Getting Essential With Abramson

We always look forward to the weekly email update from Mark Abramson at Roadrunner Records. Today’s brought the news that Roadrunner will have a label profile in the June issue of Alternative Press where they chatted up label head Jonas Nachsin. In the piece, Jonas gives his "5 Essential Roadrunner Albums" – listed as Type O Negative Bloody Kisses, Slipknot Slipknot, Nickelback All The Right Reasons, Sepultura Roots, and King Diamond Abigail. So we hit reply and asked Mark for his "5 Essential Roadrunner Albums."

His response: "I can't do it. I can do 10, but I don't know if I can whittle it down to 5. They are as follows, in no real order, just all pivotal:"

NICKELBACK - SILVER SIDE UP - I like Long Road best out of the whole catalog but this was the one that busted it all open and was extremely pivotal for Roadrunner and me and my career.

SLIPKNOT - SELF TITLED - This record was a brick to the face! Staggering and Roadrunner truly deserved this for waving the flag loud and proud for metal for all of those years! Slipknot are a monster and are that big for a reason!

STONE SOUR - COME WHAT(EVER) MAY - I am sorry - this record is just that damn good! Easily one of my all time favorite records and gave us our first #1 Rock record that didn't belong to Chad Kroeger.

BIOHAZARD - URBAN DISCIPLINE - This record was HUGE at the time and was a BIG record for Roadrunner and made Biohazard a force to be reckoned with!

DOUBLEDRIVE - BLUE IN THE FACE - Also one of my favorite records of all time and also my biggest heartbreak. "Imprint" should have been huge!

FEAR FACTORY - DEMANUFACTURE - This record was staggering and perfect and was a landmark record to work at metal at the time

LIFE OF AGONY - RIVER RUNS RED - I helped get them signed - they were just never as urgent or as great as they were on the first record

ROADRUNNER UNITED - THE ALL STAR SESSIONS - there is an argument that maybe this shouldn't be here but the project summed up the whole RR thing so awesomely!

SEPULTURA - ROOTS - One of several bands that defined RR throughout the years hitting their pinnacle

TYPE O NEGATIVE - BLOODY KISSES - Do I need to explain?

With a new record deal, album and band in tow, Tantric’s Hugo Ferreira returns to the radio spotlight with the band’s first single in four years, "Down And Out." Currently the track is racing up the charts and the new album, The End Begins, debuted this week with nearly 7,000 units scanned.