Megadeth’s David Ellefson helps EMP Label Group resurrect Combat Records

Posted by on November 28, 2017

Following a year of rumors, Megadeth’s David Ellefson and his EMP Label Group are officially going to resurrect Combat Records. For those who aren’t familiar, Combat Records released thrash and punk albums from influential artists including Megadeth, Agnostic Front, Dark Angel, Exodus, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Nuclear Assault and much more.

There have been countless attempts to reboot the label and yet it became essentially obsolete in the mid-2000s. According to EMP Label Group, Ellefson teamed up with his partner Thom Hazaert from EMP to figure out a gameplan to officially resurrect the label. Combat will finally resurrect from the dead early next year. The label are aiming at releasing classic thrash and metal artists along with introducing new and upcoming bands.

EMP Label Group announced:

“So we have a huge announcement to make. And, for once, that is really, truly, an understatement. We have teased this for a while, but now the cat is officially coming out of the bag. Most of you will remember Combat Records as one of the seminal thrash labels of the 1980s, their most prominent artist being, of course, Megadeth (the COMBAT imprint appeared on all MEGADETH releases through COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION.) Combat was also home to Helstar, Circle Jerks, Exodus, Nuclear Assault, and many more of the most influential Metal and Punk bands of all time.

After a handful of ownership changes and weird attempted reboots, COMBAT went dormant in the mid 2000s, the catalog got absorbed by SONY, and the label itself ceased to exist. In 2016, Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, with his partner Thom Hazaert from EMP Label Group, did the due diligence to research and acquire the intellectual property for the COMBAT RECORDS brand, and bring it home to the EMP family.

With the UTMOST respect to the legacy of the past, COMBAT will relaunch in 2018 as an imprint of EMP LABEL GROUP, releasing not only new releases from classic Thrash and Metal artists, but as a home for new and up and coming artists as well. It is an honor and a privilege to resurrect one of the World’s most recognized and beloved Metal brands, that has been such an instrumental and important piece of David’s history and legacy.

This is really only HALF the story, as we have secured some releases from mind-blowing legendary artists that we are dying to announce.. Look for a full press release coming later this week with more details, info on some releases, etc. But all things in good time. Ladies and Gentlemen, prepare for COMBAT.”

Ellefson shared his thoughts:

“Today is a really exciting day, as after over a year, it was finally announced the we will be relaunching the legendary Combat Records as a new label through EMP Label Group. So excited and honored to be able to revive such an iconic brand that was so instrumental to my history. Even though we signed to Capitol after Killing is my Business, Combat’s logo was on all the MEGADETH releases through COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION, and it truly was/is one of the most iconic Metal labels of all time, even being home to some of the other artists who would end up on the EMP roster like Helstar.

The same independent spirit that drove COMBAT in those early days, is truly the same spirit that drives what we do with EMP Label Group, and we are honored to launch another amazing conduit to support new and established Metal artists, with great respect to the legacy of the past.

And to clarify, we DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE COMBAT CATALOG. That is owned, and controlled by SONY, and they have done a great job of curating it through other imprints. COMBAT will solely focus on NEW releases under the COMBAT banner. As always, thank you for your support, and stay tuned for more details!”

[via Theprp]

 

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