Thanks for the information.

Witching Hour from Poland is a great distro - very cheap prices and great customer service. Absolutely brilliant!

www.witchinghour.pl

Thought I would help a bit with some of my experiences, some of these might already be mentioned here but it never hurts to have multiple sources I suppose.

POSITIVE ONES
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Holocaust Records (SWE): Håkan is an excellent guy, I've been ordering here for many years.. it has now come to the point where he doesn't even wait for my money to arrive before he sends the stuff. Always packaged nicely and with fast delivery. Postage can be steep but if you order for more than €100 he will pay for it.

Displeased Records / Dis-Order (NLD): One of my favourite places, huge catalogue and good stock indication. Within the Netherlands I always get my orders from them within a day in good shape, sufficiently packaged. If any problems arise they are always extremely helpful. I should mention that I have heard some mildly negative stories (late packages etc.) from other guys who lived outside of the Netherlands, but all I can say is that I have been ordering with them for close to 8 years for an average of 8 orders a year and not a single one has disappointed me.

Heidens Hart (NLD): Arjan is great, responds very quick and the packages always arrive fast and in one piece.

Obscure Abhorrence (GER): Ordered here once, was pretty fast+good and had fair prices. Would order there again.

Pagan Records (POL): Ordered here once. Very cheap, responsive, fast and understanding. Would order there again.

Ahdistuksen Aihio Productions (FIN): Ordered here once, response was reasonably fast (within 24h) and the package arrived in good condition in the expected timeframe. Would order there again.

Sadolust / Sadostore (NLD): Ordered here about 2-3 times I think, nothing negative to be said, response was quick and order shipped and arrived within a day.

Blazing Productions (NLD): Ordered here once, nothing negative to be said, response was quick and order shipped and arrived within a day.

Northern Silence Productions (GER): Ordered here twice now I think, not a whole lot to say about it, communication is swift and packages arrive intact within a normal timeframe.

NEUTRAL ONES
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Burning World Records (NLD): Ordered here once, communication wasn't always their strongest point (had a little e-mail argument about what was in stock, their postage and their payment options) but eventually I receved the requested items in good condition. Would order there again but make sure to ask if everything is in stock before ordering, I get the idea the website isn't always up to date. It once took them like 3 months to put a CD up on the website that I knew (from e-mail exchanges) they already had in stock.

Stunde des Ideals (GER): Catalogue is only available via e-mail. Slow communication, sometimes 2-3 days pass between e-mails, but orders arrive in good shape and in a timely fashion.

Grau Records (GER): Ordered here about 3 times, very steep prices and not everything on the site is in stock, but a little e-mail to them will soon reveal to you which of your requested items are really in stock. Would order there again, but only in worst case scenario - mainly because of the prices and hassle to mail the guy and ask for everything. Nonetheless it is very possible to do good business here.

W.T.C. / Blut & Eisen (GER): Took them a week to dispatch my package, they said it was because they were flooded with orders but other than that everything was fine.

NEGATIVE ONES
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Viva Hate Records (GER): Ordered one CD here, limited edition "Der Weg Einer Freiheit" which was (at time of ordering) already expensive enough in itself, to top it off he asked for a lot of postage. Nonetheless I agreed and Paypal'd the money, didn't hear from him since then, decided to mail him after 2 weeks. He answered like he totally forgot the order "Oh, it was CD x that you needed right?". I said yeah, but I already knew things were looking bad so I filed the case with Paypal, the guy never even defended himself there. Got the money back thanks to Paypal, never heard from this guy again and received no CD obviously. Last time I ever show my face there. I suggest everyone avoids this label like the plague, the boxset releases they do are often not even with consent of the bands, they just buy up licenses and squeeze them out. Shipping has been known to be horrible as well, warped LP's etc.

I admit that used to be the case. Did three orders before for the new guy took over the mailorder department and it was slow but i always got my parcel.

