As we reported in September, Hydra Head Records—the influential indie label founded by Aaron Turner of post-metal legend Isis—recently called it quits. But the reports of its demise may have been premature; that’s where you come in. Although the label has faced hardship in recent years, Turner announced yesterday that he has launched Hydra Health: A Hydra Head Rehabilitation Project. The fundraising drive includes a sale on all kinds of Hydra Head goodies, from stickers and “mystery promo bags” to big-ticket rarities like box sets, test pressings, and original album artwork for releases like the Isis/Melvins split LP. Turner is even selling off some of his own music gear to benefit the label, including his Gibson Les Paul.
The funds will go toward keeping Hydra Head afloat and its back catalog stocked, including releases by Neurosis, Pelican, Cave In, Jesu, and Converge. In fact, among the label’s upcoming releases in 2013 is the first-ever vinyl pressing of the early Converge compilation, Caring And Killing. And if you’re feeling particularly altruistic (yet broke), Turner is accepting volunteers to help ship orders in the label’s Los Angeles headquarters—a favor which Turner promises to repay with “free records and lunch. Maybe a nickname, too.” If you simply want to pitch in a couple bucks as a way of saying thanks to Hydra Head for helping revolutionize heavy music over the past 20 years, donations can be made here.
In addition to the classics that Hydra Head hopes to keep in circulation, the label has been releasing a slew of excellent records lately. Its newest is Worship Is The Cleansing Of The Imagination, a power-electronics split LP between JK Flesh (a.k.a. Justin Broadrick of Napalm Death/Godflesh/Jesu fame) and Prurient. The A.V. Club will be streaming the exclusive debut of Worship in its entirety in our monthly Loud column on Dec. 5.