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[betteroffdead]

well i have never been one to pay attention to such things... but lately i've been getting more into record labels. favourites of the moment are:

kill rock stars (sleater-kinney, bikini kill, gravy train!!!!, decemberists, so many other greats!)
matador (new pornographers, ac newman, pretty girls make graves)
sub pop (the shins, the thermals, postal service, hellacopters)
polyvinl (ok so mostly just for mates of state... but of montreal and volcano, i'm still excited!! are on there too)

[will: wanton sex god]

i forgot matador

[Das Melon]

it's gotta be Hopeless.

[Skibas_clavicle]

Mine's gotta be Asain Man Records (props to ska-boy exliontamer).
But some terrific ones are also:
Touch and Go (COCO ROSIE, ENON - fucking amazing)
4AD (Blonde Redhead, etc.)
Metodor - of course
Underground Operations - local toronto punk label, they throw good shows

The record label a friend of mine and i are starting which we have fondly named "DOAP Records"

PS - DRIVE-THRU IS EVIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLL

[cantrell]

estrus and matador
but  estrus, definitely

[rynne]

For instance, I dig Hydra Head due to the presence of Pelican, Isis, and These Arms are Snakes. Or Asian Man for the great amount of Ska on that label.

I thought TAAS are on Jade Tree.

I dig HH and 2XHNI, but WaxTrax! (before they were bought out by TVT) is my all-time fave.

[kikanjuuneko]

BOTCH

BOOOOTTTTCCCHHHHHHHH

*makes with the thumbs up*

Hmm, I have to give credit to labels like Ferret, Bridge 9 and Revelation just because they haven't tried signing trendy (and shitty) pop punk/emo bands, like some labels I won't mention. *cough*VictoryTrustkill*cough*

[blindsuperhero]

Yeah, Victory were great until they, well, stopped being great. And does anyone else get Straylight Run and Streetlight Manifesto mixed up? No?

[kikanjuuneko]

Yeah, Victory were great until they, well, stopped being great. And does anyone else get Straylight Run and Streetlight Manifesto mixed up? No?

The worst part about Victory is that they still have all these bands that vary the whole scale from good to awesome (from Martyr AD and Dead To Fall to Darkest Hour and Between the Buried and Me, with Taking Back Sunday - and no, I'm not ashamed of liking them - inbetween), not to mention how they were the home to some awesome bands like Hatebreed (again, not ashamed) and Thursday, but these days just keep signing absolutely crap bands like Action Action and Aiden. The last good thing they signed was Comeback Kid, but their modus operandi seems to be one good band for three trendy, crap ones.

[Slow Hands]

I like Saddle Creek...
then GSL.
then 31g.

[kilconey]

for what it's worth, cos all mine have ben said already:
matador (interpol, pavement-nobody had mentioned them yet???)
rough trade (the smiths, british sea power (one of my favorite bands ever)
sub pop (the shins, postal service, for just being GOOD lately)

[slumlord]

Relapse Records (Mastodon, Pig Destroyer, Dysrhythmia, Leng T'che, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Suffocation, and maaaaaany others). They also have a huge selection of stuff on their website.

Hydra Head Records (Isis, Pelican, Botch, Cave In, Discordance Axis, way too many others). They always have super-limited-edition merch, and they seem to know that i'm a total sucker for it.

[jeremy]

Tian An Men 89
Darbouka
Alerta Antifascista
A.O.N. and its sidelabels (Exotic Underground, Killed by Perestroika, etc.)
Xcentric Noise
BCT
Bajo Perfil
Chivolos Discos
Noseke
New Wave
Kick'n'Punch
Buda Musique (for the "Ethiopiques" series, mainly)
Propaganda

And I guess I would've put in Six Weeks since they're local, but since they started putting out all those crossover records a few years ago...

[El Opium]

I also need to add eclipse to my list, totally superb for psych not-rock.

[Signum_Tenebrae]

Blood, Fire, Death
Moribund Cult
tUMULt
Barbarian Wrath
Total Holocaust Records
Drakkar Productions
Wraith Productions
Death Propaganda Records (Hail Slave Whipping Blasphemy!!)

