Sumerian Records

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This article is about the record label. For Sumerian historical records, see Sumer.
Sumerian Records
File:Sumerian Records.jpg
Founded2006; 17 years ago (2006)
FounderAsh Avildsen
Distributor(s)Universal Music Group, Virgin Music[1] (current)
ADA, Warner Music Group[2] (former)
Genre
Country of originUnited States
LocationLos Angeles, California
Washington, D.C.
London, United Kingdom
Official websitewww.sumerianmerch.com

Sumerian Records is an American independent record label based in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and London.[3] The label was founded in 2006[4] by Ash Avildsen.[5][6] They have signed artists such as Black Veil Brides, Poppy, Bad Omens, Palaye Royale, and The Smashing Pumpkins. It is considered a true lifestyle modern music brand known for both breaking new artists and revitalizing iconic legacy acts.[7] In early 2022, Sumerian acquired Behemoth Entertainment, a comic book and video game publisher, in order to increase their merchandise options and further expand the brand.[1]

History[edit]

Founded in 2006 in his Venice Beach apartment, Sumerian Records founder Ash Avildsen first released the records Akeldama by The Faceless and For What It's Worth by Stick to Your Guns in order to let people know the label would be dedicated to underground music but also to diversify the genre's of the label, as the former falls under deathcore while the latter is typically described as Melodic Hardcore.[8] After waiting a year to release another record, in order to ensure third band on their label was "totally doing their own thing independent from everything else going on in the scene", Sumerian released The New Reign by Born of Osiris. Ash later commented on this release in a 2012 interview with Lambgoat by stating "There is something to be said for not putting out too many records each year to where we're able to give focused energy to each band and album rather than always having several releases come out each month". Sumerian has continued to follow this philosophy throughout it's near two decade tenure, never surpassing more than thirty artists on the label at one time and typically following a one record a month release schedule.[9]

Since it's inauguration, Sumerian has had several seminal artists in the rock, emo, and alternative genres perform on late night television, such as Asking Alexandria,[10][11] I See Stars,[12] and Crosses(†††)[13] on Jimmy Kimmel, Bones UK on Seth Meyers,[14] and most recently The Smashing Pumpkins on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.[15]

Current roster[edit]

Main article: List of Sumerian Records artists

Artists formerly with label[edit]

Releases[edit]

Main article: Sumerian Records discography

Charts and sales certifications[edit]

Sumerian has garnered two RIAA certified gold records for Asking Alexandria's singles “The Final Episode”[19] and “Not The American Average”[20] neither which ever received any mainstream radio play.[21]

In 2014, Sumerian reunited Grammy-winning[22] actor/rapper Ice-T's Body Count[23] and released its highest-selling album in 20+ years, Manslaughter.[24]

In 2020, they released the first true solo album for Jonathan Davis, lead singer of Grammy-winning and timeless influential juggernaut band KoRn.[25][26] The lead single for Jonathan’s album “What It Is”[27] went Top 5 at Rock Radio which was a first for Jonathan outside of KoRn.[28][29]

Sumerian delivered the highest charting alternative radio song for The Smashing Pumpkins in 12+ years for their lead single “Cyr” off their latest album.[30][31]

Achievements and awards[edit]

In 2010, The Grammy Museum at LA Live had a Golden Gods: History of Heavy Metal Exhibit where the original, band sticker-covered Sony Vaio laptop that founder Ash Avildsen started the label on was displayed as a historical item.[32]

In 2017, Sumerian received its first Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance for Periphery.[33][34] That year saw Sumerian also have their first box office theatrical film release in American Satan,[35][36] which debuted in select AMC theatres across the country[37] and went top 20 in its opening weekend on box office mojo.[38] The movie was picked up by Miramax for distribution[39][40] and Showtime for first window domestic SVOD[41] in the US and SKY in the UK.[42][43]

In 2018, Sumerian won the best independent label award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods in the UK and accepted the award on stage at the O2 in London.[44][45]

In 2019, they received another “Best Metal Performance” Grammy nomination for Between The Buried And Me.[46][47] In 2019, Guitar World listed two Sumerian artists in the top 4 guitarists of the decade, Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders and female solo artist Nita Strauss,[48] who in addition to her solo career and being Alice Cooper’s guitarist,[49] also plays the national anthem for the home games for the LA Rams at Sofi Stadium[50] and for WWE,[51] most recently at WrestleMania 37.[52]

In 2020, the label received its first Best Rock Performance Grammy nomination for Bones UK.[53][54]

