Candlelight Records, this year celebrating nine years of operations in North America, is enjoying its most successful early year sales launch with the recent release and Billboard chart entries with new albums from IHSAHN and FEAR FACTORY. With records currently holding top album positions on both CMJ and FMQB radio charts, the cover of Decibel Magazine’s March issue, and upcoming touring activities for a number of the label’s wide-range of artists which include appearances at the annual South By Southwest Music Conference, Candlelight owners Edward Christie and Steve Beatty are excited about the continued growth of the label’s American division.
Edward Christie says, “this has been a team effort from all our artists, Caroline Distribution/EMI Music, Heavy Hitter, EarsplitPR, Paula Hogan and her staff in our US office. I thank them all for this achievement. Steve [Beatty], Paula and myself have all had the long term in mind and this success has come from our perseverance and the quality of the music we release.”
After, the third solo album from former Emperor vocalist IHSAHN was released on January 26th. The album debuted at position 31 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and has topped CMJ’s Loud Rock report for the past three weeks. In addition, the album has seen increased regional sales over the highly respected musician’s 2005 and 2007 solo recordings, placing in the top ten of New England-based retailer Newbury Comics for both first day and first week sales. Amarillo, Texas-based Hastings Entertainment has also seen healthy sales since its release. Rock buyer Kristal Huff comments, “Candlelight Records has always been a key metal label for Hastings and keeps bringing us the music our customers want. 2010 has started strong with the great success we’ve seen on both IHSAHN and FEAR FACTORY. This with continued sales on ABSU and ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, this year will only be getting better for metal at Hastings.”
Released February the, FEAR FACTORY’S Mechanize represents the label’s first entry on Billboard’s Top 100 chart; the album landing at position 72 with over ten thousand first week sales. Enjoying extensive radio airplay since impacting in mid-November with lead single “Powershifter,” FEAR FACTORY has been a Top 10 artist for the past three months on both CMJ and FMQB charts. Mechanize has held the number one position for weekly tip sheet FMQB for the last two weeks. The album is also enjoying healthy Canadian sales. EMI Music Director/Associated Labels Division Tony Tarleton comments, “it was with great pride that I gave the news to Candlelight that Mechanize entered the Canadian Soundscan chart at position 67. It is the label’s first chart entry in Canada. The set-up by the label was flawless. Through excellent use of fan sites and social networking tools, Canadian fans had very high awareness of the album’s release and it showed.”
Candlelight Records launched its American operations in January 2001 with the label’s first releases following in April. The label has since enjoyed consistent growth improving overall sales and label profile adding to its promotional staff and expanding its international artist roster. Continuing to push IHSAHN and FEAR FACTORY, in the coming months, Candlelight is set to participate in distribution partner Caroline Distribution/EMI Music’s second annual “March Is Metal” month. The genre-specific retail program unites new and key catalog releases with in-store/online promotions at both indie and national retailers nationwide. Specially branded samplers and posters will be featured items at targeted retailers including Bullmoose Music, Dimple Records, Rasputin’s, Newbury Comics, Zia, Vintage Vinyl, Independent Records, Silver Platters, Exclusive Company, plus select FYE stores and online partner Amazon.com. Candlelight will include IHSAHN and FEAR FACTORY alongside top selling albums from label artists ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, ABSU, ANAAL NATHRAKH, THE ATLAS MOTH, DAYLIGHT DIES, DEFIANCE, HAVOK, INSOMNIUM, OBITUARY, RAMMING SPEED and SUSPERIA.
Candlelight will next release the sophomore record from New England-based THE BREATHING PROCESS on March 23. Produced by Dave Otero (Cephalic Carnage), Odyssey: (Un)Dead showcases the band’s hybrid of symphonic black metal and brutal death metal. Already proven road warriors, clocking touring time with the likes of Full Blown Chaos, Oceano, The Ghost Inside and labelmates ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, the band have a series of regional dates that will continue up till the album’s release date. This will be followed by the May 18 release of the new album from England’s OCTOBER FILE. Our Souls To Yours will be released as a special 2CD package including remixes by Godflesh’s Justin Broadrick.
FEAR FACTORY recently announced their first run of American dates yesterday. Tickets for all performances go on sale exclusively via ArtistArena.com today with general ticket sales going live via all ticket agencies in the coming week. The band is set to perform at Revolver Magazine’s Golden God Awards in Los Angeles on April 8. The band has been nominated in two categories for this year’s ceremony. Additional Candlelight artists with recently announced tours include Chicago-based THE ATLAS MOTH (alongside Coalesce and Harvey Milk) and Denver-based HAVOK (alongside Hammerfall in early April and Primal Fear in May). See tour dates below.
Candlelight Records American operations are based forty-miles west of Philadelphia. The label has a working promotion staff of six and is distributed exclusively in North America by Caroline Distribution/EMI Music. European distribution is exclusive via Plastic Head Music Distribution. The label’s North American gross sales tops twelve million and continues to grow steadily. Mark Hudson from Transworld Entertainment notes, “we are doing really well with both the IHSAHN and FEAR FACTORY records. It is clear to me that Candlelight continues to develop and improve their roster, and that their brand is one that is well respected and trusted as a sign of quality by our metal customers.” Larry Mansdorf from Newbury Comics adds, “Candlelight really seems to be on to something…The success of their new releases by FEAR FACTORY and IHSAHN, coupled with strong sales of core metal catalog like Opeth, Electric Wizard and Emperor, have really placed Candlelight alongside the leaders of the genre.”
Candlelight On Tour:
FEAR FACTORY w/ Winds of Plague, Dirge Within, Periphery
03/22/2010 Marquee Theatre – Tempe, AZ
03/23/2010 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM
03/24/2010 The Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
03/26/2010 House Of Blues – Dallas, TX
03/27/2010 White Rabbit – San Antonio, TX
03/28/2010 The Channel @ Wired Live – Houston, TX
03/30/2010 Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
03/31/2010 House Of Blues Lake – Buena Vista, FL
04/01/2010 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
04/02/2010 Valarium – Knoxville, TN
04/03/2010 The Village – Little Rock, AR
04/05/2010 Aggie Theatre – Ft. Collins, CO
04/06/2010 Mesa Theatre & Club – Grand Junction, CO
04/08/2010 Club Nokia (Revolver Golden God Awards) – Los Angeles, CA
04/09/2010 Regency Center @ The Grand Ballroom – San Francisco, CA
04/10/2010 House Of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
THE ATLAS MOTH w/ Harvey Milk, Coalesce
03/05/2010 Rex Theater – Pittsburgh, PA
03/06/2010 Kung-Fu Necktie – Philadlephia, PA
03/07/2010 Ottobar – Baltimore, MD
03/08/2010 Le Poisson Rouge – New York, NY
03/09/2010 Middle East (Downstairs) – Boston, MA
03/10/2010 Ii Motore – Montreal, QC
03/11/2010 Wreck Room – Toronto, ON
03/12/2010 Small’s Bar – Hamtramck, MI
03/13/2010 Subterranean – Chicago, IL
HAVOK w/ Hammerfall
03/28/2010 House Of Blues – San Diego, CA
03/30/2010 House Of Blues – Las Vegas, NV
03/31/2010 Galaxy Theatre – Santa Ana, CA
04/01/2010 U.B.’S Bar – Mesa, AZ
04/02/2010 The Rock – Tucson, AZ
04/04/2010 Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
04/06/2010 Trees – Dallas, TX
04/07/2010 Emo’s Lounge – Austin, TX
04/08/2010 Meridian – Houston, TX
http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com