SharpTone Records is an American independent record label started on September 11, 2013. The label was founded by Nuclear Blast CEO Markus Staiger and former vice president of Sumerian Records Shawn Keith.
History Conception and first releases (2013) The record label was started by Markus Staiger, the current CEO of Nuclear Blast Records and Shawn Keith, the former vice president of Sumerian Records. The label has been described as an offshoot label of Nuclear Blast which primarily focuses on rock and alternative music, similar to Arising Empire. Arising Empire focuses on metalcore and punk bands. In an interview, Keith spoke about the label: "Developing this label has been very exciting for me. The opportunity to partner and cultivate new and established artists working toward broadening their global potential is thrilling. SharpTone will continue to diversify and evolve as a brand for music fans to truly identify with. We are not just another record label. We are a new-music company, allowing artists to be as creative and passionate as they choose to be."
The record label was first hinted at on June 23, 2016, when several bands shared a mysterious teaser image reading "A New Era of Music Begins..." on their social media. These bands included Attila, Don Broco, Loathe, Miss May I and We Came as Romans. The first release of the label would be a re-issue of the debut EP Prepare Consume Proceed by UK metal band Loathe less than a month later, but the labels first studio album release would be Attila's sixth album titled Chaos, released November 4 the same year. Other later releases for the year included the American release of Don Broco's Automatic, and a release of Craig Owens new side project, badXchannels, who was also signed later in 2016, with the EP being named WHYDFML. Emmure also signed in 2016.
Releases and signings (2017–present) The label's roster would increase from nine bands in 2016 to seventeen acts by the end of 2017. They released 12 studio albums from bands including Emmure's Look at Yourself, Loathe's The Cold Sun, While She Sleeps' You Are We, and Miss May I's Shadows Inside to name a few. In 2018, along with signing four new bands including Bleeding Through, the label's first band to move away from the label, Attila, said they wanted absolute creative freedom. That was their reason for going solo without the help of any record label. In 2018 the label issued Don Broco's Technology, Sink the Ship's Persevere, and Bleeding Through's Love Will Kill All among others.
Music The record label primarily focuses on different subgenres within rock music, more specifically the post-hardcore and progressive metalcore side of rock. Early signings included Attila, Emmure, Currents, and Loathe.
Notable artists Current + List of all current artists signed with SharpToneArtistYear signedOriginAlpha Wolf2017Australia: Burnie, TasmaniaBetter Lovers2023 US: Buffalo, New YorkBleeding Through2018US: Orange County, CaliforniaBoston Manor2021UK: Blackpool, EnglandCaskets2020UK: Leeds, EnglandChiodos2026US: Davison, MichiganCurrents2017US: Newtown, ConnecticutDying Wish2020US: Portland, OregonEmmure2016US: New Fairfield, ConnecticutForeign Hands2022US: Wilmington, DelawareJamie's Elsewhere2023US: Sacramento, CaliforniaKingdom of Giants2024US: Sacramento, CaliforniaLoathe2016UK: Liverpool, EnglandMake Them Suffer2023Australia: PerthMothica2025US: Oklahoma City, OklahomaOcean Grove2024Australia: MelbournePolaris2017Australia: SydneyPoison the Well2026Poison The Well ‘Peace In Place’US: Miami, Florida Pridelands2021Australia: Mount GambierStepson2020Australia: Brisbane Stick to Your Guns2024US: Orange County, California Story of the Year2022US: St. Louis, MissouriVukovi2023 UK: Kilwinning, ScotlandWe Came as Romans2016US: Troy, Michigan
