CVLT Nation is an international

online magazine An online magazine is a magazine published on the Internet, through bulletin board systems and other forms of public computer networks. One of the first magazines to convert from a print magazine format to being online only was the computer magaz ...

established by Sean Reveron and Meghan MacRae in 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Founded primarily as an independent clothing brand inspired by

crust punk Crust punk (also known as crust or stenchcore) is a form of music influenced by English punk rock and extreme metal. The style, which evolved in the early 1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on politic ...

and

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. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...

, its articles and music projects have gained considerable recognition. CVLT Nation is now based in Vancouver, Canada. The publication focuses on music, art and fashion, especially relating to

underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground (S ...

musicians and visual artists of extreme metal, crust punk and punk rock's heavier subgenres. It also features articles on real-life horror stories, such as

cults In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...

and

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...

s. CVLT Nation's clothing art is either made by them or commissioned from metal and punk tattoo artists, musicians and illustrators around the world, wherein

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...

artists play a substantial part. According to Reveron, the company was intended to be international from the beginning and most of its collaborators are from outside the United States.

History

CVLT Nation was founded in 2011 by Sean Reveron and his partner Meghan MacRae. Previously, both were part of the streetwear company RockersNYC from New York an
God's Prey
from Los Angeles. The couple decided to launch the company after attending an

Amebix Amebix were an English crust punk band. Formed as the Band with No Name, the band's original run was from 1978 to 1987, during which time they released two EPs and three albums. The group reunited in 2008, released another full-length album ...

show in 2010 in Los Angeles, where they "felt at home" because their fashion and music tastes were based on metal and crust punk, as well as the community of these subcultures, said Reveron, which is at variance with the competitiveness of the fashion industry. Reveron stated that they were "trying to build a bridge between the music we love and the clothing we make". They started a blog as a complement for the clothing line, which soon became a proper web magazine; according to ''

Arkansas Times ''Arkansas Times'', a weekly alternative newspaper based in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a publication that has circulated more than 40 years, originally as a magazine. Founded as a small magazine on newsprint in 1977 by publisher Alan Leveritt, i ...

'', CVLT Nation had become an "indispensable metal/punk/

hardcore Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to: Arts and media Film * ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film * ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott * ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...

online magazine" by 2012. In August 2015, CVLT Nation established the new marketplace site CVLT Nation Bizarre to sell their clothing alongside small-batch goods from other underground companies and record labels.

Music projects

Since its beginning, CVLT Nation has released series of free albums. The "Sonic Cathedrals" series are mixtapes curated by artists such as Nails,

Pallbearer A pallbearer is one of several participants who help carry the casket at a funeral. They may wear white gloves in order to prevent damaging the casket and to show respect to the deceased person. Some traditions distinguish between the roles of ...

and The Body, who choose songs from bands that influenced them. The "Doom Nation" series are

doom metal Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...

mixtapes. In January 2014, the publication began releasing the "CVLT Nation Sessions" series, which are cover compilation albums of classic recordings by underground artists. Albums covered include

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...

's ''

Master of Reality ''Master of Reality'' is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released on 21 July 1971 by Vertigo Records. It is regarded by some critics as the foundation of doom metal, stoner rock, and sludge metal. Taylor 2006, ...

'',

Dead Kennedys Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the defining punk rock, punk bands during its initial eight-year run. Dead Kennedys' lyrics were usually political in nature, sa ...

' ''

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables ''Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables'' is the debut studio album by the American punk rock band Dead Kennedys. It was first released on September 2, 1980, through Cherry Red Records in the United Kingdom, and I.R.S. Records in the United States. ...

,''

The Cure The Cure are an English Rock music, rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith (musician), Robert Smith has re ...

's ''

Pornography Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults,

,'' Black Flag's ''

My War ''My War'' is the second studio album by American band Black Flag. It was the first of three full-length albums released by the band in 1984. It polarized fans due to the LP's B-side, on which the band slowed down to a heavy, Black Sabbath-e ...

'' and

Sleep Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a de ...

's '' Holy Mountain''. The CVLT Nation Sessions have been featured on Episode 67 of the metal and motorcycle podcast
Chop N' Roll
''.

Recognitions

In March 2015, ''

Noisey ''Vice'' (stylized in all caps) is a Canadian-American magazine focused on lifestyle, arts, culture, and news/politics. Founded in 1994 in Montreal as an alternative punk magazine, the founders later launched the youth media company Vice Media, ...

'' called CVLT Nation a "crucial resource for underground music". In March 2019,

Czech Radio Český rozhlas (ČRo) is the public radio broadcaster of the Czech Republic operating since 1923. It is the oldest radio broadcaster in continental Europe and the second oldest in Europe after the BBC. The service broadcasts throughout the Cz ...

named it one of the four best independent punk websites, praising the quality of the underground artists featured despite the brand's substantial growth. Dave Cantrell of

XRAY.FM KXRY (91.1 FM) is a non-commercial class D radio station in Portland, Oregon, United States, operating under the name XRAY.fm. It is a mixed-format progressive, independent radio station which broadcasts progressive talk radio, cultural progra ...

credits the

darkwave Dark wave (also typeset as darkwave) is a music genre that emerged from the new wave and post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Dark wave compositions are largely based on minor key tonality and introspective lyrics and have been perceived as be ...

articles of CVLT Nation for the foundation of his radio program ''Songs From Under the Floorboard'' and the Out From the Shadows

music festival A music festival is a community event with performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock, blues, folk, jazz, classical music), nationality, locality of musicians, or h ...

which started in 2018. CVLT Nation's album series have been praised by ''

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...

'', ''Metal Injection'' and ''

MetalSucks MetalSucks is a heavy metal music-themed news website. The site features reviews, interviews, information on latest metal releases and blog-like posts from the writers, most notably Vince Neilstein and Axl Rosenberg. History The site was foun ...

''.

References

External links

*{{Official website, https://www.cvltnation.com
CVLT Nation Bizarre
Internet properties established in 2011 Canadian music websites Fashion websites Clothing brands Heavy metal publications Punk zines