Combat was founded by Barry Kobrin in the mid-'80s as a metal-oriented imprint of Jamaica, New York-based record distributor IRD (Important Record Distributors, Inc.), but was soon brought under IRD's in-house label, Relativity Records.
The last titles released under the original incarnation of Combat were made in 1991, after which the imprint was shelved. Sony Music had begun investing in IRD around this time, who changed their name to RED (Relativity Entertainment Distribution). In 1996, Sony Music acquired full ownership of RED, bringing the Combat catalog under its control.
The imprint was briefly revived in 2005 under Koch Entertainment, but it was soon shelved as the person running it became ill.
As of 2018, Combat Records is owned by David Ellefson of Megadeth.