Seventh Level Records

Founded by Shane Tierney, Seventh Level Records was previously known as Judas Cradle Productions from 2001-2005. Judas Cradle Productions was the label for Leviathan, a metal / punk band that Shane Tierney was the front man for at the time. Though there was the intent to produce multiple artists under the moniker of Judas Cradle Productions, including an album to benefit the West Memphis Three with contributions from Jello Biafra and Henry Rollins, monetary and time constraints kept the fledgling label from releasing anything other than two CDs from Leviathan. When Leviathan broke up, Shane reorganized what support structure there was from Judas Cradle Productions and formed Seventh Level Records in August 2005. The label's name comes from The Divine Comedy by author Dante Alighieri, where the seventh level of hell is the residence of those who were violent towards themselves, others, or god in their mortal lives.

Aimed at providing a platform for local New York City independent bands, Seventh Level is a quickly expanding outlet for numerous musicians, mainly of the heavy metal music genre, located around the NYC metropolitan area. The operational tempo of Seventh Level Records is vastly different than that of its predecessor, Judas Cradle Productions. The label launched with ten bands on their roster, with signs that they intend to add more in the coming year, and they are also producing their own podcast radio show, entitled Hard, Fast, & Loud, which showcases the artists on the label, as well as giving news on the NYC area hard music underground.

The artists that are a part of the Seventh Level Records collective are all from the "active rock" category, but vary in style from more traditional metal and hard rock to hardcore, death metal and experimental projects. The label prides itself on considering the content of the individual artists character and personality as much as it does the music they create.

Business wise, Seventh Level Records is designed to be a contemporary version of the DIY punk ethic labels formed in the punk era of the 1970s like Alternative Tentacles and Dischord. The label itself runs without taking any money from its artists for album sales, prides itself on not interfering in any way with creativity of the artist, and makes all its advertising, touring, and marketing decisions based on a majority vote. Artists that call this label their home do not get loans from the label, but instead can use its resources of information and distribution to assist each other.

Seventh Level Records has announced aggressive plans for 2007, with at least 4 new albums coming out along with regional tours to match. Concert posters illustrated by artist JayJay Jackson appear in the movie Reign Over Me featuring Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Liv Tyler, and Jada Pinkett Smith seen in the record store interior scenes. In late summer 2007, the label will produce their 1st compilation CD, showcasing all the bands in their stable.