Spinefarm Records is a Finnish independent record label focusing mainly on heavy metal artists. It is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.

History

Spinefarm Records was originally founded in 1990 by Riku Pääkkönen as a mail-order distribution company for rock and heavy metal albums and singles, but later became a record label for Finnish acts such as

Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Neva ...

, Children of Bodom, and Sonata Arctica. Since 2002, Spinefarm has been part of Universal Music Group, but operates as an independent business unit. In autumn 2007, Spinefarm launched in the UK, starting with re-issuing deluxe versions of the first five Nightwish albums, including the '' Over the Hills and Far Away'' EP. At the start of 2016, it was announced that Spinefarm Records had acquired

Candlelight Records Candlelight Records is a British record label based in England and 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 ...

. On 18 August 2017, Spinefarm Records announced the global launch of sub-label Snakefarm Records. Snakefarm has since signed Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown and more. The label's focus genres are roots rock, blues rock, and country. Today, Spinefarm Records has offices in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, London, and Helsinki.

Bands

Spinefarm Records consists of three sub-labels: Spinefarm (mainstream heavy metal and

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...

), Candlelight Records (

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 ...

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 ...

, and

death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...

), and Snakefarm ( country,

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

, and southern rock).

Spinefarm

36 Crazyfists 36 Crazyfists were an American metalcore band formed in Anchorage, Alaska in 1994. The band's name comes from the Hong Kong martial arts film ''36 Crazy Fists'' (1977) starring Jackie Chan. To date they have released eight studio albums. Histor ...

Airbourne Airbourne or Air Borne may refer to: * Air Bourne, a finishing move and the nickname of professional wrestler Evan Bourne * Airbourne (air show), an air show in Eastbourne, United Kingdom * Airbourne (band) Airbourne are an Australian hard r ...

* Amaranthe * Amberian Dawn * Amorphis *

Anti-Flag Anti-Flag is an American punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band is known for its left-wing political activism. Their current members include Justin Sane (vocals, guitar), Chris Head (guitar), Pat Thetic (drums), and Chris Ba ...

* Atreyu * Beherit * Barathrum *

Beto Vázquez Infinity Beto Vazquez Infinity is an Argentine heavy metal project from Buenos Aires led by Alberto 'Beto' Vazquez. Formed in 2000, the outfit has released seven studio albums and a live DVD. Vazquez uses a large number guests on his records, while he o ...

Billy Talent Billy Talent is a Canadian Rock music, rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with lead vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jonathan Gallant, and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. There have been no lineup change ...

* The Black League * Bob Malmström * Brother Firetribe * The Browning * Bullet for My Valentine * Celesty *

Charon In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon (; grc, Χάρων) is a psychopomp, the ferryman of Hades, the Greek underworld. He carries the souls of those who have been given funeral rites across the rivers Acheron and Styx, which separate the wo ...

* Children of Bodom *

ChthoniC The word chthonic (), or chthonian, is derived from the Ancient Greek word ''χθών, "khthon"'', meaning earth or soil. It translates more directly from χθόνιος or "in, under, or beneath the earth" which can be differentiated from Γῆ ...

* Creeper * Crow Mother * D'espairsRay (UK only) *

Dark Tranquillity Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are considered one of the pioneering acts of the Gothenburg metal scene, which also includes bands such as In Flames and At the Gates. Dark Tranquillity is regarded a ...

* Darkwoods My Betrothed * Dayseeker *

Dayshell Dayshell is an American metal band from Southern California, United States. Their debut self-titled was released on October 15, 2013. The band's second album, ''Nexus'', was released on October 7, 2016. The band released their third album calle ...

* Dead by April *

Dead Poet Society Dead Poet Society is an American rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 2013 by Jack Underkofler (vocals, guitar), Jack Collins (guitar), Nick Taylor (bass guitar) and Will Goodroad (drums). Dylan Brenner replaced Nick Taylor on bass in 20 ...

* Diablo Swing Orchestra * DragonForce * Dragonlord * Dreamtale * Eilera * Electric Wizard * Emigrate *

Employed to Serve Employed to Serve is a British heavy metal band from Woking, England. History Employed to Serve was formed in 2011 by current members Justine Jones and Sammy Urwin. In July 2020, several members of Employed to Serve and Renounced released a ...

End of You End of You is a Finnish alternative rock/ gothic metal band formed in 2003 in Helsinki. History End Of You was formed in 2003 by Jami Pietilä. After their first video and seven-song demo "Walking With No one" they raised significant interest ...

* Entheos * Eternal Tears of Sorrow * Finntroll * Five Finger Death Punch (US only) * For My Pain * Hangman's Chair * He is Legend * Hevein * Helloween (UK only) * In Mourning * Jettblack * Kalmah *

Killing Joke Killing Joke are an English rock music, rock band from Notting Hill, London, England, formed in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Ki ...

* Kiuas * Kobra and the Lotus * The Kovenant * Lullacry * Machinae Supremacy * Metsatöll * Mucc (UK only) *

myGRAIN myGRAIN is a melodic death metal band from Helsinki, Finland. They were signed to Spinefarm Records. They released five studio albums. Background myGRAIN formed in 2004. The band roster was Tommy Tuovinen (vocals), Resistor (rhythm guitar), Jo ...

