Holy Roar Records
Holy Roar Records is an independent record label run by Alex Fitzpatrick. The label began in January 2006 when he moved to London from Birmingham and put out its first release in June 2006,[1] the Phoenix Bodies album, Raise the Bullshit flag. Since then Holy Roar Records has over 150 releases. Alex originally joked that the name was derived from a vision he had whilst on the hallucinogen LSD.[2]
Holy Roar Records | |
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Founded | 2006 |
Founder | Alex Fitzpatrick Ellen Godwin |
Genre | Hardcore punk, punk rock, extreme metal, experimental rock |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Location | London, England |
Official website | www |
History
Holy Roar Records was formed at the beginning of 2006, when Alex Fitzpatrick moved to London. After previously trialling out “thecommunion” with friends in Birmingham during his university days and armed with the intention of giving bands the recognition he felt they deserved, he and his girlfriend at the time, Ellen Godwin decided to start up a record label.[3] Utilising a loan, they released and promoted what would be the label's first ever releases: Rolo Tomassi (their first “proper” EP), Phoenix Bodies (a grind/punk crossover band) and a split between the bands, Kayo Dot and Bloody Panda.
In 2007, through a combination of luck and circumstance, Holy Roar Records found themselves releasing records by Gallows, Chronicles of Adam West (tech-metal) and Chariots (screamo). The label was still very much a hobby at this point, but this was soon to change as Alex Fitzpatrick decided to throw in his day job and take the label on as a priority - utilising the support of those around him and taking on other relevant and connected roles such as writing for magazines and driving and managing bands to keep himself afloat.
A couple of years later, Alex had managed to make Holy Roar Records a full-time commitment and since then he has managed to: curate a stage at Offset Festival (2014),[4] host a stage at Incubate Festival (2014),[5] partner with Shock Records,[6] partner with ArcTanGent Festival (2015) [7] and has curated a stage at The Great Escape Festival in 2016.[8] The label are planning to curate another stage at The Great Escape Festival in 2017.
A decade since initiation, Holy Roar Records finds itself with over 150 releases and nominations by Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards for “Best Independent Label”[9] and the AIM Independent Music Awards for "Best Small Label" in 2016.[10]
According to Alex, the name “Holy Roar” was actually derived from a Torche song with the same title.[11]
Ethos
Taking inspiration from Aaron Turner (Isis & Hydrahead Records), Jacob Bannon (Converge & Deathwish Inc.), Black Market Activities and Touch and Go Records,[12] amongst many others, Holy Roar Records strives to be a hardworking, friendly and approachable label for a wide range of bands, preferring to establish a relationship of trust through being transparent and honest. Alex Fitzpatrick’s previous experiences from being in various bands (Pariso, Cutting Pink with Knives), has provided him with the insider knowledge of what a band needs and how to effectively compromise this alongside the needs of a label.[13]
Holy Roar Records advocates common sense, respect and manners over hype and money and is about breaking moulds rather than repeating trends and fashions - it has even been referred to as the “thinking man’s hardcore label” due to its varied catalogue of releases. Holy Roar Records wants to get people into different kinds of music[14] whilst ensuring there is a strong aesthetic to all their releases.[15]
Current roster
Bands on the Holy Roar Records roster (as of 2016) are:
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Past artists
Below is a list of bands previously on the Holy Roar Records roster:[16]
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Releases
Any specific pressing information can be found on the official Holy Roar Records website.[17]
