Hells Headbangers Records

Hells Headbangers is an American independent record label focused on extreme metal music,[1][2] based out of Cleveland, Ohio.[3] The label has signed acts such as Blood Feast, Profanatica, Rotting, Mortal Decay, Midnight,[4][5] Blasphemic Cruelty And Perdition Temple.[6]

History

Hells Headbangers Records was formed by brothers Chase, Eric and Justin Horval.[7] Hells co-owner Chase Horval recalled the label's founding was "mostly as a means to curb [their] boredom, discover new bands and build up our [their] vinyl collections." He said: "It started off as an online mail-order distro in 2000 with zero intention on becoming a record label. But in 2002 we were convinced to release the Spawn of Satan/Bloodsick split LP & CD. We felt the name Hells Headbangers united all of the sub-genres of Metal offered in our distro: Death, Black, Thrash, Grind, Heavy, Doom, etc." He also said: "We have run into issues over the years with certain manufacturers not wanting to print some of our albums due to the blasphemous nature of the artwork or song titles. Controversial music is definitely attractive to us!"[1]

Chase Horval stated that their parents were oblivious to their retail activities until the company's inventory began overtaking the family's garage and hallways. According to Chase, their parents "had no concept of what" online shopping was.[8]

In 2017, MetalSucks published an open letter challenging the label to stop releasing albums by National Socialist black metal bands, which the site's writers described as "Nazi propaganda".[9]

Other projects

Co-founder Justin Horval established a YouTube channel during the 2020s, on which he has interviewed several high-profile musicians in the extreme metal scene, such as Glen Benton of Deicide[10][11] and Matti Karki of Dismember.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b Hutchcraft, Jak (January 21, 2014). "Are Hells Headbangers the Only Metal Label Staying True to the Genre?". Vice. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  2. ^ Rhombus, Emperor (March 4, 2022). "Hells Headbangers Co-Owner Eric Horval Accused of Rape and Abuse, Brother and Co-Owner Justin Horval Says, "There's Zero Truth To It Whatsoever"". MetalSucks. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  3. ^ Methodology, Bardo (November 6, 2024). "Hells Headbangers I". Bardo Methodology. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  4. ^ "BLOOD FEAST Signs With HELLS HEADBANGERS". Blabbermouth.net. October 5, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  5. ^ "Artists | HELLS HEADBANGERS Records & Distribution". hellsheadbangers.bandcamp.com. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  6. ^ Blabbermouth (December 10, 2012). "BLASPHEMIC CRUELTY And PERDITION TEMPLE Sign To HELLS HEADBANGERS". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  7. ^ Methodology, Bardo (November 6, 2024). "Hells Headbangers I". Bardo Methodology. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  8. ^ Methodology, Bardo (November 6, 2024). "Hells Headbangers I". Bardo Methodology. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  9. ^ "An Open Letter to Hells Headbangers Records to Stop Releasing and Distributing Metal by White Supremacists". MetalSucks. August 24, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2025.
  10. ^ "DEICIDE's GLEN BENTON Recalls Hilarious First Encounter With EURONYMOUS: "He Had A Party City Vampire Cape"". Metal Injection. October 6, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  11. ^ "'It Was Comical': Deicide's Glen Benton Recalls Meeting Euronymous, Reveals What the Black Metal Legend Was Like". www.ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  12. ^ Blabbermouth (June 9, 2024). "MATTI KARKI On DISMEMBER's New Music: 'We Want To Keep Our Style, But Still It Has To Be Different In A Way'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
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