The new mailorder guy martin is great though. Did a successful order two weeks ago.

dave henkel has a few other ebay names aswell, waited 3 months for my OFC diehard boxset that i won off him on ebay and took quite a few emails and disputes to get it (at the end of the day.... 20 bux for stilbirth machine on vinyl kinda makes it worthwhile)

Some recomended distros:


Apocalyptic Empire Records (Norway)
Very good. Fast and good prices. Also free shipping inside Norway when buying for more then 38 Euro.

Iron Bonehead Productions (Germany)
Good prices and super fast shipping!

I've had the same problems with this distro. The other annoying problem with them is that the store must not update quickly and you end up purchasing titles that are out of stock. So then you are stuck waiting for months for titles to come in and you are out the cash. I've had to send the guy emails asking for a partial refund because I'm tired of waiting. Thankfully he has at least returned my money.

I would say be a bit sketchy of Full Moon Productions each time I order from them my CDs are received scratched like shit. I avoid ordering from the label now.

I ordered there once (Nightbringer - Death and the Black Work CD), arrived nicely sealed and brand spanking new. I guess it depends on what you order. I do remember the guy was a bit slow though, literally and figuratively speaking.

Yeah I also ordered the Nightbringer-Death and Black Work CD there sealed in excellent condition. The other CDs where unsealed.

Here's the sealed vs. non-sealed issue.

Nightbringer was a release by FMP, hence the reason it was sealed. Distros/labels trade with other distros/labels (bigger labels mostly do not). When labels trade with other labels inside of the US, they can afford to send CDs in cases and still sealed because media mail is a cheap shipping option. When you are trading for titles with an overseas label and distro, this is not the case. About 100 percent of the time, you trade titles not in cases...sometimes you may receive a scratched CD or two, but if the label packs correctly, this is not the case. I always check my CDs before sending them out so I make sure the customer doesn't get one.

So, is it really a big deal that it's sealed? It's not like the CD has been played for a year and then sold to you as new.

good trader = ladysnarloc

good/bad DISTRO thread.

Ektro Records
Amazing sortiment, nice prices, quick communication and service, AWESOME shipping costs policy (1 € per order for CDs, 7'' and shirts, no matter where to) and insanely fast delivery.

Godreah Records
Reasonably fast delivery, quick communication and he didn't even charge me postage to Austria. Plus, I got a free sampler CD.

anyone ordered from here before?

Ragnarok Records - http://www.ragnarok-records.com/shop/

Heavy Metal Market - http://www.heavymetalmarket.com/

Elegy Music - http://www.elegymusic.it/mailorder/

Have anyone ordered at: Evil Rising webshop?

http://www.evil-rising.com/osc/

So did you ever get your stuff from Darkland Records??

'
Yes I did. It took time, but I got the stuff.

I did not say it was a big deal. Also I don't need all of this theory about what goes into packing the stuff.

Just had a pretty good transaction with The End Records, though it could have gone better. They gave me two copies of one of the CDs I ordered, but forgot another. It's no biggie though, as the CDs were so unbelievably cheap.

That would be a shit transaction, for me.

so, this another good experience:) i hope you know this label :

Red Stream

http://www.redstream.org/

it's good guys:)

this french label Thor's Hammer prod. with good music like Eole noir & Aorlhac:

http://www.thorshammerproductions.com/

And here still that, earlier I wrote about Morbid winter....And so, they have answered me also the order is successfully delivered:)

Does anyone know if New Sun Order will be active again soon? The web shop says this: "OCTOBER 2010: Due to major technical problems with email system, the website is currently NOT active. We hope to fix the problem in coming days.".

I tried mailing anyway despite this obvious warning message but all I got was an automated reply stating that the mailbox was full/unreachable. I then tried to fill in the contact form at the shop, but that didn't give me any result either. I'd really like to order here.

does anyone know if Nuclear hell(http://www.nuclearhell.com/) is a reibleable store i ask beacuase of their free shipping and low prices. i have also heard something bout hem selling russian editons, what difference is their between these and normal presses?

Believe me, if I paid full price for them I'd be pissed.

Ohh and seconding welten's shout out to Red Stream. I've had at least 5 transactions with them and they've all been perfect.

