Fiend Force Records

Fiend Force Records (also styled Fiendforce Records) is a German independent record label founded in 2003 by Thorsten Wilms, singer of the horrorpunk bands Ghouls and The Other, and Jonas "Paddy" Nitzsche. Based in Cologne and Hamburg, it describes itself as the "Home of Horrorpunk" and was the first horrorpunk label in Europe. The label was created to give national and international bands in the genre a fitting home, including Wilms's own band The Other. The term "horrorpunk" was deliberately interpreted broadly, encompassing horrorpunk, horror rock and psychobilly acts. Internationally, Fiend Force was distributed by Cargo Records. The label's first release in 2003 was the well-received sampler This Is Horrorpunk, which featured numerous established groups and helped significantly raise the popularity of horrorpunk in Europe, especially in Germany. A second volume, This Is Horrorpunk 2, followed in 2005. Fiend Force also organized the Fiendforce Fest (originally Fiend Fest), a horrorpunk festival that began in 2005 and did not limit itself to label acts, as well as the Hell Nights Tour, which brought several label bands together on the road, for example in autumn 2008 with Blitzkid, The Other, Der Fluch and Zombina and the Skeletones. According to Wilms, the label's success stemmed precisely from its limitation to a specific musical direction; its bestsellers were said to be The Other, Blitzkid, Rezurex and Nim Vind, each represented by two songs on the 2006 mini-sampler Fiendforce Cuts. On 26 May 2014 the label announced its closure via its Facebook page. In 2021 Wilms announced the relaunch of Fiend Force, which from then on was distributed by Massacre Records, with the aim of bringing knowledge of distribution structures and promotion to a new generation of horrorpunk bands. The first signings were Grand Horror — a project uniting scene protagonists Rod Usher (of The Other), Argyle Goolsby (of Blitzkid) and Flo V. Schwarz (of Pyogenesis) — and the US group Darker Days. In 2024 followed the second work by US horrorpunk band Zombeast, and in 2025 "Alienated", the ninth album by The Other, was released — the first album since 2008 to appear again on the band's own label, reaching No. 6 in the album charts.

Fiend Force Records was founded in 2003 by Thorsten Wilms, singer of the horrorpunk bands Ghouls and The Other, and Jonas "Paddy" Nitzsche, as the first horrorpunk label in Europe. Both founders stated they had been fans of the genre for years, as well as of horror films, comics and gothic novels, and founded the label with the intention of offering national and international bands of the genre a fitting home — not least their own band The Other. The term "horrorpunk" was deliberately interpreted broadly and encompassed horrorpunk, horror rock and psychobilly bands. Internationally, Fiend Force was distributed by Cargo Records. As its first release in 2003, Fiend Force offered the much-praised sampler This Is Horrorpunk (praised for example by Sonic Seducer), which already featured numerous well-known groups. Since the label's founding, Fiend Force was significantly responsible for increasing the popularity of horrorpunk in Europe and especially in Germany. This Is Horrorpunk 2 appeared in 2005. Until the end, well-known national and international bands were signed to Fiend Force. In 2005 Fiend Force organized the Fiendforce Fest (formerly called Fiend Fest) as a horrorpunk festival. It did not limit itself to label acts but also engaged popular representatives of other record companies. The Fiendforce Fest 2009 took place again on 25 April 2009 in Solingen. There was also the Hell Nights Tour, on which several label bands toured together, for example in autumn 2008 with Blitzkid, The Other, Der Fluch and Zombina and the Skeletones. After some departures in the two previous years, new acts — both well-known groups and newcomers — were signed again in 2010. In 2010 The Other left the band's own label and signed with SPV, where the album New Blood was released in May 2010. According to Wilms, this step was intended to offer the group more opportunities. According to Thorsten Wilms, it was precisely the limitation to a specific musical direction that made Fiend Force's success. According to the label's own statements, The Other, Blitzkid, Rezurex and Nim Vind were considered bestsellers. Two songs each by these four bands appear on the mini-sampler Fiendforce Cuts, released in 2006. On 26 May 2014 the label announced its closure via its Facebook page. In 2021 Wilms announced the relaunch of Fiend Force, which from then on was distributed by Massacre Records. Knowledge of distribution structures and promotion was also to benefit a new generation of horrorpunk bands. The first bands announced were Grand Horror, a project intended to unite various protagonists of the scene, with Rod Usher (of The Other), Argyle Goolsby (of Blitzkid) and Flo V. Schwarz (of Pyogenesis), as well as the US group Darker Days. In 2024 followed the second work by the US horrorpunk band Zombeast. In 2025, "Alienated", the ninth album by The Other, was released — after 2008 the first album to appear again on the band's own label, reaching No. 6 in the album charts.

• 2025

  The Other release "Alienated", their ninth album and first on the label since 2008, reaching No. 6 in the album charts

• 2024

  Second work by US horrorpunk band Zombeast released

• 2021

  Thorsten Wilms announces the relaunch of Fiend Force, distributed by Massacre Records; first signings Grand Horror and Darker Days

• 2014

  On 26 May the label announces its closure via Facebook

• 2010

  The Other leave the label and sign with SPV; new acts signed to Fiend Force

• 2009

  Fiendforce Fest held on 25 April 2009 in Solingen

• 2008

  Hell Nights Tour in autumn with Blitzkid, The Other, Der Fluch and Zombina and the Skeletones

• 2006

  Mini-sampler Fiendforce Cuts released, featuring two songs each by The Other, Blitzkid, Rezurex and Nim Vind

• 2005

  This Is Horrorpunk 2 released; Fiendforce Fest (originally Fiend Fest) held for the first time

• 2003

  Fiend Force Records founded by Thorsten Wilms and Jonas "Paddy" Nitzsche as Europe's first horrorpunk label; first release is the sampler This Is Horrorpunk

Self-described "Home of Horrorpunk"; Europe's first horrorpunk label, focused on horrorpunk, horror rock and psychobilly.

• 2003

  This Is Horrorpunk

• 2005

  This Is Horrorpunk 2

• 2006

  Fiendforce Cuts

• 2010

  New Blood by The Other

• 2025

  Alienated by The Other

• Fiendforce Fest
• Hell Nights Tour

1. 1Fiend Force Records on Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Fiend Force Records on German Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Official websitefiendforce.de