Schwarzdorn Production

Schwarzdorn Production is a German independent record label and mail-order business based in Eppstein-Ehlhalten in the Main-Taunus-Kreis district of southern Hesse. Founded in 1994, it has specialised for three decades in the darker and more extreme corners of heavy music — black metal, death metal, doom metal, pagan metal and viking metal — and describes itself as the ultimate insider tip for fans of those genres. Alongside its own releases, the label runs an online shop carrying more than a thousand articles at what it presents as fair prices, and it distributes its titles through streaming and online platforms as well as physical formats. The label's roster has been built largely around German and Scandinavian acts. Releases highlighted on its own site include Asaru's "V.O.I.D." (northern black metal), XIV Dark Centuries' "Aus uralter Zeit" (pagan black metal), Alasteth's "The Nihilism of Alasteth" (black metal), Cerberus' "My Prophecy Will Come" (black metal) and Carved in Stone's "Wafts of Mist & The Forgotten Belief" (mystic folk). The label also promotes digital singles and video clips from its bands, such as Fir Bolg's "Drunemeton" and several XIV Dark Centuries tracks. Distribution has been a recurring theme in Schwarzdorn's history. In 2002 it signed a worldwide distribution agreement with twilight-Vertrieb GbR. In 2010 it moved German and Austrian distribution to Soulfood Music Distribution GmbH, Swiss distribution to Non Stop Music Distribution, and the rest of the world to Plastic Head Distribution UK. At the end of 2019 the Soulfood and Non Stop arrangements ended, and from the turn of the year the label moved to Kontor New Media GmbH for worldwide digital distribution together with physical distribution via Edel Germany GmbH for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Plastic Head UK cooperation ended at the close of 2022, after which sales and distribution outside Germany, Austria and Switzerland were handled through the label's own channels, with international distribution and label partners explicitly invited to make contact. Schwarzdorn Production presents itself as a rather small but highly committed label that combines its own productions with an active online shop. Its contact points are a label manager and web designer, plus promotion and sales addresses, and it maintains a presence on Facebook and YouTube. The name is a registered trademark.

Schwarzdorn Production was founded in 1994 and is based in Eppstein-Ehlhalten in the Main-Taunus-Kreis district of southern Hesse, Germany. In its early years the label operated under various other names while concentrating on black, death, doom, pagan and viking metal. Over time it settled on the Schwarzdorn Production identity and built a roster drawn largely from German and Scandinavian bands. A significant early step in its commercial development came in 2002, when it concluded a worldwide distribution agreement with twilight-Vertrieb GbR. This gave the young label a structured route to international markets. In 2010 the distribution picture was reorganised: Schwarzdorn Production changed its distribution partner for Germany and Austria to Soulfood Music Distribution GmbH, began working with Non Stop Music Distribution for Switzerland, and secured Plastic Head Distribution UK as its partner for the rest of the world. That arrangement lasted for most of the 2010s. At the end of 2019 the cooperation with Soulfood Music Distribution GmbH and Non Stop Music Distribution came to an end. With the turn of the year, Schwarzdorn Production moved to Kontor New Media GmbH for worldwide digital distribution, combined with physical distribution via Edel Germany GmbH for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The cooperation with Plastic Head UK ended at the close of 2022, after which future sales and distribution activities outside Germany, Austria and Switzerland were handled through the label's own channels. The label states that international enquiries from distribution and label partners are always welcome. Throughout its history Schwarzdorn Production has described itself as a rather small but very committed label. Besides its own productions it operates an online shop with more than a thousand articles, and it has adapted to changing consumption habits by making all of its titles available on various streaming and online platforms. It promotes itself and its bands through Facebook and YouTube, and its contact structure includes a label manager and web designer alongside promotion and sales contacts. The name Schwarzdorn Production is a registered trademark.

• 2022

  Cooperation with Plastic Head UK ends; sales and distribution outside Germany, Austria and Switzerland handled through the label's own channels.

• 2019

  Cooperation with Soulfood Music Distribution GmbH and Non Stop Music Distribution ends; label moves to Kontor New Media GmbH for worldwide digital distribution and Edel Germany GmbH for physical distribution in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

• 2010

  Distribution partners changed: Soulfood Music Distribution GmbH for Germany and Austria, Non Stop Music Distribution for Switzerland, Plastic Head Distribution UK for the rest of the world.

• 2002

  Worldwide distribution agreement concluded with twilight-Vertrieb GbR.

• 1994

  Schwarzdorn Production is founded in Germany.

Small but highly committed independent extreme metal label and mail-order, positioned as an insider tip for black, death, doom, pagan and viking metal fans.

• Asaru – V.O.I.D.

• XIV Dark Centuries – Aus uralter Zeit

• Alasteth – The Nihilism of Alasteth

• Cerberus – My Prophecy Will Come

• Carved in Stone – Wafts of Mist & The Forgotten Belief

1. 1Black Metal, Pagan Metal, Doom Metal - Schwarzdorn Production - Label / Mailorderschwarzdorn.de
2. 2ÜBER UNS - Black Metal, Pagan Metal, Doom Metal - Schwarzdorn Production - Label / Mailorderschwarzdorn.de
3. 3Schwarzdorn Production – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Schwarzdorn Production – Wikidatawikidata.org