Folter Records

Folter Records is a German independent record label based in Berlin, founded by Jörg Schröder. It began as a distribution operation before evolving into a full-fledged label, with early business ties to Nuclear Blast. The label is primarily known for specializing in black metal, though its catalog has also encompassed doom metal, pagan metal, and other extreme subgenres. Its first label release was the 1994 7-inch EP Wanted for Kinky Session by the porngrind pioneers Dead, limited to 1,000 copies. The first CD release followed in 1995 with the EP Romantic Beatitude of Faded Dawn by the doom metal band As Divine Grace. Over the decades, Folter Records has built a roster of predominantly European acts, with occasional signings from outside Europe such as the Cuban black metal band Narbeleth. The label has released both original recordings and reissues, including works by the Latvian band Skyforger. As of early 2018, the label had 14 bands under contract. Folter Records also operates an online shop (folter666shop.de) selling vinyl, CDs, and merchandise, and maintains an active presence in the live music scene through events and festival partnerships. The label's history is closely tied to the German extreme metal underground. It organized the first Folter Records Open Air in 1995 in Brohm, followed by a second edition in 1996 in Medewitz. After a one-year hiatus, the event was rebranded as the Under The Black Sun Festival, which has been held since 1998 in Leipzig Engelsdorf. The festival's premiere featured notable acts such as In the Woods…, Dark Funeral, Enthroned, Mayhemic Truth, Ved Buens Ende, and Dimmu Borgir. Folter Records continues to release and promote extreme metal, with recent activity including releases by Auro and Drudensang, and participation in events like Madness over Thuringia and In Flammen Open Air.

Folter Records was founded by Jörg Schröder, originally as a distribution company. One of its first business partners was Nuclear Blast. The label's debut release was the 1994 7-inch EP Wanted for Kinky Session by the porngrind pioneers Dead, limited to 1,000 copies. The first compact disc release followed in 1995 with the EP Romantic Beatitude of Faded Dawn by the doom metal band As Divine Grace. The label is based in Berlin and specializes primarily in black metal, though its catalog includes doom metal, pagan metal, and other extreme genres. In 1995, the first Folter Records Open Air took place in Brohm, a district of the town Friedland in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district. The second Folter Records Open Air followed in 1996 in Medewitz. After a one-year break, the event was continued from 1998 under the name Under The Black Sun Festival in Leipzig Engelsdorf. The premiere featured bands such as In the Woods…, Dark Funeral, Enthroned, Mayhemic Truth, Ved Buens Ende, and Dimmu Borgir. At the beginning of 2018, the label had 14 bands under contract, most of them from Europe. One non-European act is Narbeleth from Cuba. In addition to original releases, Folter Records has also handled reissues, for example various recordings by the Latvian band Skyforger. The label continues to operate an online shop and promotes concerts and festival appearances by its artists.

• 2018

  Label had 14 bands under contract, most from Europe.

• 1998

  Festival rebranded as Under The Black Sun Festival, held in Leipzig Engelsdorf.

• 1996

  Second Folter Records Open Air held in Medewitz.

• 1995

  First CD release: Romantic Beatitude of Faded Dawn EP by As Divine Grace. First Folter Records Open Air held in Brohm.

• 1994

  Label debut release: Wanted for Kinky Session 7-inch EP by Dead, limited to 1,000 copies.

Independent extreme metal label with a focus on black metal, operating a shop and festival.

• 1994

  Wanted for Kinky Session

• 1995

  Romantic Beatitude of Faded Dawn

• 1995

  Cythraw

• 1995

  Hordes of the Darklands

• 1996

  Hiltia

• 1996

  And Another Kingdom Was Born...

• 1996

  Slaughtered

• 2004

  Kauja pie Saules

• Hexagram (Honour et Fidelitas)

• 2007

  Phantasm

• 2008

  Treue & Verrat

• Supreme Ritual Genocide

• 2014

  Power Through Unity

• 2017

  Antikosmos

1. 1Folter Records official websitefolter666.de
2. 2Folter Records on Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Folter Records on German Wikipediade.wikipedia.org