Hypaethral Records

06/03/2026

06/03/2026

06/01/2026

I wanted to do a post-fest wrap up but apparently I didn’t take very many photos this year! I guess I was too immersed in the music and the friends, which is probably a good thing.

Prepare the Ground really kicks off the summer here in Toronto and even though it has been getting bigger and bigger every year, it has still managed to maintain the feel of a smaller event. Seeing so many friends in the same place over multiple days is priceless.

1 - Ready for heavy metal summer
2 - A great day selling records at the vendor market
3 - Amenra at the church was absolutely epic
4 - An ethereal Mizmor set at Lee’s Palace
5 - Annual Hypaethral dinner at Sneaky Dee’s
6 - Sakna spotted 👀
7 - Sheer joy on my face

Thanks to everyone who came by the vendor market to chat and check out our wares. Thanks to Prepare the Ground for working tirelessly to pull an amazing festival together and elevating the Toronto Metal scene.

Next up is New Friends Fest in August!
See ya there 🖤⚔️

06/01/2026

Prepare the Ground IV
June 4 - 6, 2027

As is customary today we are announcing that Prepare the Ground will return for its fourth edition next year. For those of you who already know that you will be joining us to turn the Annex into a festival grounds, early bird passes are available for the next 7 days. The passes are locked in at this year’s price, and come with our gratitude for your support and trust.

We promise to continue to learn, grow, and curate an event worth your time and patronage, and are forever grateful for your trust. We love y’all, and can’t wait to see you back here next year. We will properly eulogize 2026 later this week, but for now we rest, recoup, and continue scheming for next year.

06/01/2026

Zdzislaw Beksinski lived in the XX – XXI cent., a remarkable figure of Polish Surrealism and Magic Realism. Find more works of this artist at Wikiart.org – best visual art database.

05/31/2026

This past Thursday (May 28, 2026) we had our first ever label showcase. The Hard Luck Bar was absolutely packed and the energy was electric.

Here are a few shots from the night:
1 - Obligatory crowd shot
2 - Witherer meditations on death
3 - Burnt Knives nihilist musings
4 - Nepenthe’s epicness
5 - A Flock Named Murder’s intensity

So much gratitude to everyone that came out and supported the night. Special thanks to Craig for organizing

More shows to come and new releases to announce!

📸

05/30/2026

Some times I find rare gems when digging through the archives!

We’ll have one copy of the long (long, long) sold out Colossus EP by Toronto’s very own TITAN ()

Available today (May 30th) at the Prepare the Ground vendor market.


I get asked about this A LOT. So if this has been on your discogs wish list, today is your chance 😈

Come down to Barbara Barrett Lane (next to Tranzac) today and snag this before someone else does!