Having experienced life behind the iron wall in East Germany, Out Of Line was born from a place of suppression, scarcity and isolation, a strong desire to break out of conformity and limitation. This aspiration has been a central theme and guideline throughout Out Of Line’s whole history up to this day, still. 

 

It all started out as a small mail order run from granny’s living room, initially set up to get hold of international music not available in Germany at the time. Through simple means and word of mouth, this idea turned into an actual business and a pioneer of its kind back in the early 90s, selling records by internationally renowned acts like Skinny Puppy, Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson to music fanatics all over Germany. 

 

With this first taste of entrepreneurial success, a craving for something bigger soon developed, and with Belgian EBM act SA42’s “Immortal Collection”, in 1995 Out Of Line came to life as the independent record label it is today. Closely followed by US Industrial-Metal act Clay People’s “Cringe”, these two records substantially shaped the Out Of Line sound and paved the way into both the electronic and metal world from the get-go.

 

While still acting as European mail order for iconic acts such as Ministry and Front242, Out Of Line went full steam ahead on its own label journey, soon pulling in some of its most significant signings; Mexican industrial electro duo Hocico, German dark pop band Blutengel, and US-based industrial metal act Combichrist quickly became synonymous with the label, contributing to its growing reputation in the European and global underground music scene. 

 

The label quickly solidified its position in the alternative music world, laying the foundation for yet another gallant endeavour: In 2004, the first Out Of Line Festival took place in Leipzig, pairing Out Of Line artists such as Hocico and Icon of Coil with other renowned acts of the scene. Seeing its great potential, the label continued this venture which eventually became the “Out Of Line Weekender”, a 3-day-festival that still takes place every year to this day and became a beloved tradition for many fans.

 

Wanting to dive deeper into the world of electronic music, Out Of Line took a bold side-step in 2005: With its first major release “This Is...Techno Body Music Vol. 1” featuring a number of soon to be grade-A stars such as David Guetta and Adam Beyer, sub-label “Masterhit Recordings” came to life. After a number of successful releases, it soon became clear, however, that Out Of Line needed the team’s undivided attention, and Masterhit Recordings was put on hold for the time being.

 

Though label operations became the main focus, Out Of Line never lost touch with its roots and continued to churn out unique merchandise and special product lines, setting it apart from the majority of other labels. Expanding its musical bandwidth with rising acts like And One, Ost+Front and Lord Of The Lost, and having worked some of its initial signings up to well-known, reputable acts, Out Of Line became the Go-To-Place for stand-out fan gear and out of the ordinary music.

 

In recent years, the label has blown fresh wind into its own sails, venturing further into the modern rock and metal genres with acts like Finnish death metal group Bloodred Hourglass, France’s metalcore units Novelists and ten56., as well as renowned names from overseas such as Emarosa, Cane Hill and Being As An Ocean. Its latest major signing The Bloody Beetroots is the perfect culmination of Out Of Line’s multifaceted soundscape, proving once again that the label isn’t afraid of venturing into unconventional territories.

Today, Out Of Line boasts a vast variety of artists from all around the globe and all corners of the music world, always wading somewhere along the fringes of the mainstream while keeping its core vision of supporting and promoting extraordinary music with a touch of twisted beauty. Out Of Line’s story is one of passion, persistence and an unwavering commitment to the art of music, remaining a beacon for those who seek out the unconventional and continuing to thrive in an ever-evolving musical landscape.