The Flenser
American dark experimental record label founded in 2009.
The Flenser, also known as Flenser Records, is an American label launched in 2009 by Jonathan Tuite in San Francisco, California. It brands itself as a “dark music” or “dark experimental record label.” Its roster has included Have a Nice Life, Deafheaven, Kayo Dot, Planning for Burial, Midwife, Chat Pile, and Uboa, among others.
Tuite, a former musician, originally started the label to focus on the American black metal scene. As the label gained traction, that scene shifted, so he broadened its scope to other genres. The name comes from flensing—the process of removing blubber from whales—which Tuite encountered in the novel *Moby-Dick*.
One of the label’s most notable releases was the 2014 reissue of Have a Nice Life’s *Deathconsciousness* (originally self-released in 2008). That lo-fi double album had built a cult following online; Pitchfork described its worldview as one where “existence is bleak, gallows humor undergirds it, and sometimes wallowing in that sick paradox is the best revenge.” Kerrang! later called it “a viral hit amongst internet communities like /mu/, Sputnikmusic and Rate Your Music” and “the stuff of internet myth.” The Flenser’s reissue helped bring it to a wider audience, and the label went on to release the band’s follow-ups, *The Unnatural World* (2014) and *Sea of Worry* (2019).
In 2019, the label began publishing literature, releasing its first full-length novel, *To Sing of Damnation*, in 2020. In the 2020s, Chat Pile’s *God’s Country* (2022) became a critical success, blending sludge metal, noise rock, and industrial sounds. It earned Pitchfork’s Best New Music designation and topped Stereogum’s year-end metal list. That same year, the label issued *Send the Pain Below*, a six-song compilation of nu metal covers by multiple Flenser bands.
Recent activities include Ragana’s *Desolation’s Flower* (2023), which appeared on year-end lists from Pitchfork and Rolling Stone, and the 2024 tribute compilation *Your Voice Is Not Enough*, honoring the band Low. The project was started before drummer Mimi Parker’s death and later dedicated to her memory; contributors included Midwife, Planning for Burial, and Have a Nice Life.
Since 2019, The Flenser has organized or participated in showcase events in New York and at festivals like Oblivion Access and Roadburn. For its tenth anniversary, the label was invited to curate a Roadburn Festi
- founded
- 2009
- founder
- Jonathan Tuite
- location
- San Francisco, California
- genre
- Dark music, dark experimental
- notable_releases
- Deathconsciousness (reissue), God's Country
- literature_start
- 2019
Lore & Background
The Flenser was founded in 2009 by former musician Jonathan Tuite in San Francisco, originally intending to focus on the American black metal scene. As the label gained prominence, the scene changed, and Tuite expanded its reach to other genres. The label's name comes from the process of flensing—removing blubber from whales—which Tuite learned from the novel Moby-Dick.
Among its most critically successful releases was the 2014 reissue of Have a Nice Life's album Deathconsciousness (originally self-released in 2008). The lo-fi double album had developed a cult following online, with Pitchfork describing its worldview as one in which 'existence is bleak, gallows humor undergirds it, and sometimes wallowing in that sick paradox is the best revenge.' The Flenser's reissue helped introduce it to a wider audience, and the label later released the band's follow-up albums.
In the 2020s, the label saw success with Chat Pile's God's Country (2022), which was named Best New Music by Pitchfork and topped Stereogum's year-end metal list. The label also released the compilation Send the Pain Below, a six-song EP of nu metal covers by multiple label bands. Recent activities include Ragana's Desolation's Flower (2023) and the tribute compilation Your Voice Is Not Enough (2024), dedicated to the memory of Low drummer Mimi Parker.
Reader's Guide
The Flenser has played a significant role in the evolution of dark experimental music, bridging underground black metal with broader genres like sludge metal, noise rock, and industrial. Its reissue of Deathconsciousness helped transform a niche internet cult album into a widely recognized work, illustrating the label's ability to amplify overlooked music. The label's expansion into literature in 2019, with its first full-length novel To Sing of Damnation released in 2020, shows a commitment to cross-media artistic expression. The Flenser's showcase events at festivals like Roadburn and Oblivion Access, though sometimes canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have helped build a community around its roster. The label's curation of the 2020 Roadburn showcase, which would have included the live debut of Giles Corey, underscores its influence in the experimental metal scene. By releasing both critically acclaimed albums and tribute compilations, The Flenser has established itself as a curator of dark, challenging art that resonates with niche audiences and beyond.
Did You Know?
- The label was named after the process of flensing, which Jonathan Tuite learned about from the novel Moby-Dick.
- The Flenser's reissue of Have a Nice Life's Deathconsciousness in 2014 helped introduce the album to a wider audience after it had developed a cult following online.
- In 2020, The Flenser was invited to curate a showcase at Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The compilation Your Voice Is Not Enough (2024) was a tribute to the band Low, initiated before the death of drummer Mimi Parker and later dedicated to her memory.
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