Relapse Records

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{{Infobox record label

| name = Relapse Records

| image = Relapse Records logo.svg

| image_size =

| founded = {{start date|1990}}

| founder = Matthew F. Jacobson

| distributor = The Orchard (U.S.), INgrooves/Fontana (Canada), eOne Music (worldwide)

| genre = Extreme metal, heavy metal, hardcore punk, metalcore, indie rock, electronic, experimental, ambient, industrial, grindcore

| country = U.S.

| location = Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania

| website = {{URL|https://www.relapse.com/}}

}}

Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists.

History

The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado. The first two releases on the label were 7-inch singles by the bands Velcro Overdose and Face of Decline, Apparition 7" came next [RR003]{{cite web | url=https://www.metal-archives.com/labels/Relapse_Records/8#label_tabs_albums | title=Relapse Records - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives }} closely followed by three death metal bands that would become among the biggest on the label, Deceased, Suffocation, and Incantation.

After this, Jacobson became acquainted with William Yurkiewicz Jr, who became his partner in the record label. Yurkiewicz had founded his own record label, which was soon to release albums from the bands General Surgery, Disrupt, Destroy, Misery, and Yurkiewicz's own grindcore band Exit-13. The two joined forces to create Relapse Records, aiming to release high-quality, professionally packaged extreme music.

In 1991, the label moved their headquarters to Millersville, Pennsylvania. In 1992, the label expanded its range with the creation of its subsidiary label called Release Entertainment, which specializes in experimental, ambient, industrial, and noise titles. With continued growth came a mail-order/wholesale operation that soon became the largest underground distribution center for all things metal in the United States {{citation needed|date=July 2015}}. The mail-order service carried a wide array of extreme music recordings and merchandise, as well as publications from around the world.

Throughout the years Relapse has continued to grow and sign on more influential artists from a broader range of genres. In 1996, Relapse unveiled the Resound Music Resource Guide. Resound gave fans direct access to the label's roster through interviews and reviews, as well as being part mail-order catalog.

In 1998, Relapse opened a promotions office in Berlin, as well as establishing a German distribution deal. In 2003, Relapse held a music festival - the Relapse Contamination Festival took place on January 18 and 19 at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and featured various Relapse artists. In 2000, the label relocated to Upper Darby, outside of Philadelphia and began plans to include a physical record store {{citation needed|date=July 2015}}. In June 2001, the label opened their first record store off of South Street in Philadelphia.

In 2010, Relapse announced that they had done a deal with intellectual property lawyer Eric Greif and Perseverance Holdings Ltd. to take over Chuck Schuldiner's catalog and the Death and Control Denied names internationally. Death's 1995 sixth studio album, Symbolic was excluded from the deal as the rights for said record remain with Roadrunner Records.{{cite web|url=http://noisecreep.com/classic-death-control-denied-albums-being-reissued-by-relapse/|title=Classic Death, Control Denied Albums Being Reissued by Relapse|website=Noisecreep|date=17 May 2010|accessdate=5 January 2024 }}

On August 5, 2011, Relapse announced a 24-week pay what you want partnership with Moshpit Tragedy Records, issuing one mp3 album from the Relapse catalog every week through Moshpit Tragedy's website.{{cite web|url=http://www.metalinsider.net/digital-media/relapse-records-teams-up-with-moshpit-tragedy-for-%E2%80%9Cpay-what-you-want%E2%80%9D-promo|title=Relapse Records Teams Up With Moshpit Tragedy For "Pay What You Want" PromoMetal Insider|date=17 August 2011|website=metalinsider.net}}

Artists

=Current artists=

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16
Absent In Body
Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Amenra
Arcadea
ASG
Atriarch{{cite web|url=http://www.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2014/01/30/atriarch-signs-to-relapse-stoneburners-upcoming-album-and-other-heavy-music-news|title=Atriarch Signs to Relapse, Stoneburner's Upcoming Album, and Other Heavy Music News|website=portlandmercury.com}}
Author & Punisher
Black Anvil
Black Salvation
Brain Tentacles
Call of the Void
Cave In
Cephalic Carnage
Ceremony
Christian Mistress
Cloakroom
Coffins
Cough
Cretin
Cripple Bastards
Deadguy
Devil Master
Devourment
Disfear
Dying Fetus
Ex Eye
Exhumed
Expulsion
Genghis Tron
Genocide Pact
Graves at Sea
Gruesome{{cite web|url=http://metalinvader.net/gruesome-sign-to-relapse-prepare-debut-album/|title=Gruesome: sign to Relapse; prepare debut album - Metal Invader|website=metalinvader.net|date=29 June 2014 }}
Haemorrhage
Horseback
Ilsa
Incantation{{cite web |url=http://label.relapse.com/death-metal-legends-incantation-re-sign-to-relapse-records-announce-new-album/ |title=Death Metal Legends INCANTATION Re-Sign to Relapse Records, Announce New Album |publisher=relapse.com |access-date=July 14, 2016}}
Integrity
Inter Arma
Inverloch
Iron Monkey
Iron Reagan
John Frum
Lycus
Magrudergrind{{cite web|url=http://www.metalsucks.net/2015/02/16/magrudergrind-sign-relapse-officially-announce-new-album/|title=Magrudergrind Sign with Relapse, Officially Announce New Album - MetalSucks|date=16 February 2015|website=metalsucks.net}}
Mammoth Grinder
Miracle
Monolord
Moore, Steve
Mortals{{cite web|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/latest-news/mortals-sign-to-relapse-records|title=MORTALS Sign to Relapse Records|date=5 April 2013|website=metalinjection.net}}
Myrkur
Nothing
Obituary
Outer Heaven
Pig Destroyer
Pinkish Black
Poison Blood
Poison Ruïn
Primate
Primitive Man
Red Fang
Repulsion
Ripped to Shreds
Ringworm
Seven Sisters of Sleep
Skinless{{cite web|url=http://www.terrorizer.com/news/news-news/skinless-re-sign-relapse-records/|title=Skinless Re-Sign To Relapse Records|date=8 November 2013|website=terrorizer.com}}
Sumerlands
Survive{{cite news |url= http://label.relapse.com/s-u-r-v-i-v-e-sign-to-relapse-records-prepare-new-album/ |title=S U R V I V E Sign to Relapse Records, Prepare New Album |work=Relapse Records |access-date=2016-08-02}}
Temple of Void
Trappist
True Widow
Ulcerate
Unearthly Trance
Usnea{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/usnea-signs-with-relapse-records/|title=USNEA Signs With RELAPSE RECORDS|date=14 May 2014|website=blabbermouth.net}}
Valkyrie{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/valkyrie-signs-with-relapse-records/|title=VALKYRIE Signs With RELAPSE RECORDS|date=31 July 2014|website=blabbermouth.net}}
Walking Wounded
Windhand
Wolves in the Throne Room
Wrong{{cite web|url=http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2015/06/18/relapse-sign-noise-rock-outfit-wrong/|title=Relapse Sign Noise Rock Outfit WRONG - Heavy Blog Is Heavy|website=www.heavyblogisheavy.com|date=18 June 2015 }}
Yautja
Yob
Zombi
Zonal