[Kid Amnesiac]

Temporary Residence
Absolutely Kosher
Kranky
5rc

[yipjumpmusic]

Absolutely Kosher
Touch and Go
Sub Pop
asthmatic kitty
secretly canadian (though they take the longest to get stuff in the mail)

[Johnny C]

Updated list:

Rough Trade
4AD
Domino
Sub Pop
Matador
Arts & Crafts
Secretly Canadian
Nonesuch
Geffen (omgwtfnirvanasonicyouth)

[heretic]

say-10 records <-- i know them, good fucks they are
little blue men<-- know beth patterson, funny chic, damn good on the bazookie (sp?)
carriboo<-- jennifer turner is a goddess

[KharBevNor]

Peaceville
Earache
Spinefarm
Black Mark
Osmose
Full Moon Productions
Noise International
Demolition
Massacre
Karmageddon Media
Inside Out
Seven Kingdoms
Blasphemous
+Signum's list

[a pack of wolves]

Jade Tree has gone so downhill recently though, its quite depressing, they used to be a decent label

Yeah, it's a real shame. The quality control just went out the window somewhere down the line.

Hmm, I have to give credit to labels like Ferret, Bridge 9 and Revelation just because they haven't tried signing trendy (and shitty) pop punk/emo bands, like some labels I won't mention. *cough*VictoryTrustkill*cough*

Yep, they took the brave step of singing bands based on how fashionable their hair is and how predictable their mosh parts are. On the subject of Victory, come on, they were never good. We're not talking about Revelation here (who, like Jade Tree, have had a massive decline in quality over the past few years). I can't actually think of a single good band they ever had aside from By The Grace Of God.

And I guess I would've put in Six Weeks since they're local, but since they started putting out all those crossover records a few years ago...

Aw, but Waste 'Em All is a great record! And even if that didn't float your boat, releasing a godly album like 13 will wipe many sins away.

Anyway, my picks would be:
Ebullition
Dischord
Super Fi (Probably the best label for contemporary hardcore going)
SST
If they keep up like they have been Gringo will be up here too. And honourable mentions to the much-missed Flat Earth and Armed With Anger.

[Freezey]

Jade Tree and Dischord. I also like No Idea. All the 'hardcore' acts Jade Tree has signed recently (lords, breather resist) really don't do anything for me though >.>

[ebullientsoul]

Epitaph (Bouncing Souls, Raised Fist, Hot Water Music, Bad Religion, Refused)

Fat Wreck (Epoxies, old Rise Against, Only Crime, Descendents, Soviettes, Lawrence Arms, Strike Anywhere)

Asian Man (old pretty much everybody)

Jade Tree (Lifetime&progeny, old explosion, Avail reissues)

and Suburban Home (I interned there. Good people.)

Dischord (Minor Threat&progeny)

[Praeserpium Machinarum]

Kill Rock Stars
Creation(you know when they were around, bands like My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and the Mary Chain)
Auditorium(danish one, mostly artists singing in danish)
Morningside Records(danish, Figurines, Jomi Massage among others)

[kikanjuuneko]

Yep, they took the brave step of singing bands based on how fashionable their hair is and how predictable their mosh parts are. On the subject of Victory, come on, they were never good. We're not talking about Revelation here (who, like Jade Tree, have had a massive decline in quality over the past few years). I can't actually think of a single good band they ever had aside from By The Grace Of God.

What about: Integrity, All Out War, A18, Buried Alive, Boysetsfire, Earth Crisis, Hatebreed, Snapcase, Strife, Thursday and Warzone? Those are all good bands and used to be on Victory. Or the good bands that are there now? Between the Buried and Me, Bury Your Dead, Darkest Hour, Dead To Fall, Freya, Premonitions of War and With Honor? I'm sorry for not jumping on the "I hate Victory" bandwagon, but credit where credit's due.

As a label, I think Trustkill is doing far worse. Sure, they have a couple of good bands left, but how do you explain crap like Bullet For My Valentine, Eighteen Visions, Fight Paris and Roses Are Red?

[a pack of wolves]

Boysetsfire, well, a few good songs but even at their best they were patchy. And some of their material makes me cringe. Earth Crisis are funny, at least in their early days. When they turned into a nu-metal band they even lost the comedy value. Path of Resistance were better. Hatebreed, Snapcase, Strife, Thursday, Warzone... all boring, or outright appallingly bad if we're talking Hatebreed and Thursday. Although I guess A Call For Blood does have the same comedy value as, say, Firestorm. I'm not jumping on a bandwagon though, I don't think they've had a decline in quality at all. It was always a bad label. Remember, these people released a One Life Crew record. They're that bad.

Trustkill, well, Walls of Jericho are pretty good although I have no idea if they're still on that label. But you're right, apart from them they haven't released anything that was even alright since Disembodied called it quits, and are mostly filled with bad metal that calls itself either hardcore or emo in order to shift more units.

[McTaggart]

Matador and Quannum Projects.

