Sentient Ruin Laboratories
Much like Fallen Empire Records, the Oakland-centric Sentient Ruin Laboratories also places their emphasis on analog releases, primarily tapes. Founded in 2012, the label was started as an effort to self-release the founder's band's tapes. As time elapsed, the project took off and Sentient Ruin began to release tapes from the bands of their close friends. Soon after, Sentient Ruin began selling out its releases, most notably Sutekh Hexen's Become, American's Coping With Loss, Funerary's Starless Aeon, and Vastum's Hole Below. The label also launched a record from Buioingola entitled Dopo l'apnea which, according to the label is, "one of my most overlooked tapes and is also one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to work on."
A handful of years has passed now and with it is an ever growing catalog of releases and roster of artists. When asked what Sentient Ruin looks for in potential releases, they stated: "the label isn't really focused on genres, but rather in music that shows a certain degree of hatefulness. Naturally punk and metal end up being the most common output, but I'm trying to work on more noise, drone, industrial, ambient, et cetera." 2016 has seen a number of big releases that flow through that vein, including the label's first LP in the form of UNRU's Als Tier Ist Der Mensch Nichts. Sentient Ruin has also released the newest Vermin Womb record as well as the first EP from Unyielding Love, two formidable examples of vitriolic and savage Grind. In addition, critically-acclaimed album, The Ladder from Palace of Worms, and new records from Altarage, VRTRA, Wake and Atrament. 2017 has already started off strong for the label with new releases from the Belgian death-doom project, Gateway, and the Japanese powerviolence group, Friendship.
Sentient Ruin Laboratories can be found on Facebook, Bandcamp, Instagram, SoundCloud or at its official website where you can shop for music.
