Deathlike Silence Productions
Encyclopedia
Deathlike Silence Productions was an Oslo
, Norway
based independent record label
founded in the late 1980s that focused primarily on black metal
. It was the first independent label to do so. The label was founded by Øystein Aarseth, also known as Euronymous, who operated the label until his murder in 1993. The name was derived from the Sodom
song "Deathlike Silence" (from their 1986 release Obsessed by Cruelty
). At first, the label only signed Norwegian acts, but as early as 1990 Aarseth had desired to establish a Swedish
branch with Morgan Håkansson of Marduk
, and towards its final years its scope was also broadened to other countries such as Japan
. Aarseth was considering signing Rotting Christ
, Masacre (Colombia) and Hadez (Peru) before his death. Before the label's demise it was planned to release Monumentum
's debut album In Absentia Christi. Darkthrone
had threatened to release their second album A Blaze in the Northern Sky
through Deathlike Silence when Peaceville Records
wouldn't due to their sudden change in genre.
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
based independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
founded in the late 1980s that focused primarily on black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
. It was the first independent label to do so. The label was founded by Øystein Aarseth, also known as Euronymous, who operated the label until his murder in 1993. The name was derived from the Sodom
Sodom (band)
Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...
song "Deathlike Silence" (from their 1986 release Obsessed by Cruelty
Obsessed by Cruelty
Obsessed by Cruelty is the 1986 debut album by the German thrash metal band Sodom. It was re-released together with In the Sign of Evil in 1988, and as picture vinyl in 2005 by Vinyl Maniacs/EMRmusic....
). At first, the label only signed Norwegian acts, but as early as 1990 Aarseth had desired to establish a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
branch with Morgan Håkansson of Marduk
Marduk (band)
Marduk is a black metal band from Norrköping, Sweden. The band formed in 1990 and released their first record in 1991. Their name is derived from the Babylonian god Marduk, patron deity of Babylon.-Musical style:...
, and towards its final years its scope was also broadened to other countries such as Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Aarseth was considering signing Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ
Rotting Christ is a Greek black metal band formed in 1987. They are noted for being one of the first black metal bands within this region, as well as a premier act within the European underground metal scene.- Line-up :...
, Masacre (Colombia) and Hadez (Peru) before his death. Before the label's demise it was planned to release Monumentum
Monumentum
Monumentum are an Italian gothic metal band formed in 1987 by Roberto Mammarella, founder of Obscure Plasma Records .-Biography:...
's debut album In Absentia Christi. Darkthrone
Darkthrone
Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1987 as a death metal band, but after embracing the black metal style in 1991, they became a driving force in the Norwegian black metal scene. For most of this period Darkthrone has consisted of just two musicians, Nocturno Culto and...
had threatened to release their second album A Blaze in the Northern Sky
A Blaze in the Northern Sky
A Blaze in the Northern Sky is the second album by the Norwegian black metal band, Darkthrone. It contains the band's first black metal recordings. The album was recorded in August 1991 and released in February 1992.-Recording and release:...
through Deathlike Silence when Peaceville Records
Peaceville Records
Peaceville Records is a British independent metal-oriented record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw in 1987, in Dewsbury, England...
wouldn't due to their sudden change in genre.
Releases on DSP
- Anti-Mosh 001: MercilessMercilessMerciless is a Swedish death/thrash metal band. The band was formed during the summer of 1986 in Strängnäs, Sweden by Erik Wallin Fredrik Karlén and Stefan Carlsson . They were inspired of the early fast-playing bands such as Kreator, Sodom, Destruction and Bathory...
- The AwakeningThe Awakening (Merciless album)The Awakening is the debut album by the Swedish death metal band Merciless. The original album was recorded in Summer 1989 but released by Deathlike Silence Productions in February 1990. The original press was limited to 1000 CDs and LPs. It was later re-issued in 1999 by Osmose Productions with a...
- (1989) - Anti-Mosh 002: BurzumBurzumBurzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
- BurzumBurzum (album)Burzum is the self-titled debut album by the Norwegian black metal artist Burzum. It was recorded in January 1992 and released in March of that year. The album was later re-released as Burzum / Aske to include the songs from the Aske EP...
- (1992) - Anti-Mosh 003: MayhemMayhem (band)Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
- DeathcrushDeathcrushDeathcrush is an EP by the influential Norwegian band Mayhem. It was released in 1987 and was the first studio release by any band of the Norwegian black metal scene. "Chainsaw Gutsfuck" was voted Most Gruesome Lyrics Ever by Blender Magazine. Though influential to black metal, its lyrics and sound...
- (1993) (Re-Release of the original Deathcrush EP from 1987) - Anti-Mosh 004: AbruptumAbruptumAbruptum was a black metal and dark ambient band from Sweden formed in 1989 by IT , All , and Ext. IT had already planned to create the band in 1987, but it wasn't until 1990 that he found the right members to do it. The same year, they recorded their first two demos. After the release of the...
- Obscuritatem Advoco Amplectére Me - (1993) - Anti-Mosh 005: BurzumBurzumBurzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
- AskeAske (album)Aske is the second release by the Norwegian black metal artist Burzum. It was recorded in April and August 1992, and released in March 1993. Bass guitar on the EP is performed by Samoth of the band Emperor....
- (1993) - Anti-Mosh 006: MayhemMayhem (band)Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
- De Mysteriis Dom SathanasDe Mysteriis Dom SathanasDe Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is an album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began as early as 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Dead and murder of guitarist Euronymous , the album's release was delayed until May 1994...
- (1994) - Anti-Mosh 007: SighSigh (band)is a Japanese extreme metal band from Tokyo, formed in 1990. They are credited as being one of the first Japanese black metal bands, when the majority of black metal in early 1990s came from Scandinavia. They gradually shifted from a more traditional black/thrash metal sound, to a more...
- Scorn DefeatScorn DefeatScorn Defeat is the first full-length album by the Japanese black metal band Sigh. It is their most traditionally black metal album released. The album takes its title from a line in the title track from the 1981 album Welcome to Hell, by Venom....
- (1993) - Anti-Mosh 008: EnslavedEnslaved (band)Enslaved is a progressive black metal band formed in June 1991 in Sveio, Norway, and currently based out of Bergen, Norway.-History:Enslaved was formed in June 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson when they were 13 and 17 years old, respectively. The band name was inspired by an Immortal demo...
- Vikingligr VeldiVikingligr VeldiVikingligr Veldi is the first full-length album release by Norwegian progressive metal band Enslaved. It was released in 1994 on Deathlike Silence Productions, which was the record label run by Euronymous; he was killed before the album's release...
- (1994) - Anti-Mosh 009: AbruptumAbruptumAbruptum was a black metal and dark ambient band from Sweden formed in 1989 by IT , All , and Ext. IT had already planned to create the band in 1987, but it wasn't until 1990 that he found the right members to do it. The same year, they recorded their first two demos. After the release of the...
- In Umbra Malitiae Ambulabo, In Aeternum In Triumpho Tenebraum - (1994)