Former + List of all former artists no longer signed with SharpToneArtistYears LabelledOrigin156/Silence2020–2025US: Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaAnnisokay2017Germany: Halle (Saale), Saxony-AnhaltAny Given Day2019Germany: GelsenkirchenAttila2016–2018US: Atlanta, GeorgiaAugust Burns Red2022–2026US: Lancaster, PennsylvaniabadXchannels2016US: Davison, MichiganBeing as an Ocean2017US: San Diego, CaliforniaBroadside2020–2025US: Richmond, VirginiaCrystal Lake2018–2025Japan: TokyoDon Broco2016–2025UK: Bedford, EnglandHolding Absence2017–2025UK: Cardiff, WalesImminence2017Sweden: TrelleborgMake Out Monday2018US: Los Angeles, CaliforniaMiss May I2016–2024US: Troy, OhioNovelists2017–2020France: ParisOf Mice & Men2021–2025US: Costa Mesa, CaliforniaOf Virtue2019US: Lansing, MichiganRise of the Northstar2018France: ParisStray from the Path2025US: Long IslandStuck Out2020–2022Australia: MelbourneWhile She Sleeps2017–2018UK: Sheffield, England
Releases Album Type Artist Release date Prepare Consume Proceed (Re-issue)EP Loathe July 8, 2016Chaos Studio Album Attila November 4, 2016Automatic (North American Release) Don Broco November 11, 2016WHYDFML EP badXchannels November 18, 2016Look at Yourself Studio Album Emmure March 3, 2017This Is Goodbye Imminence March 31, 2017The Cold Sun Loathe April 14, 2017You Are We While She Sleeps April 21, 2017Shadows Inside Miss May I June 2, 2017The Place I Feel Safest Currents June 16, 2017Noir Novelists September 8, 2017Cold Like War We Came as Romans October 20, 2017The Mortal Coil Polaris November 3, 2017Technology Don Broco February 2, 2018This Is as One Split EP Loathe/Holding Absence February 16, 2018 Love Will Kill All Studio album Bleeding Through May 25, 2018Arms Annisokay August 17, 2018Waiting for Morning to Come (Deluxe Edition) Being as an Ocean September 7, 2018The Legacy of Shi Rise of the Northstar October 19, 2018Visions of Hollywood Make Out Monday October 26, 2018Split Series #1 Split EP Kingsmen/ExitWounds November 2, 2018 I Let the Devil In EP Currents December 14, 2018Everyone Around Me Studio Album Commonwealth January 18, 2019Helix Crystal Lake February 15, 2019Holding Absence Holding Absence March 8, 2019Overpower Any Given Day March 15, 2019Fault EP Alpha Wolf April 19, 2019 C'est La Vie Studio album Novelists January 24, 2020I Let It In and It Took Everything Studio album Loathe February 7, 2020The Death of Me Studio album Polaris February 21, 2020The Way It Ends Studio album Currents June 5, 2020Hindsight Studio album Emmure June 26, 2020A Quiet Place to Die Studio Album Alpha Wolf September 25, 2020The Things They Believe Studio Album Loathe February 7, 2021The Greatest Mistake of My Life Studio Album Holding Absence April 16, 2021Lost Souls Studio Album Caskets August 13, 2021Fragments of a Bitter Memory Studio Album Dying Wish October 1, 2021Amazing Things Studio Album Don Broco October 22, 2021Echo Studio Album Of Mice & Men December 3, 2021The Lost & the Longing Split EP Alpha Wolf/Holding Absence August 15, 2022Curse of Existence Studio Album Miss May I September 2, 2022Darkbloom Studio Album We Came as Romans October 14, 2022Datura Studio Album Boston Manor October 14, 2022Tear Me to Pieces Studio Album Story of the Year March 10, 2023Death BelowStudio Album August Burns Red March 24, 2023The Death We SeekStudio Album Currents May 5, 2023Reflections Studio Album Caskets August 11, 2023The Noble Art of Self Destruction Studio Album Holding Absence August 23, 2023Fatalism Studio album Polaris September 1, 2023Symptoms of Survival Studio Album Dying Wish November 3, 2023PULSE EP LEVELS February 2, 2024Half Living Things Studio Album Alpha Wolf April 5, 2024What's Left Unsaid Studio album Foreign Hands June 21, 2024Sundiver Studio Album Boston Manor September 6, 2024Highly Irresponsible Studio Album Better Lovers October 25, 2024Make Them Suffer Studio Album Make Them Suffer November 8, 2024Oddworld Studio Album Ocean Grove November 22, 2024Nine Studio Album Bleeding Through February 14, 2025Clockworked Studio Album Stray from the Path May 30, 2025All Is Beautiful... Because We're Doomed Studio Album We Came as Romans August 22, 2025Flesh Stays Together Studio Album Dying Wish September 26, 2025The Only Heaven You'll Know Studio Album Caskets November 7, 2025Bastard Hymns Studio Album Excide November 28, 2025 A.R.S.O.N. Studio Album Story of the Year February 13, 2026 Peace in Place Studio Album Poison the Well March 20, 2026 Chosen Hell Studio Album Comeback Kid November 6, 2026
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