Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Maximilian “HandOfBlood” Knabe, one of Germany’s most influential Twitch and YouTube personalities, has announced the launch of his own metal label Corrupted Blood Records. The first band signing will already be announced later this week.
In September 2026 the first Corrupted Blood Club Show will take place at Huxleys Neue Welt in Berlin and will also be streamed live on Twitch. More info on that further down below.
Corrupted Blood Records is a joint venture between Gute Gesellschaft and Throwdown Entertainment. The independent metal label aims to support up-and-coming artists and open up the metal scene to a broader community.
“For a few years now, I’ve been lucky enough to work on projects that revolve around my true passions and beliefs,” says Maximilian “HandOfBlood” Knabe. “With Corrupted Blood Records, I finally get to embrace my inner metalhead and maybe even make a positive impact on the industry. There are so many incredibly talented underground bands that just need a little more attention, and a wonderful community that some people might find hard to access at first. That is what we want to change.”
“Our infrastructure around HandOfBlood will offer fans and bands a fresh experience,” says Johannes Gorzel, CEO of Gute Gesellschaft and INSTINCT3. “For months we have been in talks with a wide range of partners, from festival organizers and labels to artists and brands. What I find most encouraging is the openness and appreciation we encounter. Established players in the metal world see real value in our plans. I am confident that together we will open up exciting new ways of collaboration.”
“Max and his team work at an incredibly high level of professionalism and speed,” says Björn Meyer, Managing Director of Corrupted Blood Records and Throwdown Entertainment. “It is a real pleasure to work in this unique constellation that brings together experienced figures from the music world and innovators from the influencer space. Max, Johannes and their team question everything they encounter in the music industry while showing genuine curiosity and respect for the processes behind the scenes. Together we are challenging many traditional label concepts, and I believe that can only be positive for the industry.”
Corrupted Blood Records will announce its first signing on Friday, November 21, 2025,during an exclusive event. A limited amount of tickets will be available via raffles. On the following day, November 22, the newly signed band will appear at Core Fest Stuttgart. Tickets for Core Fest are still available.
By the 2026 festival season, Corrupted Blood Records plans to present three artist signings. On September 04th, 2026, the label’s roster will perform live alongside two established acts during a Twitch event at Huxley’s Neue Welt, organized by HandOfBlood’s influencer agency INSTINCT3. Previous Twitch events hosted by HandOfBlood, such as the Influencer Darts World Cup at Uber Eats Music Hall and Techno Friday Club Edition at Modus Berlin, attracted over 50,000 concurrent viewers on Twitch and millions of views across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Tickets for the Corrupted Blood Club Show were already sold out within 1 day after announcement.
