Season of Mist

Season of Mist is an independent record label and record distributor with subsidiaries in France and the United States. The record label was founded in 1996 by Michael S. Berberian in Marseille, France. From the start releasing black metal, pagan metal, and death metal records, the label moved on to releasing albums of avant-garde metal, gothic metal and punk bands as well. The label has two offices, one in Marseille, France and one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]

This article is about the French record label. For the Sandman comic, see The Sandman: Season of Mists.
Season of Mist
Founded1996 (1996)
FounderMichael S. Berberian
GenreHeavy metal, extreme metal
Country of originUnited States, France
LocationMarseille, France
Official websiteseason-of-mist.com

Music

From the beginning, Season of Mist focused on releasing more extreme metal records by stylistically diverse bands like Oxiplegatz, Bethzaida and Kampfar. With the signing of Norwegian legends Mayhem in 1999, the label's profile clearly shifted towards black metal and attracted internationally renowned artists like Carpathian Forest, Rotting Christ, Arcturus, and Solefald, with the latter two representing a marked progressive and avant-garde side to Season of Mist.[2]

While staying close to its black metal roots with the creation of the Season of Mist Underground Activists division in 2007,[3] the label widened its musical range and added to its black, death, doom (Saint Vitus) and thrash metal roster bands playing progressive death metal (Morbid Angel, Cynic, Atheist, Gnostic, Gonin-ish), sludge (Kylesa, Outlaw Order Black Tusk[4]), industrial metal (Genitorturers, The CNK, Punish Yourself), hard rock (Ace Frehley), gothic rock (Christian Death), mathcore (The Dillinger Escape Plan,[5] Psykup), garage rock (1969 Was Fine), groove metal (Dagoba, Eths, Trepalium, Black Comedy) and metalcore (Eyeless, The Arrs).

History

Season of Mist was formed in 1996, while founder Michael S. Berberian was completing his scholarships in "International Economics Sciences" [6] initially, according to Berberian, to avoid the compulsory national military service in France. Since his graduation the label has become a full-time job for Michael and achieved a steady growth with Season of Mist now employing 20 staff members. In 2002 Season of Mist also started out as a distributor for the French territory, which includes other metal labels like Spinefarm Records[7] or Napalm Records on their roster.

Season of Mist's name originates from The Sandman: Season of Mists, which in turn comes from the opening phrase of John Keats' "To Autumn".[8]

Roster

North American roster

Bands signed on a license deal with Season of Mist for exclusive release in North America.

Distributed labels

Record companies distributed in France by Season of Mist.

References
  1. "March is Metal Month – Ask The Label Manager With Season of Mist's Sean "Pellet" Pelletier | Metal Insider". 2009-03-04. Archived from the original on 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  2. "Interview : "I punched Maniac on the very day I signed Mayhem." (Season of Mist)". Metalorgie (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  3. Blabbermouth (2007-07-18). "SEASON OF MIST President Talks About UNDERGROUND ACTIVISTS Division". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Archived from the original on 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  4. Chandler, Anna. "Savannah band Black Tusk signs to Season of Mist". Connect Savannah. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  5. "Dillinger Escape Plan Guitarist Discusses Season of Mist Deal, iPhone App | Metal Insider". 2009-06-01. Archived from the original on 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  6. "Michael Berberian (Season of Mist) interview". Bardo Methodology. 2020-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  7. Blabbermouth (2005-04-14). "SEASON OF MIST Inks North American Licensing Deal With SPINEFARM RECORDS". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Archived from the original on 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  8. "Season Of Mist - Interview". Metal1.info (in German). Archived from the original on 2023-04-01. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
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