Just in time for your summer reading lists, Metal Blade Records founder and author Brian Slagel has announced a brand new book, Swing of the Blade, written by Slagel along with author Mark Eglinton, who previously worked on memoirs written by Behemoth's Nergal, former Judas Priest guitarist K.K Downing, and others.
The independent publisher Sandman Books will be bringing Swing of the Blade to readers everywhere on May 9, and in a synopsis, the book is described as "part memoir, part music-business primer, and all metal." That sounds awesome! A pre-order for the book is available here.
"[Swing of the Blade] follows Brian Slagel’s critically acclaimed 2017 book, For the Sake of Heaviness, which delivered a compelling inside look at how a metal-obsessed California teen built Metal Blade Records," reads the overview from Sandman Books. "Rabid readers demanded more anecdotes, more bands, and more of Slagel’s musical wisdom. With Swing of the Blade, he delivers."
Told from the vantage point of the ultimate insider, Swing of the Blade offers 40 years of heavy metal history seen through the eyes of an innovator, offering fly-on-the-wall insight into to metal's crucial early moments, unpacking the eventual nurturing of the scene until it's ultimate explosion, and the navigation required to remain at the forefront of a global movement.
The book also features a forward by Slayer’s Kerry King and is chock full with Slagel's favorite memories and recollections of iconic moments, while detailing his continued business and personal relationships with metal titans such as Metallica, Armored Saint, and King Diamond.
In 2017, Metal Injection sat down with Slagel and others for a documentary celebrating the label's 35th anniversary. The History of Metal Blade Records, featuring commentary from Slagel, Cattle Decapitation, Whitechapel and more can be watched just below.
