Last episode

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Last Episode was a German Metal - record label and mail order , the 2001 bankruptcy had to announce. The headquarters of the label was in Schwäbisch Gmünd . The founder of the label, Karsten Jakob, now runs the Heubach- based successor label Black Attakk .

Label history

The label was founded in 1994 by Karsten Jakob under the name Last Epitaph . In 1996 it was renamed Last Episode to avoid litigation with the record company Epitaph Records .

The first releases include the debut album Sventevith - Storming Near the Baltic by Behemoth and the EP Sjel av natten by Forgotten Woods .

The label had specialized in releases from Austrian and German bands, including Belphegor , Eisregen , Atanatos and Mystic Circle . The latter bands were heavily promoted by the label and built from scratch. International publications include a. Damnation , a side project by Behemoth, and a CD release of the album NeChrist by NSBM band Nokturnal Mortum .

Mailorder-Versand had mainly specialized in Norwegian Black Metal of the second wave. In addition to sound carriers, T-shirts and long sleeves were also offered.

The label was considered by purists of the black metal scene as a symbol for the sell-out of the scene. He was accused of "actually signing almost everything [...] that the German Black Metal market has to offer" and "flooding it every month with new releases by young, unknown bands". In particular, Mystic Circle and Andras were considered commercial “traitors” to the underground scene. Many fanzines (including Tales of the Macabre , Chaos and Slayer ) complained about the poor quality of most publications and the information about the promotional copies. Many former contract partners such as Suidakra and Mystic Circle did not leave their ex-label happy, as did distribution partners such as Kvarforth from Shining and Suicide Services.

At the turn of the millennium, the label ran into financial difficulties. Among other things, announced albums by Eisregen and Mystic Circle were postponed and planned tours had to be canceled. In 2001 the label was on the verge of bankruptcy and had to file for bankruptcy.

Publications (selection)

The publications also include the three label samplers The Return of the Black Warriors and various supplements to Ablaze magazine .

Black Attakk

In 2002, following the insolvency Last Episodes, Karsten Jakob founded the successor label Black Attakk, from which albums by the bands Grabnebelfürsten ( Black Against White ), Dies Ater ( Out of the Dark ), Equilibrium ( Turis Fratyr ), Dark Fortress ( Stab Wounds ) and Zorn ( death squad ) were released. In the years after the founding, there was repeated criticism from bands, magazines and sellers that Jakob had hindered the fulfillment of contracts by providing untrue and evasive information and by being unable to contact. Musicians from several bands state that the contractually agreed payments for studio stays by Sycronomica were only made after months and the initiation of dunning procedures , that the band Dark Fortress tours were promised but not kept or, in the case of Minas Morgul, the contractually guaranteed free copies were delivered much too late were. Even a former employee of the company claims to have a case against his former employer. The band Vilkates' contract was only canceled a few days before the start of recording their album Hostis Generis Humanis . It was then released on the guitarist Lord Asgaqlun's label.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ fierce: ANDRAS: Sword Of Revenge .
  2. ↑ a b “Amazing, a good CD by Last Episode? I would've put that in the land of myth as well, but here it is. Walking a similar path as fellow Germans DESASTER (without being an outright copy, mind you) they do a really good job with this album. Talking about the NORWEGIAN (yeah, sure…) band BEHERIT, the info is typical Last Episode standard but that's about the only really bad thing and shouldn't keep you from bying [sic!] This of course. “Lionheart: ATANATOS" Devastation - The Third Attack " . In: Tales of the Macabre , No. 6, p. 32.
  3. ↑ "LAST EPISODE should stop writing such cliché biographies ... it sounds stupid with its heroic kind of language plus it shows the label's incompetence when it comes to Black / Death Metal (there's a talk about a" Norwegian Beherit "... I think Mr. Holocausto will hang himself if this was really true.) “ ATANATOS" The Oath Of Revenge " . In: Tales of the Macabre , No. 5.
  4. ↑ Markus Eck: MYSTIC CIRCLE . Satanic calling .
  5. ^ Soulsister: Suidakra - Interview .
  6. ↑ Diana Glöckner: Shining . Propaganda of self-destruction ( memento of October 23, 2007 in the Internet Archive ).
  7. ↑ a b Indexed sound carriers ( Memento from July 25, 2005 in the Internet Archive ).
  8. ↑ Syncronomica / Statement by Olli .
  9. ↑ Dark Fortress / Interview with Azathoth , June 10, 2007, accessed March 24, 2013.
  10. ↑ Minas Morgul / Interview with Sam .
  11. ^ Statement from Minus (formerly BA employee) .
  12. ↑ Interview with the FinalWar