* My Passion *

My Ticket Home My Ticket Home is an American heavy metal band formed in 2008 from Columbus, Ohio. They have released two EPs and three full-length albums. Their first three releases exemplified metalcore and hardcore punk, while 2013's '' Strangers Only'' mar ...

* Nonpoint * Norther *

One Morning Left One Morning Left is a Finnish metalcore band formed by singer Mika Lahti at 2008 in Vaasa Vaasa (; sv, Vasa, , Sweden ), in the years 1855–1917 as Nikolainkaupunki ( sv, Nikolajstad; literally meaning "city of Nicholas),Pain Confessor Pain Confessor is a Finnish melodic death metal band from Hämeenlinna. It was established in August 2002 and by October 2003 were signed to the Finnish Megamania record label for a three-album deal, a relation that ended in 2008. The band is no ...

* Puppy * Reckless Love * Rotten Sound * Saint Asonia * Santa Cruz * Satyricon * Saul *

Seether Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The band originally performed under the name Saron Gas until 2002, when they moved to the United States and changed it to Seether to avoid confusion wit ...

Sentenced Sentenced was a Finnish gothic metal band that played melodic death metal in their early years. The band formed in 1989 in the town of Muhos and broke up in 2005. History Early years (1988–1991) Sentenced started in 1988 as Deformity and c ...

* Sethian * Shining (Nor) * Shining (Swe) * Sinergy * Slaves to Gravity * Sleep Token *

Soen Soen is a Swedish progressive metal supergroup. Their debut album '' Cognitive'' was released on 15 February 2012. History Initially formed in 2004, it was in May 2010 that the formation of Soen was announced. The original lineup consisted of ...

* Sonata Arctica *

Swallow the Sun Swallow the Sun is a Finnish death-doom band founded in 2000 by Juha Raivio. Their death-doom style emphasizes melody and atmosphere, and occasionally steps into gothic and black metal territory. They have released eight full-length albums, one ...

* Tarja Turunen * Tarot * Throne of Chaos * Thy Serpent * To/Die/For * Toothgrinder * The Treatment *

Turbowolf Turbowolf are an English rock band founded in Bristol, whose members include Chris Georgiadis (vocals and synthesisers), Andy Ghosh (guitar), Lianna Lee Davies (bass guitar) and Blake Davies (drums). Their first album, ''Turbowolf'', was releas ...

Twilightning Twilightning was a power metal band from Imatra, Finland, which formed in 1998. They disbanded in June 2009. Biography Twilightning formed in 1998, consisting of guitarists Tommi Sartanen and Ville Wallenius, bassist Jussi Kainulainen, and drumm ...

* Von Hertzen Brothers *

Voodoo Six Voodoo Six is a British hard rock band formed in the summer of 2003 by bassist Tony Newton and guitarist Richie Faulkner. The current line-up of the band consists of Nik Taylor-Stoakes (lead vocals), Matt Pearce (guitar), Tony Newton (bass), J ...

Warmen Warmen is a Finnish heavy metal band assembled by keyboardist Janne "Warman" Wirman. Wirman has played with Children of Bodom from 1997 until their disbandment in 2019, and in 2000 created a musical project focused on instrumental work, which ...

* Venom * VRSTY * We Came as Romans (Europe only)

Candlelight

* Absu * Coltsblood * Black Moth * Burning The Oppressor * Daylight Dies * Demon Lung * Diablo Swing Orchestra * Emperor * Ihsahn * Khors *

Limbonic Art Limbonic Art is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Sandefjord. History Limbonic Art was formed in 1993 by Daemon, and was originally a full band featuring 3 other members. Daemon got in touch with Morfeus after the demise of the first ...

* Ninkharsag * Orange Goblin * PSOTY *

Shade Empire Shade Empire is a Finnish symphonic black metal band, formed in 1999 in the city of Kuopio. Shade Empire's prevalent lyrical subjects are death, destruction, hatred, anti-religion and pain. The music on their first three official full-length ...

Shrapnel Shrapnel may refer to: Military * Shrapnel shell, explosive artillery munitions, generally for anti-personnel use * Shrapnel (fragment), a hard loose material Popular culture * ''Shrapnel'' (Radical Comics) * ''Shrapnel'', a game by Adam ...

* Sigh * Sigiriya * Throne Of Katarsis * Ultra Violence * Vampillia * Vision of Disorder * Voices * Winterfylleth * Witchsorrow * Zyklon

Snakefarm

* Austin Meade * Billy Gibbons (UK only) * Broken Witt Rebels * Brothers Osborne (UK only) * Eric Church (UK only) *

George Thorogood George Lawrence Thorogood (born February 24, 1950) is an American musician, singer and songwriter from Wilmington, Delaware. His "high-energy boogie-blues" sound became a staple of 1980s rock radio, with hits like his original songs "Bad to the ...

(UK only) * Gov't Mule (UK only) * Hogjaw * Kendell Marvel (Europe) * Kip Moore (UK only) * Tedeschi Trucks Band (UK only) * The Marcus King Band (UK only) * The Record Company (UK only) * The Temperance Movement (US & Canada) * Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown * Whiskey Myers (Europe)

References

External links

* {{Authority control Finnish record labels Black metal record labels Death metal record labels Heavy metal record labels Labels distributed by Universal Music Group Record labels established in 1990