Warhead Records
Encyclopedia
Warhead Records was an independent record label
based in Sydney, Australia that specialised in releasing albums by Australian heavy metal
bands. It was formed in 1992 by British migrant Brad Sims and Julie Martin (now Sims) who began by selling demo tapes of local bands at heavy metal shows at Sydney's Lewisham
Hotel. In February 1993 Warhead Records released its first recording, the EP Atavism by Sydney doom/death
band Cruciform, a group Sims was also managing. This was followed six months later by Neophobia's Fear of the Future. By the beginning of 1996 the label had an extensive roster of Australian bands from across the heavy metal spectrum. Most of its signings were from Sydney, although they included several non-Sydney acts on their label such as Psychrist from Canberra, Manticore from Wagga Wagga
, Misery
from Brisbane
and Epitaph from Perth
. Along with its CD releases, Warhead also acted as a demo distribution service for a number of acts. In 1995 several of these were collected for the compilation album Warhead Records Vol. 1.
Warhead was run in tandem with the Hammerhouse, a CD store in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta
which sold underground heavy metal music and other merchandise from around the world. In Your Face magazine also came out in 1993 and lasted for 9 issues, it was resurrected again in 1998 and another four issues were released.
In mid-1999, with several albums still awaiting release, Warhead Records ceased trading. The remaining artists were forced to seek their own avenue of release. The label officially wound up in 2001. The block which had contained the Hammerhouse was demolished in 2005.
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
based in Sydney, Australia that specialised in releasing albums by Australian heavy metal
Australian heavy metal
Australian heavy metal music has its roots in both the Australian hard rock and pub rock tradition of the 1970s and the American and British heavy metal scenes. Since the mid-80s, Australian heavy metal has been particularly influenced by foreign bands, particularly Swedish death metal, American...
bands. It was formed in 1992 by British migrant Brad Sims and Julie Martin (now Sims) who began by selling demo tapes of local bands at heavy metal shows at Sydney's Lewisham
Lewisham, New South Wales
Lewisham is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lewisham is located 8 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council. The postcode is 2049...
Hotel. In February 1993 Warhead Records released its first recording, the EP Atavism by Sydney doom/death
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...
band Cruciform, a group Sims was also managing. This was followed six months later by Neophobia's Fear of the Future. By the beginning of 1996 the label had an extensive roster of Australian bands from across the heavy metal spectrum. Most of its signings were from Sydney, although they included several non-Sydney acts on their label such as Psychrist from Canberra, Manticore from Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
, Misery
Misery (Australian band)
Misery are a death metal band from Brisbane, Australia. Since forming in 1991, the band has released four albums and an EP. The band split in 2005, but has reformed once more for an East Coast Australian tour in support of its final album On Demon Wings in 2009.- Background :The group was formed in...
from Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and Epitaph from Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. Along with its CD releases, Warhead also acted as a demo distribution service for a number of acts. In 1995 several of these were collected for the compilation album Warhead Records Vol. 1.
Warhead was run in tandem with the Hammerhouse, a CD store in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta
Parramatta, New South Wales
Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located in Greater Western Sydney west of the Sydney central business district on the banks of the Parramatta River. Parramatta is the administrative seat of the Local Government Area of the City of Parramatta...
which sold underground heavy metal music and other merchandise from around the world. In Your Face magazine also came out in 1993 and lasted for 9 issues, it was resurrected again in 1998 and another four issues were released.
In mid-1999, with several albums still awaiting release, Warhead Records ceased trading. The remaining artists were forced to seek their own avenue of release. The label officially wound up in 2001. The block which had contained the Hammerhouse was demolished in 2005.
Releases
| Title | Artist | Format | Year of Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Atavism" | Cruciform | EP | 1993 |
| Fear of the Future | Neophobia | Studio album | 1993 |
| Opus One | Tscabeze | Studio album | 1994 |
| "The Abysmal Fiend" | Psychrist | EP | 1994 |
| Bonsai | Frozen Doberman | Studio album | 1994 |
| "Mind Control" | Epitaph | EP | 1995 |
| "Paradox" | Cruciform | Single (Cassette) | 1995 |
| "Spawnography" | Blathudah | EP | 1995 |
| Rise From Darkness | Eezee Segression Segression is a heavy metal band from Wollongong, Australia. Originally known as Eezee and playing sleaze metal, the group decided to change its name after moving into in a thrash direction in mid-1994.-Early years:... |
Studio album | 1995 |
| Warhead Records Vol. 1 | Various | Compilation album | 1995 |
| "Genocide" | Genocide | EP | 1996 |
| Transcendual Consciousness | Killengod | Studio album | 1996 |
| Integrating the Extreme | Manticore | Studio album | 1996 |
| Drawn and Quartered | Cohort | Studio album | 1996 |
| Nothing | Neophobia | Studio album | 1996 |
| "Quarantine" | Volatile | EP | 1996 |
| "Hypocrisy" | Cryogenic Cryogenic (Band) Cryogenic was an Australian thrash metal/death metal band formed in 1992 in Wetherill Park, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.-Early:The band originally featured guitarist Steve Essa, bass player Anthony Henning, singer/guitarist Russell Player and drummer Chad Bartosik, who was also a member of... |
Single (Cassette) | 1996 |
| Thorns of Impurity | Lord Kaos Lord Kaos Lord Kaos was an Australian black metal band that formed in Sydney in 1994. For several years the group was the most prominent act of its style in the country with one founding member going on to record and perform with several Norwegian black metal bands including Dimmu Borgir... |
Studio album | 1996 |
| Revel in Blasphemy | Misery Misery (Australian band) Misery are a death metal band from Brisbane, Australia. Since forming in 1991, the band has released four albums and an EP. The band split in 2005, but has reformed once more for an East Coast Australian tour in support of its final album On Demon Wings in 2009.- Background :The group was formed in... |
Studio album | 1997 |
| Structure | Mortality | Studio album | 1997 |
| Suspended Animation | Cryogenic | Studio album | 1997 |
| "The Final Wish" | Avrigus Avrigus Avrigus is an Atmospheric Gothic Metal band from Sydney, Australia consisting of two members, Simon Gruer and Megan Robins. The group has released two EPs and one full-length album to date.-History:... |
EP | 1998 |
| Into the Ancient Moon | Killengod | Studio album | 1998 |
| Emissions of Reality | Deadspawn | Studio Album | 1999 |
| Angel of the Sixth Order | Armoured Angel Armoured Angel - External links :*** *... |
Studio album | 1999 |
| Resurrection Resurrection (Dungeon album) -Songs:*"The Legend of Huma" is based on the novel from the Dragonlance series of books*Three tracks had appeared in different versions on the previous Japan-only release Demolition. These songs were "Paradise", "Time to Die" and "I Am Death". "Paradise" is Dungeon's most recorded track as an even... |
Dungeon Dungeon (band) Dungeon was a melodic power metal/thrash metal band based in Sydney, Australia, considered by some sources as one of Australia's leading metal bands... |
Studio album | 1999 |