Cat # Artist(s) Release Format(s) HRR184 Watchcries S/T Digital HRR181 Ruetz Melanoma Digital HRR180 Brutality Will Prevail In Dark Places CD/Vinyl/Cassette/Digital HRR179 Down I Go Mooncleanser Digital HRR178 Down I Go Меня зовут Владимир Путин Digital HRR177 Down I Go Witness the Shitness Digital HRR176 Down I Go this is Robotcore Digital HRR175 Down I Go this is Dinocore Digital HRR174 OHHMS The Fool CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR173 Rolo Tomassi OST Cassette HRR172 Group Of Man World Peace Champions Cassette/Digital HRR171 Bossk I & II Reissue CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR170 Rolo Tomassi Boxset Vinyl HRR166 Pijn Floodlit CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR165 Up River If There Is A God That Is Judging Me Constantly CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR164 Svalbard Discography 2012-2014 CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR163 Apologies, I Have None Pharmacie CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR162 Conjurer I CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR161 Departures Death Touches Us, From The Moment We Begin To Love CD/Vinyl/Cassette/Digital HRR160 Apologies, I Have None/Luca Brasi Split Cassette/Digital HRR159 Wren Host Vinyl/Digital HRR158 Giants Against The Grain (single) Digital HRR157 Fall of Messiah Empty Colours CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR156 Rolo Tomassi The BBC Sessions CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR155 Giants Break The Cycle (Single) Digital HRR154 Employed to Serve/A Ghost Orchestra Split Digital HRR153 Giants Break The Cycle CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR152 Down I Go Iceland Extras Vinyl/Digital HRR151 Helpless Helpless CD HRR150 More Than Life Love Let Me Go CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR149 Eulogy Eternal Worth Vinyl/Digital HRR148 Cursed Earth Enslaved By The Insignificant Flexidisc HRR147 Haast's Eagled II For Mankind Vinyl HRR146 Down I Go You're Lucky God, I Cannot Reach You Vinyl/Digital HRR145 Svalbard One Day All This Will End CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR144 Slabdragger Rise of the Dawncrusher CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR143 Pariso Pariso Vinyl/Digital HRR142 Years of Abuse Social Order Cassette/Digital HRR141 We Never Learned to Live Crystalline Digital HRR140 We Never Learned to Live Shadows in Hibernation Digital HRR139 Rolo Tomassi Opalescent Digital HRR138 Employed to Serve Bones to Break Digital HRR137 Employed to Serve Watching Films to Forget I Exist Digital HRR136 Rolo Tomassi Stage Knives (Single) Digital HRR135 Rolo Tomassi Grievances CD/Vinyl/Cassette/Digital HRR134 We Never Learned to Live Silently, I Threw Them Skyward CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR133 Ohmms Cold CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR132 Employed to Serve Greyer Than You Remember CD/Vinyl/Cassette/Digital HRR131 Svalbard Discography 2012–2014 CD HRR130 VA Digital Sampler Digital HRR129 Ohhms Bloom CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR128 Body Hound Rhombus Now Vinyl/Digital HRR127 Rough Hands Nothing's Changed Vinyl/Digital HRR126 Brontide Artery CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR125 We Never Learned to Live/Human Future Split Vinyl/Digital HRR124 Employed to Serve Change Nothing, Regret Everything Vinyl/Digital HRR123 More Than Life Do You Remember Digital HRR122 Up River Undertow Vinyl/Digital HRR121 More Than Life What's Left of Me CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR120 Enabler Flies Vinyl/Digital HRR119 Bastions Bedfellows Part II: The Forgotten Daughter Vinyl/Digital HRR118 Maths/Throats Split CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR117 Svalbard Gone Tomorrow Digital HRR116 Svalbard Svalbard Digital HRR115 MINE Disappear Vinyl/Digital HRR114 Rough Hands Rough Hands Vinyl/Digital HRR113 Monolith A