DIY Label Spotlight #9: Church Road Records • Interview • DIY Magazine

DIY wouldn’t be what it is without buzzy bands and grassroots scenes, and independent labels are a crucial cog in that wonderful new music wheel.

Up next in our monthly feature spotlighting some of the very best in the biz, we chat to Employed To Serve’s Justine Jones and Sammy Urwin, who, alongside the band, have also released the likes of Lowen, Heriot, Svalbard and more via Church Road Records.

How would you describe, in less than 10 words, the ethos behind Church Road?
We release music from the extreme to the serene!

Why did the metal scene need a label like Church Road? Tell us a bit more about the place you feel it occupies in the independent music landscape.
We’re an independent, mid-sized music label - big enough to be full-time and hands-on, but still personal, DIY, and deeply connected to our artists in a way that major labels often aren’t. What makes us unique is that we’re musicians ourselves, so we understand the artist’s journey from the inside. That means we can offer guidance well beyond simply releasing records, drawing from our own experiences in a band. At our core, we’re massive music fans who can’t wait to champion our roster and share their work with anyone and everyone who’ll listen!

You’ve coined ‘From the extreme to the serene’ as your label tagline - but with that wide a remit, how do you decide what fits the bill and feels ‘right’ to publish via Church Road?
Even though our bands sound vastly different from each other, there’s a link in their ethos and work ethic. We love the fact that our bands are all music fans themselves and often support each other by playing on the same bills, or simply just turning up to each other’s shows. We’ve always wanted our roster to be more of a scene rather than just a list of bands that don’t know each other.

“We’ve always wanted our roster to be more of a scene rather than just a list of bands that don’t know each other.”

How do you think being in a band yourselves has influenced the way you approach running a label? Tell us a bit more about the BTS lessons you’ve learned.
The age-old saying of “who you know” is still relevant when it comes to music; with so much competition out there, it really helps to have someone fighting your corner. You’re more likely to listen to a band if your mate sends it to you, rather than just another person behind an email address. I also think knowing what not to do is just as important - we’ve made a fair few mistakes in the years being a band, so being able to help other bands navigate the pitfalls really helps!

What excites you most about the independent music scene at the moment?
Just how many great bands are out there really! In the 10 or so years we’ve been knocking around, this feels like the most exciting time for new bands. We’re very stoked to be part of it!

If you could re-release any classic album on Church Road, what would it be (and why)?
Justine: Deftones - ‘Around The Fur’. It was such a groundbreaking record that I would have loved to be a part of the release and watch it all unfold.

Sammy: Miles Davis - ‘Bitches Brew’. To me, this iconic record serves as a proto-noise/drone record that has greatly influenced the extreme and esoteric music landscape of the last 20-30 years. I feel like many well known artists within our area of the industry, such as Blood Incantation, Sunn O))) and Full Of Hell (to name a few) have all been influenced in one way or another by this groundbreaking LP.

What are you most excited about for the rest of 2025?
We still have five varied and equally awesome releases left for the rest of the year, so I’m very excited about that! I’ve also got a few more fests I’m going to, and we’re on tour with Killswitch all around Europe later this year, which means record shopping!

Find out more about Church Road Records at churchroadrecords.com.

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