Battle Kommand Records
Encyclopedia
Battle Kommand Records (BKR) is an American
underground
record label
founded by Blake Judd
and Rebecca Clegg in 2004, based in St. Charles
, Illinois
. The company's stated intent is "to bring some of the world's most extreme music to the world's most extreme audiences." BKR has thus far concentrated on extreme metal
genres such as black
, doom
and Death metal
, as well as more experimental
forms of noise rock
and ambient music
. The label is the home of Judd's bands Nachtmystium
and Twilight
, and has released records by Krieg
, Leviathan
, N.I.L.
, Sapthuran, and Xasthur
, among others. Battle Kommand Records merged with Candlelight Records
in January 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
founded by Blake Judd
Blake Judd
Blake Judd is an American musician and co-founder of Battle Kommand Records. He previously performed under the stage name "Azentrius".-Biography:...
and Rebecca Clegg in 2004, based in St. Charles
St. Charles, Illinois
St. Charles is a Chicago suburb in Kane and DuPage counties of Illinois, United States, and is roughly west of Chicago on Illinois Route 64. According to a 2004 census estimate, the city has a total population of 32,134. The official city slogan is Pride of the Fox, after the Fox River that runs...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The company's stated intent is "to bring some of the world's most extreme music to the world's most extreme audiences." BKR has thus far concentrated on extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
genres such as black
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
, doom
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
and Death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, as well as more experimental
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
forms of noise rock
Noise rock
Noise rock describes a style of post-punk rock music that became prominent in the 1980s. Noise rock makes use of the traditional instrumentation and iconography of rock, but incorporates atonality and especially dissonance, and also frequently discards usual songwriting conventions.-Style:Noise...
and ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
. The label is the home of Judd's bands Nachtmystium
Nachtmystium
Nachtmystium is an American psychedelic black metal band formed by Blake Judd, formerly known as Azentrius, and Pat McCormick. The band's name is derived from the German word Nacht meaning "night", and the made-up term mystium which resembles the Latin adjective mysticum...
and Twilight
Twilight (band)
Twilight is an American black metal band formed in 2005 and originally commissioned by the Swedish underground label Total Holocaust Records. Members of the band all go by pseudonyms: "Azentrius" , "Hildolf" , "Imperial" , "Malefic" and "Wrest" .Although Twilight has so...
, and has released records by Krieg
Krieg
Krieg is a black metal band from Somers Point, New Jersey in the United States of America. They play a low-fi, "raw" style, drawing influence from the Darkthrone-esque style of black metal and did not use synthesizers or folk instruments, in their recordings. The band formed in 1995, initially as...
, Leviathan
Leviathan (band)
Leviathan is an American black metal band formed in 1998 by Wrest . In Leviathan, Wrest records and plays all instruments including vocals entirely on his own. Additionally, Wrest has collaborated with the band Sunn O))), and is an active member of the U.S. black metal supergroup Twilight...
, N.I.L.
N.I.L.
N.I.L. is an American ambient black/doom metal band formed in 2004 by N. Imperial . Initially, N. Imperial conceived of N.I.L. as a one-off solo project after his departure from black metal outfit Krieg. When the band consolidated into a duo, with the arrival of J...
, Sapthuran, and Xasthur
Xasthur
Xasthur was a Californian one-man black metal band formed in 1995 by Scott Conner, who goes by the pseudonym "Malefic". Although similar in terms of low-fi production and the wearing of corpse paint, musically and lyrically Xasthur's focus is usually not on paganism, Satanism or anti-Christian...
, among others. Battle Kommand Records merged with Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
in January 2009.
Discography
As of mid-July 2007, BKR has released the following recordings:- KriegKriegKrieg is a black metal band from Somers Point, New Jersey in the United States of America. They play a low-fi, "raw" style, drawing influence from the Darkthrone-esque style of black metal and did not use synthesizers or folk instruments, in their recordings. The band formed in 1995, initially as...
, Songs for Resistance (MC, 2004, BKR001) - NachtmystiumNachtmystiumNachtmystium is an American psychedelic black metal band formed by Blake Judd, formerly known as Azentrius, and Pat McCormick. The band's name is derived from the German word Nacht meaning "night", and the made-up term mystium which resembles the Latin adjective mysticum...
