History

Magic Circle Music was founded by Manowar bassist Joey DeMaio

Joey DeMaio

Joey DeMaio is an American bass player and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Manowar which he co-founded in 1980. He is also the founder and CEO of Magic Circle Music....

 in 2005 named after Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner

Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...

's Der Ring des Nibelungen

Der Ring des Nibelungen

Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...

by which DeMaio is highly inspired. The purpose of the label is to give the band (Manowar) complete creative control of their operation. Furthermore it is stated on their website that they (Manowar) saw many other bands "fall to the perils of greed and commercialization in the music industry". To that end DeMaio

Joey DeMaio

Joey DeMaio is an American bass player and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Manowar which he co-founded in 1980. He is also the founder and CEO of Magic Circle Music....

 founded Magic Circle Music through which he felt he could help other developing artists avoid these traps..

It is known that at some point in late 2007, DeMaio

Joey DeMaio

Joey DeMaio is an American bass player and main songwriter for the heavy metal band Manowar which he co-founded in 1980. He is also the founder and CEO of Magic Circle Music....

 became involved in a legal battle with Rhapsody of Fire

Rhapsody of Fire

Rhapsody of Fire is an Italian symphonic power metal band led by Alex Staropoli. Since forming in 1993, the band has released eight studio albums, one live album, two EPs, and a live DVD...

. Due to this, the release of any of the bands new material was suspended until November 18th, 2009 when they signed with Nuclear Blast

Nuclear Blast

Nuclear Blast is an independent record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The record label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label moved on to releasing albums by melodic...

 and announced they would have released a new album in April 2010.

Artists

• Bludgeon
• David Shankle Group
  David Shankle Group
  The David Shankle Group is a heavy metal band formed by former Manowar lead guitarist David Shankle. Their debut album, "Ashes to Ashes", was released in June of 2003...
  
  
• Feinstein
• Guardians of the Flame
• HolyHell
  HolyHell
  HolyHell is a power metal band, formed in 2005, who are being produced by Joey DeMaio of Manowar. The band has delayed the release of their debut album, choosing instead to tour with Manowar and Rhapsody of Fire....
  
  
• Jack Starr's Burning Starr
  Jack Starr's Burning Starr
  Jack Starr's Burning Starr is an American heavy metal band from New York, formed in 1984. The band was founded and guided by former Virgin Steele guitarist Jack Starr and enjoyed limited success in the USA during the explosion of hair metal in the second half of the 80s...
  
  
• Luca Turilli
  Luca Turilli (band)
  Luca Turilli is the self-named power metal solo band of Italian guitarist Luca Turilli, originally assembled in 1999.-Biography:The band was founded by Luca Turilli, guitarist of Rhapsody...
  
  
• Luca Turilli's Dreamquest
  Luca Turilli's Dreamquest
  Luca Turilli's Dreamquest is a Power metal band led by Italian musician Luca Turilli, known for his work in the band Rhapsody of Fire . Luca Turilli's name was added to the "Dreamquest" title to avoid confusion with a little-known French band. Turilli developed the band after many years of work...
  
  
• Metal Force
  Metal Force
  "Metal Force" is a Heavy Metal band from Germany.-History:The band is heavily influenced by Manowar both musically and lyrically, and even had former Manowar guitarist Ross "The Boss" Friedman appear on their second album, Sword & Sorcery.They call their music True Metal "Metal Force" (formerly...
  
   (formerly "Majesty")
• Manowar

Other projects

Apart from releasing band merchandise, the label is also responsible for organizing the Magic Circle Festival

Magic Circle Festival

Magic Circle Festival is an annual heavy metal festival organized by Magic Circle Music, it first took place in Bad Arolsen, Germany in 2007-2008 but moved to the Lorelei in 2009 .The first festival took place on July 6 and 7 2007....

, which first took place in 2007 in Bad Arolsen

Bad Arolsen

Bad Arolsen is a small town in northern Hesse, Germany, in Waldeck-Frankenberg district. From 1655 until 1918 it served as the residence town of the Princes of Waldeck-Pyrmont and then until 1929 as the capital of the Waldeck Free State...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

.