Last month, Nuclear Blast owner Markus Staiger announced he was teaming up with former Roadrunner Records’ senior VP of A&R Monte Conner to launch Nuclear Blast Entertainment. And now the first signing of this new Nuclear Blast imprint has been revealed.
Nuclear Blast Entertainment’s first signing is Suicide Silence. The label will release the band’s next album in the summer of 2013. Staiger had the following to say about the newest addition to Nuclear Blast:
“I’ve been following Suicide Silence since their debut album and immediately grew to love their music. I knew we had to work with this amazing band and today is the day to finally welcome one of the most brutal bands on Earth to the Nuclear Blast family. The next Suicide Silence album will no doubt push boundaries once again.”
Guitarist Mark Heylmun shares Staiger’s excitement, saying:
“I and all of Suicide Silence are proud to announce that we have signed a worldwide deal with the one and only Nuclear Blast. It wasn’t a tough decision, Nuclear Blast has been a huge part of heavy metal for decades and we couldn’t be happier. This is a new beginning for us and we’re ready as all hell! Let Chapter 2 begin now!”
Conner, the new president of Nuclear Blast Entertainment, added:
“I am thrilled to have such an innovative and unique band like Suicide Silence as the first signing to Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Even though I was totally blown away by their last album, The Black Crown, I am certain the band’s best music is still ahead of them.”
Indeed Suicide Silence (who’ve been vocal about parting ways with Century Media Records for a while now) is a nice grab for Nuclear Blast. The group’s last two albums (2009’s No Time To Bleed and last year’s The Black Crown) both sold over 14,000 copies and debuted in the top 30. And with Nuclear Blast and Conner’s backing, Suicide Silence’s popularity has potential to grow even more.