, Demise (CD, 2004, BKR002) - KriegKriegKrieg is a black metal band from Somers Point, New Jersey in the United States of America. They play a low-fi, "raw" style, drawing influence from the Darkthrone-esque style of black metal and did not use synthesizers or folk instruments, in their recordings. The band formed in 1995, initially as...
, Sono Lo Scherno (CD, 1998; re-released 2005, BKR003) - Cult of Daath, The Grand Torturers of Hell (CD, 2005, BKR004)
- Archgoat, Angelcunt: Tales of Desecration (LP, 1992; re-released 2005, BKR005)
- XasthurXasthurXasthur was a Californian one-man black metal band formed in 1995 by Scott Conner, who goes by the pseudonym "Malefic". Although similar in terms of low-fi production and the wearing of corpse paint, musically and lyrically Xasthur's focus is usually not on paganism, Satanism or anti-Christian...
/ LeviathanLeviathan (band)Leviathan is an American black metal band formed in 1998 by Wrest . In Leviathan, Wrest records and plays all instruments including vocals entirely on his own. Additionally, Wrest has collaborated with the band Sunn O))), and is an active member of the U.S. black metal supergroup Twilight...
, split (CD 2004; re-released 2005, BKR006) - NachtmystiumNachtmystiumNachtmystium is an American psychedelic black metal band formed by Blake Judd, formerly known as Azentrius, and Pat McCormick. The band's name is derived from the German word Nacht meaning "night", and the made-up term mystium which resembles the Latin adjective mysticum...
, Nachtmystium (CD, 2003; re-released 2006, BKR007) - Sapthuran / LeviathanLeviathan (band)Leviathan is an American black metal band formed in 1998 by Wrest . In Leviathan, Wrest records and plays all instruments including vocals entirely on his own. Additionally, Wrest has collaborated with the band Sunn O))), and is an active member of the U.S. black metal supergroup Twilight...
, split (CD, 2006, BKR008 - NachtmystiumNachtmystiumNachtmystium is an American psychedelic black metal band formed by Blake Judd, formerly known as Azentrius, and Pat McCormick. The band's name is derived from the German word Nacht meaning "night", and the made-up term mystium which resembles the Latin adjective mysticum...
, Instinct: DecayInstinct: Decay-Production:*Produced By Azentrius & Chris Black*Recorded, Engineered & Mixed By Chris Black*Mastered By Scott Hull-Personnel:*Azentrius - lead & rhythm guitar, vocals*Sinic - rhythm guitar*Lord Imperial - bass*Wargoat Obscurum - drums...
(CD, 2006, BKR009) - The Ruins of Beverast, Unlock the Shrine (CD, 2006, BKR010)
- Dawnbringer, In Sickness and in Dreams (CD, 2006, BKR011)
- Zoroaster, Zoroaster (MCD, 2006, BKR012)
- XasthurXasthurXasthur was a Californian one-man black metal band formed in 1995 by Scott Conner, who goes by the pseudonym "Malefic". Although similar in terms of low-fi production and the wearing of corpse paint, musically and lyrically Xasthur's focus is usually not on paganism, Satanism or anti-Christian...
, Subliminal GenocideSubliminal GenocideSubliminal Genocide is a 2006 album by the American one-man black metal act Xasthur. It was reviewed as being "more spiteful than...previous albums".-Track listing:#Disharmonic Convergence - 1:50#The Prison of Mirrors - 12:42...
(CD, 2006, BKR013) - Obscurus Advocam, Verbia Daemonicus (CD, 2006, BKR014)
- Rites of Cleansing / Torch of War, split (7" EP, 2006, BKR015)
- Nunslaughter, Hell on Holland (7" EP, 2007, BKR016)
- Exalted, We Are the Grim Throng (CD, 2007, BKR017)
- N.I.L.N.I.L.N.I.L. is an American ambient black/doom metal band formed in 2004 by N. Imperial . Initially, N. Imperial conceived of N.I.L. as a one-off solo project after his departure from black metal outfit Krieg. When the band consolidated into a duo, with the arrival of J...
, N.I.L. (CD, 2007, BKR018) - Spun in Darkness, Birthright (CD, 2007, BKR019)
- Zoroaster, Dog Magic (CD, 2007, BKR020)