Darkroom Records

Darkroom Records is a record label founded by Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert, former members of the death metal band Death. The label was established to promote and release music by various progressive metal and experimental rock bands, including Cynic, Gordian Knot, and Aghora. Darkroom Records has been associated with other notable bands such as Watchtower, Psychotic Waltz, and Pain of Salvation. The label's roster also includes artists like Arcturus, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Between the Buried and Me.

● History

The history of Darkroom Records is closely tied to the careers of its founders, Paul Masvidal and Sean Reinert, who were both members of the influential death metal band Death, alongside Chuck Schuldiner. After leaving Death, Masvidal and Reinert went on to form Cynic, which released its debut album, Focus, on Roadrunner Records in 1993. The success of Cynic led to the formation of Darkroom Records, which became a platform for the band to release its own music, as well as that of other like-minded artists, including Gordian Knot, Aghora, and Portal. The label has also been influenced by the work of other notable bands such as King Crimson, Rush, and Tool.

● Discography

The discography of Darkroom Records includes a range of albums by various artists, including Cynic's Traced in Air and Kindly Bent to Free Us, as well as Gordian Knot's Emergent and Aghora's Aghora. The label has also released music by other notable bands such as Arcturus, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Between the Buried and Me, including their albums The Sham Mirrors, Ire Works, and Colors. Additionally, Darkroom Records has released albums by Watchtower, Psychotic Waltz, and Pain of Salvation, such as Control and Resistance, Bleeding, and The Perfect Element, Part I.

● Artists

The roster of artists on Darkroom Records includes a range of notable bands and musicians, such as Cynic, Gordian Knot, Aghora, Arcturus, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Between the Buried and Me. The label has also worked with other artists, including Watchtower, Psychotic Waltz, and Pain of Salvation, as well as Opeth, Porcupine Tree, and Dream Theater. Darkroom Records has been associated with a number of other notable musicians, including Steven Wilson, Mikael Åkerfeldt, and John Petrucci, who have all been influenced by the work of King Crimson, Rush, and Tool.

● Releases

Darkroom Records has released a range of albums and EPs by its roster of artists, including Cynic's Traced in Air and Kindly Bent to Free Us, as well as Gordian Knot's Emergent and Aghora's Aghora. The label has also released music by other notable bands such as Arcturus, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Between the Buried and Me, including their albums The Sham Mirrors, Ire Works, and Colors. Additionally, Darkroom Records has released albums by Watchtower, Psychotic Waltz, and Pain of Salvation, such as Control and Resistance, Bleeding, and The Perfect Element, Part I, which have been influenced by the work of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Megadeth.

● Impact

The impact of Darkroom Records on the music scene has been significant, with the label playing a key role in promoting and releasing music by a range of innovative and influential bands. The label's roster of artists, including Cynic, Gordian Knot, and Aghora, has been widely praised for its technical proficiency and creative approach to music, drawing comparisons to other notable bands such as Rush, Tool, and King Crimson. Darkroom Records has also been associated with other notable labels, including Roadrunner Records, Century Media Records, and Relapse Records, and has worked with a range of notable musicians, including Steven Wilson, Mikael Åkerfeldt, and John Petrucci, who have all been influenced by the work of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. The label's influence can be heard in the music of other notable bands, including Opeth, Porcupine Tree, and Dream Theater, which have all been influenced by the work of Darkroom Records artists, as well as other notable bands such as Mastodon, Lamb of God, and Killswitch Engage.