March Is Metal Month

Metallers, this is your month! A few days ago we received word from our contact at Century Media Records that March is Metal Month. We here at Yell! Magazine tend to believe that 2011 is going to be a metal year to be reckoned with, but for now, we’ll agree that March looks pretty good.

So what’s this all about?

Basically, March is Metal Month is a campaign to get metal fans to indie record stores to expose them to new and/or exciting bands. The whole thing is driven by the powers of EMI Music’s Label Services/Caroline Distribution along with Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Earache, Candlelight, Season of Mist, Willow Tip, Prospect Park, and Capitol Records. What do fans get out of it? To start there’s a free sampler CD and a free T-shirt, plus there are various contests to take part in and win some more swag.

Yeah, we’re telling you to get out there and support your metal and the metal acts you love. Sure, buying a CD might seem outdated and some would say it supports the labels and not the band, but there’s no better way to say metal is alive and well than to buy product. Besides, going to a participated location of March is Metal Month might just introduce to a new band that you’ll want to see live and buy a T-shirt from.

Here’s the press release to fill you in on the exact details:

Raise your horns in the air as March is Metal returns for its third successful year

New York, February 24, 2011. EMI Music’s Label Services/Caroline Distribution is celebrating its third year of bringing metal to the masses with the “March is Metal Month” campaign, connecting retailers with metal fans across the U.S. This year, the retail campaign will include promotions from such legendary labels as Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Earache, Candlelight, Season of Mist, Willow Tip, Prospect Park, and Capitol Records.

March Is Metal Month will encourage consumers to visit retail stores to pick up a special MMM CD sampler, which includes hotly anticipated pre-release tracks from Winds of Plague, Cradle of Filth, Agnostic Front, and Kill Corps. As well as the sampler, fans will be able to get their hands on a limited-edition T-shirt designed by artist Rich Hall. There will also be the opportunity to win exclusive prizes at MMM participating retailers, with the Season of Mist, Earache, and Candlelight labels all offering exclusive prize packs. Record Store Day’s Metal Crew (an independent retail initiative) partnered with EMI Label Services/Caroline Distribution in making sure each store participating received the sampler and T-shirts.

Don Robertson, President of Century Media said, “We’re very proud that this is March is Metal Month’s third year of connecting fans with the music they love. As well as focusing retail attention on metal, this is also a chance to share music with fans from some of our biggest artists ahead of street date. Last year we featured Lacuna Coil, and this year we’re happy to have Winds of Plague onboard. This is becoming an important platform for the fans to hear the music first.” Century Media artists Suicide Silence and Rockstar will also be contributing two tickets to this years’ Rockstar Mayhem Festival for lucky winners of the “Show Us Your Metal” campaign via Metal Sucks.