The world is full of stories about underdogs taking on the big boys. Luke Skywalker against the Empire, Frodo against Mordor, David against Goliath, Asterix against the Roman empire. The story of Reaper Entertainment is similar. It’s about two frenetic metalheads who trade the security of stable, good jobs at a renowned record company for the dream of their own metal label. And even without huge budgets, they started an amazing success story. Against all odds. Just like Phil Collins sang.

This is the story of Reaper Entertainment. This is the story of how two hopelessly passionate metal fans started a small label from their own bedrooms, which now competes with the big players on the market, regularly pumps its releases into the upper reaches of the charts and enjoys an excellent reputation among artists and fans alike. A rebellion, proof that with willpower, passion, attention to detail and a certain pinch of madness, you can achieve a lot. What started in 2017 as a pure DIY story is now an established and renowned label with a strong roster and Universal distribution. They not only keep up with the big players, but are ahead of them in many ways in terms of album campaigns, merchandise and professional online shop maintenance.
 
“The core of Reaper Entertainment is our friendship,” says Florian Milz, describing his working relationship with his colleague Greg Rothermel. Some time ago, Summer Breeze founder Achim Ostertag, another long-time companion, joined Reaper Entertainment. All three share their dedication for that extra mile for every release, equipping their records with an incredible amount of detail and special editions to give the music a worthy setting. That’s what happens when you let die-hard metal fans just do their thing. Naturally they have an eye on figures and sales, as the two have been making a living from this for a long time. But they are still full of dedication, commitment and love for their bands and the music they release. Honestly, you couldn’t ask for more as a band.
 
“Of course, we’re not a small DIY thing anymore, but we’ve always remained fans,” Flori emphasises. Both worked for Nuclear Blast for a long time, where, in addition to the business essentials of label work, they were able to build up a wide network of contacts. Their first signings therefore came from their circle of friends, bands such as Suotana and Dead Alone, before they achieved their first chart entry at number 33 with “Dead And Alive” by Parasite Inc. And that was without any financial reserves or a large team. “We started from scratch. No investors, no advance payments – just our savings and our know-how,” says Flori, before Greg adds: “We did everything ourselves, from accounting and graphics to wholesale and production processes.” All this was done alongside their day jobs and financed out of their own pockets. No reserves, no guarantee of success.