Merchant of Death
Black Metal label & Black Metal vendor. Releases, shipping and documentation with a quiet hand.
Black Metal Label & Vendor
Merchant of Death works on two tracks: as a Black Metal label and as a Black Metal vendor. One shapes the other. Releasing records means knowing plants, materials and workflows. Shipping goods means understanding where things can fail and how to prevent it. From this practice a catalogue emerges that does not need noise to endure. It is about music and about objects that resist time.
We publish and distribute Black Metal CDs, Black Metal cassettes and Black Metal vinyl records. We also carry apparel: Black Metal shirts, Black Metal patches, Black Metal sweatshirts and related items. These are not props but carriers of a stance. We describe condition plainly, name pressing plants and variants, list materials, fabrics and print techniques. That way a first press becomes tangible and a repress remains identifiable.
Germanic Black Metal
We use the term Germanic Black Metal to describe a thread where raw sound, distinctive imagery and independence weigh more than polish. The scene developed a tone that thrives on austerity. Much of it was created away from professional studios with whatever tools were available at the time, and that lack of excess became an aesthetic in its own right.
For orientation it helps to name coordinates within this line: Absurd as a cipher for uncompromising rawness, Wehrhammer🔗 with a harsh, unadorned approach, Kirchenbrand🔗 from Austria with a distinct voice, and Totenburg as another fixed point. These references explain why minimal means, craft and consequence remain strengths in this field.
The term does not set a template; it signals a stance: few means, precise expression, and a willingness to leave rough edges as they are. Those who look for that sound recognise it at once: stark riffs, restrained production, a visual language that hints rather than explains, small editions and direct contact.
Releases & Editions
A record is more than audio. It is medium, sleeve and document. We specify what matters: plant, matrices, running times, colour if applicable, sleeve construction and any inserts. For cassettes we note tape stock, shell type, print and spool details where they matter. For CDs we care about booklet print, tray fit and the small manufacturing cues that make quality visible.
Editions appear where they make sense: numbered sleeves, alternate covers, additional booklets. Not every title needs that. What counts is a clear line. We work with structures that share similar criteria and we skip what only seeks attention. The catalogue stays legible: small, but dependable.
Documentation replaces spectacle. Each listing states what collectors need: edition size, colour variants, production notes. Those who want to compare find verifiable data rather than slogans.
Apparel & Make
Apparel is part of the vocabulary. A shirt is not a poster. It is worn, washed, folded and passed along. Cut, fabric and print decide whether it survives. We prefer stable yarns, clean seams and high-opacity prints. Black Metal shirts come in simple functional cuts. Black Metal patches are woven or embroidered to fit the motif. Black Metal sweatshirts are meant to keep you warm, not to shout. Staged wear rarely lasts; things that are well made usually do.
We state fabric and print choices because they matter in daily use. A woven patch holds on a jacket; a weak transfer peels. A substantial fabric keeps its shape. Those who have handled poor stock know the difference.
Order & Handling
There is no drama around orders. Items are listed, condition is stated, prices are clear. Packaging is functional: records in firm mailers with corner protection, sleeves separated where useful; apparel folded clean. Shipping is calm with realistic estimates. Returns are checked without fuss. Mistakes happen; they are named and fixed.
Communication stays concise and reliable. We read notes, acknowledge specifics and decline when something does not fit. That is not a pose but the basis for keeping a small catalogue viable.
Payment: Bitcoin & Monero
If you want to pay in crypto, choose bank transfer at checkout and leave a note that you wish to pay with Bitcoin (BTC) or Monero (XMR). We will reply with amount and address. Manual coordination keeps us independent of third-party processors, reduces data and makes the process traceable.
This method fits the stance of Merchant of Death. It requires no haste and no spectacle. It allows for quiet coordination when a detail needs attention and it supports the independence that benefits this scene.
Partners & Orientation
Those who want to dig deeper can turn to catalogues and hubs that have proved useful: Nordsturm Records, the overview at BlackMetal.shop, and the Hammerbund Shop. These are pointers, not advertisements. They help map the terrain and make decisions.
Merchant of Death is not outside this landscape. As label and vendor we know the path a release takes and the details that are easily lost on the way: inserts, corners, the tiny signs you only notice when unsealing a record. That is why we invest in documentation rather than noise. What matters is in the text; the rest follows.