Votive Offering Digital HRR112 Brutality Will Prevail Scatter the Ashes Vinyl HRR111 VA Winter Spring 2013 Sampler Digital HRR110 Conan/Bongripper Split Vinyl HRR109 Coliseum Sister Faith CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR108 This Is Hell The Enforcer Vinyl/Digital HRR107 Last Witness Saccharine/Less Than Zero Vinyl/Digital HRR106 Bastions Bedfellows Part 1: The Bastard Son Vinyl/Digital HRR105 Strife Witness a Rebirth CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR104 MINE MINE Vinyl/Digital HRR103 Throats Throats (Repress) Vinyl/Digital HRR102 Full of Hell/Calm the Fire Split Vinyl/Digital HRR101 Hang the Bastard 2009-2012 CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR098 Kerouac Heavy Hearted: Collected Recordings 2009-2011 Vinyl/Digital HRR097 Cutting Pink With Knives Populuxxe (Reissue) Vinyl/Digital HRR096 run WALK! Health Vinyl/Digital HRR095 Pariso 2009-2011 Discography Digital HRR094 Desolated Verse of Judas Vinyl HRR093 We'll Die Smiling New Objectivity Vinyl/Digital HRR092 Nibiru Earthbreeder Vinyl/Digital HRR091 Monolith I, Misanthrope Vinyl HRR090 Last Witness The Void Digital HRR089 Last Witness Mourning After CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR088 Crocus Our Memories Dress Me in a Dead Lust CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR087 Jackals/Grazes Split Vinyl/Digital HRR086 Goodtime Boys Are We Now or Have We Ever Been CD/Digital HRR085 Brontide Coloured Tongues/MFBT Vinyl/Digital HRR084 Will Haven Voir Dire Vinyl/Digital HRR083 run WALK!/ Sirs Split Vinyl/Digital HRR082 Crossbreaker Lows Vinyl/Digital HRR081 VA Holy Hell Summer Sampler 2011 Digital HRR080 Make Do and Mend Make Do and Mend Vinyl HRR079 Abolition Abolition Vinyl HRR078 Daggers Euphoria Vinyl/Digital HRR077 Rosa Valle Holy Bermuda CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR076 Brutality Will Prevail Sleep Paralysis CD HRR075 End Reign End Reign Vinyl/Digital HRR074 Witch Cult Witch Cult Vinyl/Digital HRR073 Jackals/Self Loathing Split Vinyl/Digital HRR072 Brontide Sans Souci CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR071 Eisberg Eisberg Vinyl/Digital HRR070 Gallops Joust/Eukodol Vinyl/Digital HRR069 Rolo Tomassi Eternal Youth Vinyl/Digital HRR068 Rolo Tomassi/Antares Split Vinyl HRR067 Kerouac/Pariso Split CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR066 The Ergon Carousel Dead Banks Vinyl/Digital HRR065 Slabdragger Regress Vinyl/Digital HRR064 Grazes Myths Vinyl/Digital HRR063 Cthulhu Youth Inflatable World… Cassette HRR062 Cthulhu Youth Cthulhu Youth Cassette HRR061 VA Happy Holy Roar Mega Box Cassette HRR060 Kerouac Cold and Distant, Not Loving Vinyl HRR059 Baptists Black Dawn CD HRR058 Maths Ascent Vinyl/Digital HRR057 Touche Amore …To The Beat of a Dead Horse Vinyl HRR056 run, WALK! Instrumental EP CD/Digital HRR055 Throats/The Ergon Carousel Kyuss Covers Split Vinyl/Digital HRR054 Hang the Bastard Hellfire Reign CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR053 Black Mass S/T CD/Digital HRR052 Bastions Island Living Vinyl HRR051 Never Again Year One Vinyl/Digital HRR050 VA Happy Holy Roar Vol.4 Cassette HRR049 Brutality Will Prevail Root of All Evil CD/Vinyl/Digital HRR048 Young Legionairre Colossus/Iron Dream Vinyl HRR047 Lone Wolves A True Discourse CD HRR046 Rolo Tomassi Cosmology Vinyl HRR045 Gallops Gallops CD/Digital HRR044 Jackals S/T Vinyl HRR043 Last Witness Give Up Vinyl/Digital HRR042 We'll Die Smiling Avant-Garde CD/Digital HRR041 run, WALK! IHTAWSICSSOEAOMITS CD HRR040 Never Again Live at The Albert, Brighton Cassette HRR039 Antares L'Espirit de l'escalier CD/Digital HRR038 Throats S/T CD/Vinyl HRR037 PABH/Holy State Split Vinyl HRR036 Manuscripts/Betty Pariso Split Vinyl/Digital HRR035 Trash Talk East of Eden/Son of a Bitch Vinyl HRR034 Easy Hips/Dreamboats/Le Swing/Run, Walk! New Roars on the Block Vinyl HRR033 Holy State/Brontide/The Tupolev Ghost/Shapes Holy Monsters Vinyl HRR032 Rolo Tomassi/Throats Split Vinyl HRR031 Livimorket Dark