commitment to support and reinvigorate catalogue recordings all with the BMG trademark of quality. There is a world of music out there waiting to be rediscovered or introduced to new audiences. That is what we do.”