Metal / noise imprint Hydra Head has decided to close after fifteen years of new music.
It’s becoming more and more difficult to make a living through music. For those on the outskirts, a life spent breaking boundaries is akin to a life spent desperately making ends meet, subsidising yourself through other means.
For fifteen years Hydra Head has pushed back barriers, releasing new material from These Arms Are Snakes, Sunn O))), Pelican, Isis, Cave In and more.
Deciding to close down, label head Aaron Turner announced the news via a lengthy post on the Hydra Head blog. Recounting the years of money problems he has pushed through, Turner noted: “we’ve spent the majority of our existence excitedly scrambling from one thing to the next, taking on more than we could ever possibly hope to achieve, and never quite finding solid footing in the midst of our self-induced whirlwind of chaos.”
Outlining the reasons behind the decision to shut up shop, the label head wrote: “The decision to pull the plug has not been an easy one, and in some ways is a not a choice at all. The simple fact of the matter is we’ve been running on empty for a while now and cannot afford to keep our doors open for much longer”.
“Years of imbalance between creative ideals and financial realities, personal problems amongst the label operators, an unwillingness to compromise our aesthetic standards, a tendency towards releasing challenging (i.e. unmarketable) artists, and the steady decline of the music industry in general, are amongst the chief reasons for our inability to continue. It is a harsh but undeniable reality, and one which we are attempting to confront with as much integrity and grace as is afforded by the circumstances”.
Closing, Aaron Turner thanked fans for their support: “There is no way to sum up nearly 20 years of incredibly important music, experiences, and evolution other than to say a big heart felt “thank you”, and that we hope this closing will provide an opening into other even more positive and rewarding experiences for all of us and all of you who have been a part of our shared experience. For now we bid you all a very fond farewell….”
Read the full statement HERE.
