Formerly known as HAMMERHEART RECORDS, now they are KARMAGEDDON MEDIA!! is there really a change? Find out & read this interview!!! This interview has been patched through by Mr. Patrick Savelkoul to Mr. Guido Heijnens ...

01. Greetings to all the souls behind Karmageddon Media! How is the metal life in general?

Good morning, one more coffee and my Metal engine is running again… Metal life is fine, summer is coming (oeps, not very evil right ?).

02. Can you please tell who will be answering this interview & your role in Karmageddon Media?

My name is Guido Heijnens, I am co-owner and more or less do A&R, or as I say it I listen to music the whole day, hard job or what ? (Probably the 2nd best job on planet earth!!! 1st is being a porn star!!! he he he- roy)

03. Karmageddon is a new name but actually an old label. So I hope it is OK to go back to Hammerheart history. When did Hammerheart started? Did it automatically started as a label with signed bands or as a distro?

HHR was started May 1995. We started first as a label with the legendary Tumulus/Mock Split CD, soon we realized we had to trade our releases so we started a distro/mailorder,  yes.

04. Who is or are the first bands that got signed? Would you say it that they reached that audience that you targeted?

Tumulus and Mock were first…They did really well and indeed reached the Pagan Black Metal community then.

05. What was the first plan or goal in starting Hammerheart? Did you succeed in reaching that goal?

No goal really, just release a CD !!! We did succeed and it tasted good, so we did some more.

06. So when did Hammerheart ends & Karmageddon begins? Was the decision of 'legal' nature? Is there a change in management?

Somewhere September 2003… But HHR is still the mothercompany on paper and for the bank, taxes, legal paperwork etc. We are still the same people.

07. Are you carrying all of the Hammerheart releases to Karmageddon Catalogue? Are you re-printing all for it? Would that add extra cost?

We own them indeed since HHR is still there !!! We will re-print the ones that make sense, and of course costs are low.

08. Hammerheart uses the motto "Music for Armageddon", is this still true with Karmageddon?

It is more or less where the name comes from, and from DIMENSION F3H’s song “Generation Armageddon”, thanks to Morfeus !

09. What are the basic criteria that you look for a band? Do you just accept demos from bands or you have a 'talent scout'?

They need to be a good band, in every way, and we need to like it !!! I accept demos, sure, they are the lifeblood of the Metal scene.

10. What are the first steps the label does when they liked a band? To weigh in percentage, how many bands have turn down your offers against to those who got signed?

I contact the band via e-mail to have some mails going on. Probably 250 demos we get in are turned down against 1 signing….I get at least 25 demos a week !

11. What does a basic contract include, you pay for recordings, do promotion, etc.. How about a 'tour', is it always part of a contract or an 'if clause', if the album sells?

Any possible option is done with contracts, we pay, the band pays, we pay a lot, we pay little…Touring is very much supported, but there is one general rule, it needs to make sense !!!

12. Do you choose the studio? How about other expenses like travel, food & accommodation to & from recording? Do you labels pay in advance or after an album is done or released?

We keep an eye on the studio-choice, but the band is in charge. Again all options apply depending on the situation and the size of the band.

13. Is karmageddon a corporation? How big is karmageddon? How many people are involved in running it? If few, can you name them & their responsibilities or at least the main persons involved?

We are an Inc yes. What is big, we are a true Underground supporting mostly Metal label. We used to be 7, now we are 3 here, with a lot of people attached. Well, it is Peter van Ool, a bit the financial director, Patrick Savelkoul, the promotion man and me, doing A&R….

If you would go to thier website, Only Patrick Savelkoul & their Webmaster (also named Patrik without the C..) have their Photos...

14. How many releases do you have so far? You also do distro, carrying other labels releases. Are these done purely on trade against your releases?

I think over 200 !!! We do not do distribution anymore….

15. Do you have any licensing agreement with other label? How about distro carrying your releases, would you mention where in the other parts of the world we can find your stuff?

We have licensing worldwide going on yes. You should be able to find our releases worldwide for sure.

16. The word "Mind the Territory" are now always in your newsletter. You do deal via mail order right? So, doesn't that put a limit to a person's freedom to buy things that he wants? The reason why we order by mail internationally is because the stuff is not available in our country, so doesn't that contradicts it?

We do not have a mailorder. Territory means we have licensed to N-America, S-America, Russia, Japan, so they can not take goods from us ! Which country are you from then ??? (I'm originally from the Philippines, & back then I have traded some Hammerheart releases with Jackhammer Music Japan, Now I'm in the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates to be exact..-roy)

17. Is there another around that limitations? Don't you think that could to lead to other people bootlegging your releases?

But we rarely limit our releases, and if someone wants to bootleg it is bad, but they can try until we find them !!! ;-) (That's a fair warning to all boot-fucking-leggers out there! he he he -roy)

18. I think I last visited your site is when it was still hammerheart & I noticed you have no other merchandise like shirts & other stuff of the bands signed to you. Why is it so?

We stopped it, we are a record-company, not a t-shirt manufacturer, and to tell the truth, most shirts do not sell, it is too much out there.

19. How about NEW AEON MEDIA? This is an affiliate or sub label of Karmageddon right? What is the difference between the two?

NAM is for new, unknown talent. It is a sub-label and in treatment and visibility there is no big difference really.

20 . So, are the same persons from Karmageddon also are involved in the New Aeon Media?

Yep !!!

21. What are the common problems that labels experience? Any contracts with bands that gone sour? Any band accused you of 'favoritism'?

Always troubles, always problems, we are all human right ? Problems are overdoing budgets, bands that are not happy, who want to sign with EMI, contracts taken light-hearted etc. It does not matter, it is part of the game. We have actually never been accused of favoritism.

22. How do you feel about your relationship with the bands, it is 'strictly business' or 'friendly business'? Do you think bands feel the same towards you?

Friendly business anyway. I think most bands think the same, I have a lot of cool contacts in the scene from all these years.

23. Who are the bands signed to Karmageddon? Who are you aggressively promoting for this year?

A LOT ! Our biggest priority for this years is DISMEMBER obviously….

24. What can the metal hordes expect from Karmageddon in the next six months? Are you anticipating any release?

Killer releases, new FOREFATHER album, brilliant newcomers as SLUMBER, SCENTERIA, STORMRIDER and SILENT SCYTHE, cool re-releases on SINISTER, DARK FUNERAL….modern hardcore/grind with S.O.H., a Black Metal opera by FINNUGOR, GLITTERTIND doing Norwegian Folk Metal !

25. For more information & official website is www.karmageddonmedia.com , but what is www.plastichead.com?  Does your site offer 'on-line' ordering & credit card orders? What is the best way to get your stuff?

PHD is our distribution partner…. You can order our goods at their mail order too, but any mail order should have it, if not they do not care or have not paid their invoices hahahaha.

26. Thanks for answering this interview & keep sending your news. Hail & ! more power to all! Add anything you wish for this last part.. Thanks again & hail!

Support the Undergrounds, check out new bands, do not burn 500 CD-R’s each week, spend your money on real discs….go see bands, visit festivals and enjoy life (or if you are Black Metal F.O.A.D.,just kiddin’).  Thanks for the intie, good luck…

 There you go! Ask your nearest & competent distro about KARMAGEDDON releases! TrendCrusher news seems to always have newz about them, but always check out their site! New Name Same Brutality!!!