[louie_louie]

dischord, (early) epitaph, fat, jade tree, ebullition, asian man, sub pop, g7, burning heart, etc................

[Catculus]

Righteous Babe

[JLM]

Matador, if only because in addition to a group of bands I currently enjoy, they also hold the back catalog for Pizzicato Five.

Otherwise:
Emperor Norton
Ninja Tune
Svek
Compost
Kompakt
Jazzland
Covert Operations
Touch & Go

[a pack of wolves]

Jade Tree and Dischord. I also like No Idea. All the 'hardcore' acts Jade Tree has signed recently (lords, breather resist) really don't do anything for me though >.>

No Idea's still damn good, but it's not as strong as it used to be. They've never found bands who can really match up to people like The Swarm, but that's a damn tall order for any label.

[Highlander]

I like Ipecac.

[KharBevNor]

Interestingly I really don't like Ipecac.

Not keen on the bands, or the design ethos they put on all their merch etc.

[My Aim Is True]

Jade Tree and Dischord. I also like No Idea. All the 'hardcore' acts Jade Tree has signed recently (lords, breather resist) really don't do anything for me though >.>

No Idea's still damn good, but it's not as strong as it used to be. They've never found bands who can really match up to people like The Swarm, but that's a damn tall order for any label.

No Idea will always be my favorite label. It doesn't even really matter what they release (though I do like a lot of their releases), they are just such great people, and I admire the way they do business.

Jade Tree has some awesome stuff. Breather Resist is great. Lords are only OK. Paint It Black is awesome.

Equal Vision used to be one of my favorite, but they've been putting out mostly crap now, except for Bane and Bear Vs Shark.

other favorite label's of mine...

Dischord
Asian Man
Alternative Tentacles
and ah crap, I know I really dig some non-punk labels, but my brains is going blank.

[kikanjuuneko]

Now, Equal Vision, that's one label that's seriously gone downhill, if you ask me. Seriously, they used to be a great hardcore label, now they've turned into a very mediocre "indie" label.

[movielife_girl]

Underground Op. I almost WORK for this goddamn label.  I just don't get paid. Love it. http://www.undergroundoperations.com
http://www.ferretstyle.com
http://www.revelationrecords.com

I'm also a fan of Asian Man and Drive-Thru.  No matter what anyone says...Drive-Thru is still alright by me.

[Freezey]

mm yeah, Paint it Black is an exception. They're fucking great. "Paradise" has been spinning since I got it in March. Of course, Kid Dynamite was/is my favourite band for a few years now, so I could just be biased

[OtterErotic]

Absolutely Kosher!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, both Matador and Sub Pop are having really good moments right now.

And, of course, Merge, who put out my favorite album ever and a lot of other really really really great albums.

[godbowstomath]

DFA RECORDS!

LOAD RECORDS!

KILL ROCK STARS!

THRILL JOCKEY!

[ebullientsoul]

Boysetsfire, well, a few good songs but even at their best they were patchy. And some of their material makes me cringe. Earth Crisis are funny, at least in their early days. When they turned into a nu-metal band they even lost the comedy value. Path of Resistance were better. Hatebreed, Snapcase, Strife, Thursday, Warzone... all boring, or outright appallingly bad if we're talking Hatebreed and Thursday. Although I guess A Call For Blood does have the same comedy value as, say, Firestorm. I'm not jumping on a bandwagon though, I don't think they've had a decline in quality at all. It was always a bad label. Remember, these people released a One Life Crew record. They're that bad.

Trustkill, well, Walls of Jericho are pretty good although I have no idea if they're still on that label. But you're right, apart from them they haven't released anything that was even alright since Disembodied called it quits, and are mostly filled with bad metal that calls itself either hardcore or emo in order to shift more units.

Alright, you lost your privilges of talking about hardcore when you call Walls of Jericho good. Their saving grace is that their barker is a girl. If we're going to be gender blind, and I mean truly gender blind, then let's look at her "work". Her lyrics blatantly rip off Shai Hulud, her vocal style is at best lackluster and her onstage performance is passable to good. Therfore, she's middle of the pack at best. The songs are uninspired breakdown heavy bullshit, and their stage presence ain't saying much.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Walls-of-Jericho-lyrics/E28DB856F4923A1D48256C9B0031E84C
Above is the link to Walls of Jericho lyrics. I'll let you judge for yourself.

And about Trustkill, you're mostly right except for Most Precious Blood. who brings an old school asskicking to a genre played out by girls jeans and black hair dye.

Earth Crisis was a terrible group, agreed.