In 2021, Sumerian received the first-ever Grammy nomination in the history of the Recording Academy for a female solo artist in the Best Metal Performance category for Poppy,[55][56] who also performed at the premiere ceremony.[57]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Wiseman, Andreas (March 23, 2022). "Sumerian Records & Films Acquires Comic Book Publisher And Gaming Company Behemoth". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  2. ^ Ugwu, Reggie (April 2, 2013). "Warner Music's ADA Adds New West, Sumerian Records to Distribution Roster". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  3. ^ "Jill Pedone joins Sumerian Records as Chief Strategy Officer". 18 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Label Profile: Sumerian Records". Alternative Press #263 (June 2010), p. 38.
  5. ^ "VEIL OF MAYA Signs With SUMERIAN RECORDS Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine", Blabbermouth.net, January 11, 2008, retrieved 27 March 2010
  6. ^ "FELLSILENT Inks U.S. Deal With SUMERIAN RECORDS Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine", Blabbermouth.net, October 1, 2008, retrieved 27 March 2010
  7. ^ "A Decade Under the Influence: The 12 Most Important Releases in Sumerian Records History". 10 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Ash Avildsen (Sumerian Records) interview | Lambgoat".
  9. ^ "Sumerian Records". Discogs.
  10. ^ "David Arquette/Mike Birbiglia/Asking Alexandria". IMDb. 11 April 2011.
  11. ^ "Asking Alexandria Setlist at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Los Angeles". setlist.fm.
  12. ^ "I See Stars to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live". Alternative Press. 12 May 2011.
  13. ^ "Watch Crosses (†††) perform on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'". Alternative Press. 12 February 2014.
  14. ^ "Bones UK Complete Pandemic Postponed U.S. Late Night TV Debut". Loudwire.
  15. ^ "Watch the Smashing Pumpkins Perform on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon".
  16. ^ "From First To Last sign with Sumerian Records - News - Alternative Press". Alternative Press. 13 January 2015.
  17. ^ "Lilith Czar is the King of Rock". 19 February 2021.
  18. ^ "OMENXIII signs with Sumerian Records, drops new single and video". 7 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Hellhound Music — Coming Soon".
  20. ^ "Asking Alexandria & in This Moment Singles Go Gold in the U.S." 6 April 2017.
  21. ^ "L.A. Metal Label Sumerian Records Has Spent 10 Years "Not F—-in' Selling Out"". 18 May 2016.
  22. ^ "Ice-T". 22 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Sumerian Records Signs Body Count". 10 December 2012.
  24. ^ "BODY COUNT: 'Manslaughter' First-Week Sales Revealed". 18 June 2014.
  25. ^ "Jonathan Davis interview: Solo album, nu-metal and new Korn material". NME. 15 May 2018.
  26. ^ "Jonathan Davis Confirms 'Black Labyrinth' Solo Album Title". Loudwire.
  27. ^ "Hear Jonathan Davis' "Spiritual" New Solo Song "What It Is"". 26 January 2018.
  28. ^ "Jonathan Davis". Billboard.
  29. ^ "Korn". Billboard.
  30. ^ "R/SmashingPumpkins - Cyr has now been on the charts as long as Zero". 28 January 2021.
  31. ^ "R/SmashingPumpkins - Cyr is actually doing quite well on the radio right now". 25 December 2020.
  32. ^ "In Conversation: Ash Avildsen".
  33. ^ "Periphery". 23 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Metal Upstarts Baroness, Gojira & Periphery Reflect on 2017 Grammys, Why They 'Had a Blast Losing'". Billboard.
  35. ^ "In American Satan, Game of Thrones' John Bradley eats plates of coke". 24 October 2017.
  36. ^ "American Satan". IMDb. 13 October 2017.
  37. ^ "American Satan". 12 October 2017.
  38. ^ "American Satan".
  39. ^ "Thanks to Miramax, the whole world gets to see American Satan. | Dropping out of college, Pulp fiction, Rock and roll".
  40. ^ "Film Review: American Satan". 13 February 2018.
  41. ^ "'American Satan' is coming to Showtime". Alternative Press. 27 June 2018.
  42. ^ "American Satan is Now Available on Sky!".
  43. ^ "AMERICAN SATAN now available on Sky Cinema; TV series spin-off 'Paradise City' set to launch – the Noise Cartel".
  44. ^ "Winners of the Metal Hammer Golden God Awards 2018 Announced". 11 June 2018.
  45. ^ "Metal Hammer Golden Gods hammered out | Complete Music Update".
  46. ^ "Between the Buried and Me". 23 November 2020.
  47. ^ "Meet First-Time GRAMMY Nominee Paul Waggoner". 15 January 2019.
  48. ^ "The 20 best guitarists of the decade". 30 December 2019.
  49. ^ "Nita Strauss discusses how she came to play with Alice Cooper, how to stay healthy on the road, and more - Guitar Girl Magazine". 27 November 2017.
  50. ^ "NITA STRAUSS to 'Set the Tone' at LOS ANGELES RAMS' Home Games This Season". 23 August 2020.
  51. ^ "Nita Strauss shreds the US national anthem at WWE's NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver". 8 April 2021.
  52. ^ "Nita Strauss on Kicking off WrestleMania 37 Week". 7 April 2021.
  53. ^ "Bones UK". 15 December 2020.
  54. ^ "BONES UK Take 'People Power' to the Grammys - Interview". Loudwire.
  55. ^ "Poppy: First Solo Female Metal Grammy Nominee is Out to Smash More Boundaries". February 2021.
  56. ^ "Poppy". 22 April 2021.
  57. ^ "Poppy to Play New Song During Grammys Premiere Ceremony". Loudwire.

External links[edit]

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