Darkest Labyrinth
Encyclopedia
Darkest Labyrinth is a Tokyo
based record label
, distributor, and web store specializing in gothic and visual kei
artists in genres such as Electro-industrial
, darkwave
, gothic rock
, EBM
, and industrial metal
.
Originally called Cure, Darkest Labyrinth started as an Osaka-based project to release works by label-owner Kiwamu's own band BLOOD
. The label expanded to distribute music by international Gothic
and Post-Industrial artists in Japan. In 2007 the label started to sign other artists, making its first deals with international groups such as Virgins O.R. Pigeons (Greece), Spectrum-X
(Italy) and GPKism
(Australia). That same year they released their first compilation record "V.A. - Darkest Labyrinth" featuring various tracks from Japan's dark underground music scene.
Currently Darkest Labyrinth releases works by a variety of international and Japanese artists. As of March 2009 Darkest Labyrinth has released 50 titles from the label and distributed 280 titles from other labels for Japanese major distribution.
The most successful artist on the label so far is BLOOD
who have sold over 20 000 CDs.
Note: some artists are only signed to Darkest Labyrinth for Japanese releases, while they are signed to other labels for Europe, North America, etc.
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
based record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, distributor, and web store specializing in gothic and visual kei
Visual Kei
is a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics. Some sources state that visual kei refers to a music genre, or to a sub-genre of Japanese rock, with its...
artists in genres such as Electro-industrial
Electro-industrial
Electro-industrial is a music genre drawing on EBM and post-industrial that developed in the mid-1980s. While EBM has a minimal structure and clean production, electro-industrial has a deep, complex and layered sound. The style was pioneered by Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, and other groups,...
, darkwave
Darkwave
Dark Wave or darkwave is a music genre that began in the late 1970s, coinciding with the popularity of New Wave and post-punk. Building on those basic principles, dark wave added dark, introspective lyrics and an undertone of sorrow for some bands...
, gothic rock
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
, EBM
Electronic body music
Electronic body music or industrial dance is a music genre that combines elements of industrial music and electronic dance music...
, and industrial metal
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
.
Originally called Cure, Darkest Labyrinth started as an Osaka-based project to release works by label-owner Kiwamu's own band BLOOD
Blood (band)
Blood is a Japanese band that has been active from 2002 to 2009, returning in 2011. Blood's aim is to create music that expresses the meaning of human emotion that breaks the musical frame...
. The label expanded to distribute music by international Gothic
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
and Post-Industrial artists in Japan. In 2007 the label started to sign other artists, making its first deals with international groups such as Virgins O.R. Pigeons (Greece), Spectrum-X
Spectrum-X
Spectrum-X is a Harsh/Industrial music/Gothic/Electronic body music band.- History :Mysterious ways made NULLIFER AND CANDYBONES meet each other in 2004,...
(Italy) and GPKism
GPKism
GPKism is a gothic/industrial unit formed in 2007. It was originally the solo project of GPK , while Kiwamu joined later that year. Both GPK and Kiwamu compose music for this project...
(Australia). That same year they released their first compilation record "V.A. - Darkest Labyrinth" featuring various tracks from Japan's dark underground music scene.
Currently Darkest Labyrinth releases works by a variety of international and Japanese artists. As of March 2009 Darkest Labyrinth has released 50 titles from the label and distributed 280 titles from other labels for Japanese major distribution.
The most successful artist on the label so far is BLOOD
Blood (band)
Blood is a Japanese band that has been active from 2002 to 2009, returning in 2011. Blood's aim is to create music that expresses the meaning of human emotion that breaks the musical frame...
who have sold over 20 000 CDs.
Artists signed
- BLOODBlood (band)Blood is a Japanese band that has been active from 2002 to 2009, returning in 2011. Blood's aim is to create music that expresses the meaning of human emotion that breaks the musical frame...
- GPKismGPKismGPKism is a gothic/industrial unit formed in 2007. It was originally the solo project of GPK , while Kiwamu joined later that year. Both GPK and Kiwamu compose music for this project...
- Spectrum-XSpectrum-XSpectrum-X is a Harsh/Industrial music/Gothic/Electronic body music band.- History :Mysterious ways made NULLIFER AND CANDYBONES meet each other in 2004,...
- Noir du'Soleil
- SUICIDE ALI
- 2 Bullet
- Rose Noire
- Seileen
- Takuya Angel
- AngelspitAngelspitAngelspit is a cyberpunk band from Sydney, Australia. The band was formed in 2004 by vocalists/synthesists Destroyx and ZooG...
Note: some artists are only signed to Darkest Labyrinth for Japanese releases, while they are signed to other labels for Europe, North America, etc.
Labels distributed
- Alfa MatrixAlfa MatrixAlfa Matrix is a Belgian record label. Founded in 2001, the label releases various musical styles including aggrotech, dark elektro, synthpop and electronica....
- Aural Music
- Deadscarlet Records
- Decadance records
- SOUND BASE MUSIC
- THORNTREE RECORDS
- Subsound Records
- URGENCE DISK
- HTD Records