Yesterday, Norway's Indie Recordings, home to some of today's best metal acts, announced they would be opening a U.S.-based office in Los Angeles. Check out their fancy new website! To do so they are partnering with L.A.'s Prosthetic Records, who will take over their day-to-day operations here starting next month.

Prosthetic Records was founded in L.A. in 1998 by EJ Johantgen and Dan Fitzgerald, and their catalog includes talent like Skeletonwitch, Trap Them, Scale the Summit, Animals as Leaders, Gojira, and Kylesa — as well as locally-based act Holy Grail.

One of the first items available will be a limited-edition, deluxe CD/DVD reissue of Kvelertak's self-titled debut

One of the first items available will be a limited-edition, deluxe CD/DVD reissue of Kvelertak's self-titled debut

Choosing a U.S. label with which to partner was not a decision they made lightly, says Indie Recordings owner Erland Gjerde. “Prosthetic just overall felt [like] the best partner. They had the right ideas and the right approach, and we trust them.

“We can now offer [our bands] a professional and dedicated U.S. staff to support our releases and touring bands to a greater extent than ever before,” he goes on.

This is no Google and Motorola merger, but for metal fans this is big news. Previously, only selected Indie Recordings releases came out in the U.S. — now they all will, and before long their albums will come out the same day here as in Europe. Costs should also come under control; fans who've been buying from European vendors are used to spending twice as much (or more) after customs, shipping, and exchange fees.

Indie and Prosthetic could have stuck their heads in the sand and refused to change with the times, but I believe this really will lead to an increase in releases and a decrease in costs. The collectors out there are dying for more access to limited and special edition albums. There's no telling exactly how it will play out, but I suspect it's most likely going to benefit the fans.

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