Metallica acquires Alexandria records maker

Heavy metal band acquires majority interest in Furnace Record Pressing

Published March 14, 2023 by Katherine Schulte

Master of puppets — and now master of vinyl record production, legendary heavy metal band Metallica has acquired a majority interest in Alexandria-based vinyl records maker Furnace Record Pressing.

Financial terms of the transaction, which the two entities announced Tuesday, were not disclosed.

“We couldn’t be more happy to take our partnership with Furnace … to the next level,” Metallica co-founder and drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement. “Their indie spirit, the passion they have for their craft … culturally, we’re kindred souls.”

Furnace has produced more than 5 million Metallica vinyl pieces since 2014. The band and records maker worked together on deluxe box set editions of “Kill ’Em All,” “Ride the Lightning,” “Master of Puppets,” “…And Justice for All,” “Metallica” — also known as “The Black Album” — and “S&M2.”

Founded in 1996, Furnace produces records in a 70,000-square-foot facility in Alexandria using 12 Pheenix Alpha presses and two Finebilt presses, making it one of the largest record pressing companies in the U.S. Last year, the records maker pressed 3.1 million records. Furnace offers standard and heavyweight pressings, color vinyl, special effect color vinyl and custom vinyl etching, and it oversees services related to the creation and packaging of records.

Furnace has 107 employees, all of whom will remain in their current roles. Three Furnace executives — founder and CEO Eric Astor, Chief Operating Officer Ali Miller and Vice President of Manufacturing Operations Mark Reiter — will continue to be equity owners and will serve on the company’s board of directors.

“Building Furnace into the dedicated and experienced family of experts that it is today has been a huge effort, but immensely gratifying,” Astor said in a statement. “Knowing our long-term future is secured while also being better able to take advantage of growth opportunities is really exciting for every member of the Furnace staff.”

Metallica last produced a studio album, “Hardwired…to Self-Destruct,” in 2016. The band gathered a lot of attention and a new generation of fans last summer when its song “Master of Puppets” was featured in the Season 4 finale of Netflix sci-fi hit “Stranger Things.” Metallica’s newest album, “72 Seasons,” will be released on April 14, and Furnace will press records of the album.

    Subscribe to Virginia Business.   Get our daily e-newsletter.