Has anybody ordered from Black Mark recently?

I'm looking for good experiences, preferably from recipients in the US. I'm thinking about buying some Bathory LPs and possibly a longsleeve, but I just want to double check.

Medieval Music Productions

http://pestofdestruction.weebly.com/distribution.html

Im now waiting my parcel over month and that's too much. They even told me, that they receive my moneys, but then all silence begin. They are from Guatemala. Be careful.

True Underground Production (Poland)
http://trueunderground.prv.pl/

The End left out a big chunk of my order, lied to me about sending it in two separate packages then lied about sending a replacement out. They were also slow in sending out the actual replacement. Though I finally received everything I had paid for, their poor customer service will result in me never again ordering from their company.

I'm also waiting for an order that was placed and paid more than 3 weeks ago. Luckily I chose shipping option with tracking so it is up to them to follow up and send me the stuff.
Their customer service is pretty slow in replying, I opened my complaint 1 week ago and I didn't get an answer concerning the tracking status of my parcel.

I gather all this is from that huge sale they had a few weeks ago? I hope they dont fuck my order up.

Then why note why some CDs are sealed and some are not? It's obvious you don't know why. The Nightbringer is his own title.

And it's not theory. Some labels/distros run things differently, which is why you might get the occasional scratched CD. I'm trying to enlighten you on why you get unsealed CDs. Perhaps you did need some education on the subject. No need for you to be a dickhead.

I bought some of the Bathory reissues from them months ago when they first came out. Shipping was cheap and fast but they ship in those Euro mailers. Don't be surprised if a corner is dinged up. Also, those reissues are shit. The jackets are cheap. The 2LP versions are shoved in a single jacket...I wish they placed more resources and thought into those reissues, like perhaps a gatefold for the 2LP versions.

Battle Kommand sucks. Ordered a CD over three weeks ago. No CD and no reply to two emails. I opened a Paypal dispute, and will get my money back.

has anybody ordered from Aurora Borealis http://www.aurora-b.com/shop_W_AB.php are they a reliable store to purchase from so i dont drop $90 and get stiffed

Adverse Order

Support!

Fucking reliable, honest in description, and awesome packaging. Will buy there again.

Thanks for letting me know this label.

[s]!!!!! RIP-OFF ALERT !!!!!

Apollon Records (NL): Apollon is a label based in the Netherlands, ran by Berend van de Worp, which appears to be in some way connected with what used to be Painkiller Records (who have a bad name if I'm not mistaken). How do I know he's connected? Well simply put, the guy replying to my e-mails, Berend, did so from the info@painkillerrecords.nl domain. Nonetheless I decided to give this guy the benefit of the doubt, after all what could go wrong within the Netherlands? My very own trustworthy country.

So it all started when I ordered on his website and I discovered that I couldn't pay with Paypal even though it was selectable as a payment option, he said it was because he's in a dispute with Paypal over some money that Paypal owes him. Not the other way around apparently. So fine, I paid by bank. Had to mail the guy to let him know I made the payment in an alternative way, he confirmed that it was fine. Then I mailed him again to ask if he could let me know when he would mail the package out.

He then said he would mail my package consisting of 1CD out somewhere in the weekend of December 18/19. At the moment of posting this it's December 28 and I have yet to see a thing where normally mail arrives the next day within this country. I contacted him about it and all he said was "if you wanted me to send it registered it costs you extra". So yea, I think the guy never sent out the shit in the first place and he's trying to squeeze me out a second time. Mind you, I have never ever had a package go lost, especially within my own country in the past 10 years or so that I've been ordering online. Coincidence?

Also notice how at the guy's website when you click on "Artists" it says that the website was once hacked by some Turkish guy, I notified Berend about this and all he said was "yea that's solved". Gee, wanna remove the note then maybe? This guy has got rip-off written all over him. Will update this if the package ever does arrive, but I highly doubt it.[/s]

He now sent me another package for free, which did arrive this time, but I'm still suspecting him...

Is Supernal Music reliable?

Yes they are! I have made some orders with them, and never had any problems.