Totality CD/Digital HRR030 VA Happy Holy Roar Vol.3 Cassette HRR029 Holy State Live CD HRR028 VA Spring '09 Digital Sampler Digital HRR027 The Ghost of a Thousand This is Where the Fight Begins CD/Vinyl HRR026 Maths Descent CD/Vinyl HRR025 Rolo Tomassi Untitled (Reissue) CD HRR024 Brontide Brontide EP Digital HRR023 Cutting Pink with Knives Discography Digital HRR022 Maths Live Acoustic Medley Digital HRR021 Holy State Holy State EP Vinyl HRR020 VA Happy Holy Roar Vol. 2 Cassette HRR019 The Ergon Carousel The Ergon Carousel CD HRR018 Devil Sold His Soul/Tortuga Split Vinyl HRR017 Youves Cardio-Vascular CD/Digital HRR016 Throats/The_Network Split CD HRR015 Dananananakroyd Sissy Hits CD/Digital HRR014 Mirror! Mirror! Silicon Eyes/Wolfgang Bang Vinyl HRR013 Rolo Tomassi Digital History/Beatrotter Vinyl HRR012 Maths/Throats Split CD HRR011 Cutting Pink with Knives Laser Hannon Digital HRR010 VA Happy Holy Roar Cassette HRR009 Cutting Pink with Knives St Mark/Airz Digital HRR008 Rolo Tomassi Untitled (Reissue) CD HRR007 Cutting Pink with Knives Populuxxe CD HRR006 Gallows Demo Vinyl HRR005 Chariots The Inner Life CD/Digital HRR004 Chronicles of Adam West We Walk Unbalanced CD/Digital HRR003 Rolo Tomassi Untitled CD HRR002 Bloody Panda/Kayo Dot Split Vinyl/Digital HRR001 Phoenix Bodies Raise The Bullshit Flag CD/Digital
Compilations
For Christmas 2007 Holy Roar Records released a limited edition cassette tape compilation, "Happy Holy Roar!" featuring 20 previously unreleased/ self-released only songs by a variety of bands including some Holy Roar artists. The compilation was limited to 100 copies and sold out in just over a week.
Since then, Holy Roar Records have released the following via cassette:
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and the following via digital release only:
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In 2016, Holy Roar Records contributed an exclusive song to the Alcopop! Records Record Store Day release "Sensible Record Labels" Volume 2 compilation.
Holy Roar Records Subscriptions
In 2016, Holy Roar Records established a monthly subscription service to allow for fans of the label to keep up to date with new releases on a tier basis.[18] The different price levels include a variety of benefits including discount, exclusive content, physical copies of all new releases, prize draws and subscriber news feeds that informs members of tours and new releases. The focus of the service is to reward loyal fans of the label whilst also continue to support new projects and the development of the label.
Podcasts
Since April 2015, Holy Roar Records have been producing podcasts[19] hosted by Mario John Gambardella featuring different guests and their perspectives on the UK music scene.
Guests so far have included: Alex Fitzpatrick, Sammy & Justine (Employed to Serve), Djamila + Sam (Ithaca), Thom Denson (Kerouac/Brace Yourself PR), James Spence (Rolo Tomassi), Sean & Brett (We Never Learned To Live), Liam Phelan, Serena Cherry and Mark (Svalbard), Mario Gambardella (Pariso), Oli Knowles (Meet Me in St. Louis), Lewis Johns (The Ranch Productions/Goodtime Boys/The Long Haul), Tom Collins (Eulogy), Tomas Hubbard (Hang the Bastard/Carry The Weight Records), Jonathan Desmond (Grappler/Terrible Love), Chlo Edwards (Vales), Matthew Davies-Kreye (Funeral For A Friend), Curtis Prauß (Carrion Sunflower/The Pitch Control/Witch Cult), Alex + Steve (Truthseeker Music & Human Future), Phil Buch (Eden Maine), Loz Clark (Tour Driver/Cady), Paul & Dan (OHHMS), Leigh McAndrew (Rope/Palm Reader Records/Goodtime Boys), Pete Fraser (Down I Go), Thom Weeks (Gnarwolves), Zachary Birchley (Crocus/Bastions/Terrible Love), Thomas Peckett (&U&I/Blakfish), Lee Vincent (Pulled Apart by Horses), Laurent Barnard (Gallows/Venn Records), Charlie Simmonds (Venn Records/Wall of Sound PR), Yusuf & Sam (Slabdragger), XRedX (Let It Die), Christopher Barling (Group of Man/MINE/Hang The Bastard). New episodes of the podcast are available from SoundCloud[20] and iTunes.
