Combat Records

Combat Records was an independent record label from New York City. The label was home to predominantly metal and punk rock acts including Megadeth, Circle Jerks, Nuclear Assault, Death, Dead Brain Cells, Possessed, Crumbsuckers, Agnostic Front, Agent Steel, Dark Angel, Heathen, Zoetrope and Exodus.

History

Combat Records was the "in house" heavy metal label for the independent powerhouse distributor Important Record Distributors. Important had several offices in the United States that promoted and sold Combat's releases. Important Records was also home to Megaforce Records in the mid-1980s and produced Metallica's Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning (prior to Metallica's transfer to Elektra Records), Anthrax's Fistful of Metal and many other early Megaforce releases. Important also introduced the United States to many other labels, including Noise (Celtic Frost, Helloween and Running Wild), Neat (Venom, Raven) and Metal Blade (Slayer, Trouble). Usually releases were issued in joint venture with the Combat logo.

The label signed thrash metal band Megadeth to a contract in November 1984. The band released Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good!, their first album, in 1985. Capitol Records signed Megadeth in 1985, obtaining the rights from Combat to Megadeth's second album, Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?. The Combat logo appeared on the back of every Megadeth album on Capitol up through Countdown to Extinction.

Purchase and demise

Combat Records was later taken over by Relativity Records. Owned by Sony Records, Relativity allowed Combat to exist for a brief period of time, before shutting it down. Later, Sony would discontinue Relativity Records as well.

Rebirth

Combat Records briefly reformed in 2005, as an imprint under KOCH Records, releasing records from Look What I Did, Horse the Band, and At All Cost.

Artists

Current

• At All Cost
• Horse the band
• Look What I Did

Former

See also

• List of record labels