Markus Riedler and his music empire Napalm Records want to mix up this year’s song contest with hard sounds and red latex. His band “Lord of the Lost” should bring victory for Germany.
When Markus Riedler negotiates with influential music managers in his New York office, he always keeps his homeland in mind. It hangs on the wall in the form of a clock showing the time in Eisenerz. Markus Riedler has made the history of the mining town into the future. According to legend, a water man offered “gold for ten years, silver for 100 years or iron forever”. So Riedler acted wisely when he bet on iron. This “metal” is mined worldwide, scouts discover the raw material, which is polished in iron ore and marketed by Napalm Records. In the beginning bands were actively advertised, but now Napalm Records is flooded with applicants. “It’s so much that we use certain criteria. That’s how we look at videos, as well as the number of followers and streams.” From the living room to the big wide world It all started in grandfather’s living room. “I was interested in heavy metal as a 16-year-old, which was hard to come by in Austria. So I started getting bands and spreading the music. A lot of people smiled at me back then,” recalls the HAK graduate, who was asked one day if he didn’t want to produce a CD right away. “At that point I had no idea about the music business. But I threw myself into this adventure, learned the hard way, and it still turned out well.” Luck is part of it, but it’s courage, passion, and an irrepressible interest that has propelled the founders of Napalm Records to the top of the metal scene has led. Today the label has 150 bands under contract and produces and markets a good 100 albums every year. One of the most successful bands from Japan recently signed a contract with the Eisenerzer. “We are perceived as an international company, even if many people can’t believe that our headquarters are in a town with 4,000 inhabitants that is anything but a metropolis,” laughs Markus Riedler. I want to win the Eurovision Song Contest Self-made millionaire from Eisenerz an empire in the new event and logistics center costing three million euros, employs 100 people and is involved in the “Austro Vinyl” manufactory in Fehring. The 49-year-old entrepreneur has already released countless number 1 albums on his label. His next goal: “I also want to create a number 1 in America.” The way there could lead via the Eurovision Song Contest. Because the band “Lord of the Lost”, discovered and sponsored by Markus Riedler, will represent Germany this year. Eisenerz is also playing in the world’s largest music competition. “I jumped for joy when the band won the prelim. It’s like winning the lottery six, because there’s a chance that something big will come of it,” Riedler is certain. “I see it as very realistic that we can win with ‘Lord of the Lost'”. Because the metal community is big and has a powerful voice. Lordi from Finland (2006) and Måneskin from Italy (2021) have already shown that heavy metal can make a world career out of the song contest. Homework is currently being done with a lot of effort and money. The enterprising Eisenerzer is negotiating in New York with the world’s largest digital distributor, wants to place his freaky protégés in the red latex pants in big TV shows in order to increase the awareness and popularity of the band and the song “Blood & Glitter”. “Of course I’ll be there in Liverpool – hopefully also at a big moment.”
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