Pink Mist
Since 2010, Holy Roar Records has been a member of Pink Mist, a London-based promoter and label collective alongside Big Scary Monsters and Blood & Biscuits. The idea behind this collective was to create an alliance whereby resources were pooled in order to promote their bands to a wider audience.[21] Their first release was a pink and white 12" vinyl limited to 300 copies and released in April 2011 on Record Store Day, "Hello Pink Mist".[22] It consisted of 12 exclusive tracks (4 from each label) in which Holy Roar Records contributed tracks from run, WALK!, Hang the Bastard, Grazes and Bastions. Later that year, Tangled Talk joined the collective[23] to complete the current line-up.
In 2012, they released a download-only free compilation "Hello Pink Mist Volume 2"[24] to coincide with the launch of their new website[25] and in this same year, they were nominated for the Association of Independent Music Awards for "Best Small Label".[26] In 2013, Pink Mist announced a pop-up shop in Boxpark,[27] East London where they sold records and had in-store sessions and in 2014 they collaborated with Relentless (drink) to set up another pop-up shop at No.5 Denmark Street[28] featuring live performances. Pink Mist was also listed in The Guardian's "The 10 British Record Labels Defining the Sound of 2014".[29]
Due to individual circumstances, Pink Mist has become a looser entity over time as its initial founders went off in their own directions. However an extension of the brand is still particularly active and currently operates via Pink Mist live gigs which are run by the drive and dedication of promoter, Ross Allmark (DICE FM). In honour of Holy Roar Records' tenth birthday, Pink Mist presented the Holy Roar X (HRX)[30] show, hosting bands at The Dome and The Boston Music Rooms in London on Saturday May 21, 2016. The line-up featured Rolo Tomassi, Svalbard (band), Hang The Bastard, OHHMS and many more.
Pink Mist is now predominately a live event promotion company, of which its full list of upcoming shows can be found on its website.[31]
Truthseeker Music
In 2015, Holy Roar Records launched a brand new sister label Truthseeker Music which is headed up by Holy Roar intern Alex Leat[32]. To date, they have released records by Human Future, Sonance, Annexia, Rope, Torpor, Palehorse, Earth Moves, 52 Commercial Road, Oak, Regurgitate Life, Howls, Yards and Hexis.
References
- "Label Focus #9: Holy Roar Records". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Interview 015 - Holy Roar Records". This Is Fubar Productions. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Interview: Alex Fitzpatrick of Holy Roar Records". Punktastic. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar Announce Stage at Offset". diymag. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar to curate stage at Incubate". Holy Roar. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar Records signs deal with Shock Records". Holy Roar. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar to be official label partner to ArcTanGent festival". Holy Roar. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar Alternative Escape". After Dark. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Metal Hammer Golden Gods Nominees". Planet Mosh. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "AIM Awards 2016 Nominees Announced". Proper Distribution. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
- "Bearded Label Love: Holy Roar". Bearded Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Designer Label: Holy Roar Records". Rock Midgets. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar". Mint Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar Records". SWNK. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Interview with Alex Fitzpatrick of Holy Roar Records". Louder Than War. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Artists". Holy Roar Records. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Releases". Holy Roar Records. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar Records Bandcamp". Bandcamp. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
- "Holy Roar Podcasts". Itunes. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Holy Roar Podcasts". SoundCloud. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
- "Label Profile: Pink Mist". diymag. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Hello Pink Mist". Banquet Records. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Tangled Talk Official". Tangled Talk. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Hello Pink Mist Volume 2". Punktastic. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Pink Mist". Pink Mist. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "AIM Independent Music 2012 Nominees". Huffington Post. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Pink Mist Boxpark". Thrash Hits. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Relentless x Pink Mist". Culture Compass. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "10 Best Record Labels". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Pink Mist - HRX". Pink Mist. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- "Pink Mist". Limited Run. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
- "NEWS: Holy Roar Records launch sister label, Truthseeker Music!". DEAD PRESS! | Alternative music news, reviews, interviews and more!. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
External links
Interviews with Alex Fitzpatrick of Holy Roar Records