Displeased Records
Dutch independent label for extreme metal and reissues.
Displeased Records was a Dutch independent record label started in 1992 by Lars Eikema and Ron Veltkamp. Early on, it put out compilation CDs featuring unsigned artists across various heavy metal styles, including death and thrash metal. Once a distribution network was in place, the label began releasing studio albums from acts such as Nembrionic, Altar, Hybernoid, and Celestial Season. A mail order business also started around the same time, initially under the label’s own name before being renamed Dis-order (a blend of "Displeased" and "mail order") around 1999; in 2005, it became Discorder.com. From the late 1990s, Displeased licensed cult thrash metal albums including works by Infernäl Mäjesty, Pestilence, Whiplash, Toxik, and Sadus. Distribution was small at first but later expanded to supply music shops with the albums and shirts already sold through mail order. The label went bankrupt in April 2018. Its roster included Acheron, Altar, Bunkur, Celestial Season, Consolation, Cryptopsy, Dead Head, Eternal Solstice, Even Song, Goat Semen, Hades, Hellwitch, Houwitser, Hybernoid, Infinited Hate, Manegarm, Nembrionic, Nocturnal, Officium Triste, Sadist, Sadus, Striborg, Toxik, Unlord, Vesperian Sorrow, and Whiplash.
- born
- 1992
- died
- April 2018 (bankruptcy)
- field
- Independent record label
- nationality
- Dutch
- known_for
- Extreme metal releases, mail order division Discorder.com
Lore & Background
Displeased Records was founded in 1992 by Lars Eikema and Ron Veltkamp. Initially, the label focused on releasing compilation CDs from unknown or unsigned artists playing various types of heavy metal, including death metal and thrash metal. After establishing a distribution network, Displeased Records began releasing studio albums by acts such as Nembrionic, Altar, Hybernoid, and Celestial Season. A mail order business was also set up, initially under the label's name, later changed to Dis-order (a combination of DISpleased and mailORDER) around 1999, and from 2005 renamed to Discorder.com.
From the second half of the 1990s, Displeased Records licensed cult thrash metal albums including works by Infernäl Mäjesty, Pestilence, Whiplash, Toxik, and Sadus. The label maintained a distribution service from the beginning, which grew over time to supply music shops with metal albums and shirts already sold through the mail order. In April 2018, Displeased Records went bankrupt.
Reader's Guide
Displeased Records played a notable role in the Dutch and international extreme metal scenes by providing a platform for both emerging and established acts. Its early focus on compilation CDs helped expose unknown artists, while later licensing deals with Roadrunner Records brought cult thrash metal albums back into circulation. The label's mail order division, Discorder.com, became a significant channel for distributing metal music and merchandise. Although the label ceased operations in 2018 due to bankruptcy, its catalog includes a wide range of death, thrash, and black metal bands, and its reissues of albums by groups like Cryptopsy, Agathocles, and Sadus remain of interest to collectors and fans of the genre.
Did You Know?
- Displeased Records was founded in 1992 by Lars Eikema and Ron Veltkamp.
- The label's mail order division was originally called Displeased Mailorder, renamed Dis-order around 1999, and became Discorder.com in 2005.
- From the second half of the 1990s, Displeased Records licensed cult thrash metal albums including works by Infernäl Mäjesty, Pestilence, Whiplash, Toxik, and Sadus.
- Displeased Records went bankrupt in April 2018.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Displeased Records?
Displeased Records was a Dutch independent label founded in 1992 by Lars Eikema and Ron Veltkamp, focused on extreme metal genres such as death and thrash. It operated until a bankruptcy in April 2018, handling both studio album releases and a mail-order catalog.
Which bands did Displeased Records put out albums for?
The label released studio records from acts like Nembrionic, Altar, Hybernoid, and Celestial Season. In its early years it also issued compilation CDs featuring unsigned artists across a range of heavy metal subgenres.
What is Discorder and how is it tied to Displeased Records?
Discorder was the mail-order storefront that grew out of Displeased Records' own distribution operation. It was first rebranded as 'Dis-order' around 1999 and then renamed Discorder in 2005, eventually becoming known through its Discorder.com web shop.
When and why did Displeased Records shut down?
The label went bankrupt in April 2018 after more than twenty-five years of operation. As an independent Dutch outfit without major-label backing, it ultimately could not sustain its finances.
Why do metal fans consider Displeased Records important?
It served as a dedicated home for extreme and underground metal artists who lacked access to larger distribution channels. By combining album releases, unsigned-artist compilations, and a long-running mail-order service, it became a recognizable niche pillar in the European metal scene.
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