Hydra Head Records history to be chronicled in new book

Decibel Books will release a new book titled ‘Deconstructing Towers: The Story Of Hydra Head Records’, documenting the history of the influential extreme music label. Written by journalist and musician Shane Mehling, the work spans over 500 pages and includes a 32-page color section of rare photographs.

Founded in the mid-1990s in Boston by Aaron Turner, Hydra Head Records became a significant force in hardcore, metal, noise rock, and post-metal. The label’s diverse roster included influential artists such as Converge, Isis, Botch, Cave In, Coalesce, Pelican, and Daughters. The book utilizes testimonies from artists, former employees, and members of Turner’s musical projects to explore the label’s two-decade journey from the East Coast to Los Angeles and its eventual gradual cessation of activities.

Turner, who also designed the book's cover, described the label as a complex and life-changing experience built on musical freedom and creative integrity.