A joint venture of a very special kind promises to bring a fresh breeze to the German metal scene: SPV, the record imprint from Hanover, and Wacken Records have announced their cooperation in the marketing, promotion and worldwide distribution sectors.

At the same time, Wacken Records (formerly trading under the name of Armageddon Music) will be incorporated into the SPV system, while remaining an independent company which will benefit from the international contacts and longstanding experience of its new partner. With the support of Wacken Records, SPV will in turn gain access to a wider forum and increase its focus on discovering, supporting and promoting newcomer acts.

SPV is among the most important rock and metal labels worldwide, with top acts such as WHITESNAKE, MOTÖRHEAD, SAXON, ICED EARTH, HELLOWEEN and TYPE O NEGATIVE on its roster. Wacken Records will bring ROSE TATTOO, VICTORY, ONKEL TOM ANGELRIPPER and HOLY MOSES, among others, and the extremely promising newcomers SUIDAKRA and FOREVER SLAVE into the cooperation.

The label also runs the Metaltix merchandising company and the tour promoters, ICS, who are responsible not only for the Wacken Open Air festival, but also for the Wacken Road Show and the Metal Battle tour concept.

In this light, Olly Hahn, International Product Manager at SPV in the metal/rock sector, expects a fruitful cooperation which many newcomer acts, alongside the established artists, will benefit from: “This cooperation contract is our reaction to the shifts that have taken place in the market, focussing the strengths of SPV and Wacken Records, in association with Metaltix and ICS. Our cooperation will produce new marketing structures for young bands to break into the world of heavy metal.”

Wacken Records label boss, Thomas Jensen, is also looking forward to the cooperation: “The aim of the Wacken Open Air festival, alongside ICS with its Wacken Road Show and the Metal Battle concept, has always been to bring metal music to the world. This is why we are permanently looking for strong cooperation partners for our label. In SPV, we have found a company with a great wealth of experience and willingness to try unconventional paths, which complements Wacken Records perfectly. This joint venture will consolidate the continuation and emphasis of our strengths.”