As for the accusation that Victory has always been a crappy label, I'd argue otherwise. When you go from releasing a Sick of it All 7" to Freya, I'd call that an appreciable decline in quality.

[Borondir]

Peaceville
Spinefarm
Earache

the big two of course, Century Media and Nuclear Blast

and probably my all time favorite, The End Records. So much great avant garde metal on one label.

[Signum_Tenebrae]

I'll add Resistance Records to my list just to piss people off.

[a pack of wolves]

Okay ebullientsoul, you got me on the Sick Of It All 7". But that's one 7" a very long time ago, and like I said By The Grace of God were good too. But even when they were releasing records by them they were also churning out plenty of trash simultaneously, so then going on to do stuff by Freya still isn't much of a change.

No, Walls of Jericho's lyrics aren't amazing, but they are passable. And the music's good, I expected it to be tiresome before I heard it because of the label they were on but I found it to be good, solid metalcore. Not the most original stuff, sure, but they have good songs.

Most Precious Blood? Hahahahahahahahahahaha! No difference between them and the rest of the haircut brigade I'm afraid.

[zekterellium]

cunt records or canadian speedcore resistance. real rebellious, underground labels that i like a lot.

[ebullientsoul]

Okay ebullientsoul, you got me on the Sick Of It All 7". But that's one 7" a very long time ago, and like I said By The Grace of God were good too. But even when they were releasing records by them they were also churning out plenty of trash simultaneously, so then going on to do stuff by Freya still isn't much of a change.

No, Walls of Jericho's lyrics aren't amazing, but they are passable. And the music's good, I expected it to be tiresome before I heard it because of the label they were on but I found it to be good, solid metalcore. Not the most original stuff, sure, but they have good songs.

Most Precious Blood? Hahahahahahahahahahaha! No difference between them and the rest of the haircut brigade I'm afraid.

Having seen the haircut brigade and Most Precious Blood live, there's quite a difference. Also, Most Precious Blood does not rely on "crushing breakdowns" to get their point across. Rob Fusco is also head and shoulders above the haircut brigade too, lyrically.

As for the Sick of it All 7", i'd say Victory started out well and went downhill quickly. To victory's credit, their promotion is ceaseless and they're enthusiastic. But it all is for naught if the music sucks. so it is for naught.

however, there's a conspicuous amount of good on Victory's roster: Streetlight Manifesto, Comeback Kid, With Honor and Darkest Hour. Sadly, its not enough to counteract the bad.

[kikanjuuneko]

I just remembered why I hate all other hardcore kids.

[My Aim Is True]

I like a handful of bands on Victory, but the label sucks ass for the way it treats the bands far more than for any crap they've released. I'm always worried when a band I like signs with them, not because I think their music will go downhill, but because I think they'll get shafted.

[a pack of wolves]

Having seen the haircut brigade and Most Precious Blood live, there's quite a difference. Also, Most Precious Blood does not rely on "crushing breakdowns" to get their point across. Rob Fusco is also head and shoulders above the haircut brigade too, lyrically.

As for the Sick of it All 7", i'd say Victory started out well and went downhill quickly. To victory's credit, their promotion is ceaseless and they're enthusiastic. But it all is for naught if the music sucks. so it is for naught.

however, there's a conspicuous amount of good on Victory's roster: Streetlight Manifesto, Comeback Kid, With Honor and Darkest Hour. Sadly, its not enough to counteract the bad.

You're not selling me on Most Precious Blood, but fair enough. And there's nothing wrong with a breakdown so long as it's good, like the one in There Will Be No Amnesty by Kill The Man Who Questions.

I just don't rate even the old hardcore bands Victory started out by releasing. I'm not even a massive Sick of It All fan, although they have had some decent tunes and they're good live. As for the ceaseless promotion, well it would be wouldn't it? They're a professional label, they're just doing their jobs. It's not really something to recommend them. I'm much more impressed by all the DIY labels who do vast amounts of work for bands in their spare time.

I can't say I've ever heard Streetlight Manifesto or With Honor (although with a name like With Honor it's quite likely I have and have forgotten them, and I can't imagine them being any good at all), but Comeback Kid and Darkest Hour are tedious so if they're anything like them then it sounds like Victory business as usual.

[KharBevNor]

I'll add Resistance Records to my list just to piss people off.

I prefer Unholy/Cympophane and No Colours myself, though No Colours is more 'don't give a shit'.

[Signum_Tenebrae]

I'll add Resistance Records to my list just to piss people off.

I prefer Unholy/Cympophane and No Colours myself, though No Colours is more 'don't give a shit'.

Who is on Unholy/Cympophane?