Founded in 1989 in Aurora, Colorado, by Matthew Jacobson, Relapse Records has grown from a small, mail-order operation into one of the most influential independent labels in the world of extreme and underground music. Known for championing innovation, technical skill, and uncompromising intensity, Relapse has become synonymous with metal, hardcore, grindcore, sludge, and experimental music that pushes the boundaries of sound.

From its earliest days, Relapse focused on cultivating artists who challenged both genre conventions and listener expectations. The label quickly gained a reputation for signing acts that were brutally original: bands like Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Cephalic Carnage, and Pig Destroyer helped define the sound of modern extreme metal, while later signees such as Torche, Mastodon, and High on Fire expanded the label’s reach into sludge, stoner, and progressive heavy music.

Relapse’s ethos combines artistic freedom with rigorous attention to production and presentation. Releases are often meticulously crafted, featuring striking album artwork, high-quality packaging, and attention to sonic detail, reflecting the label’s belief that underground music deserves a professional, enduring platform. Beyond albums, Relapse has also embraced compilations, vinyl reissues, and innovative digital distribution, supporting both the historical and contemporary landscapes of heavy music.

Over more than three decades, Relapse Records has become a cultural touchstone for extreme music fans worldwide. It is a label that not only documents heavy music history but actively shapes its evolution, offering artists the freedom to innovate while providing listeners with a consistently bold, uncompromising catalog.

Today, Relapse continues to represent risk-taking, boundary-pushing artists, maintaining its reputation as a beacon for the fearless, the technical, and the extreme in modern music.