Five Metal and Hardcore Record Labels That Still Accept Demos

Gear Gods scribe Trey Xavier makes a really good point with regards to sending unsolicited demos to record labels:

Think of it like this – expecting a label to sign you based solely on a demo you send, even a good one, is like expecting someone to marry you based on a photograph you send them. It’s just a first step toward establishing a relationship.

Still, it can’t hurt, right? And who knows, maybe that one awesome part of your band’s best song will catch the ear of someone at the label. OK, probably not, BUT… at the very least, maybe they’ll be familiar with your band name, and the next time they see it (on a show poster, perhaps) it’ll register.

That’s why SonicBids — the same site whose article “Why Hiring a Publicist For Your Unsigned Band is the Best Thing You Can Do” we shared a couple of weeks back — has published a list of five metal and hardcore record labels that accept unsolicited demos. Here’s a sample:

Metal Blade Records
Best for: All metal
Why we love it: Maybe the most iconic and longest-running of the bunch, Metal Blade began releasing albums in 1982. Heavy-hitters like Slayer, Gwar, Avil, Between the Buried and Me, and As I Lay Dying have all hit the Billboard Top 200 with the support of the label.
How to submit: Use the submission form found here.

Does this guarantee your music will be listened to? Certainly not. But, again, it can’t hurt.