Commitment Records is a straight edge hardcore label, based in The Netherlands.

The label was started in 1996, and over the years has released 7" records by bands like Vitamin X, Pointing Finger, Reaching Forward, Hoods Up, Fight For Change, One X More, Fairfight, Product X, GuidingLine, Oil, Infect, GuidingLine, The Miracle, The Silver Shine, The Age, Second Combat, When Seasons Change, Currahee, Critical Point, Kid Armor, Better Times, No Thanks, Urgency and more.

History

Commitment Records was started in July 1995 with two goals in mind: to be a means to distribute 7" records of small American and European labels and beginning Straight Edge bands in Europe and to release records of Straight Edge bands with a positive attitude.

The Straight Edge movement was at its height in the beginning of the Eighties (1980-1983) and a second boom took place at the end of the decade (1987-1989) with a lot of new bands, labels and fanzines. In the beginning of the Nineties the Straight Edge trend was over.

Later in the Nineties a new style of Straight Edge developed, with bands that were more militant than most of the bands of the '80's and with a music-style that became more and more influenced by metal. The attitude of a lot of these socalled 'new school Straight Edge hardcore'-bands was not positive at all: this was reflected in their lyrics (sometimes really apocalyptical), the artwork of the records (dark, with a lot of demons and images from the Middle-ages) and even in the dancing style (violent).

From 1995 on, some new young Straight Edge bands came up, both in the USA (Halfmast, Envy, Plagued With Rage) and Europe (Mainstrike, Rectify) that got their inspiration, both musically and lyrically, from the 80s bands. Inspired by this development Commitment Records was started.

Commitment Records wants to provide an opportunity for new or unknown bands, who combine the Straight Edge message with a positive attitude, to release (7") records. As a start (and this policy is still in force in 2007) Commitment Records is only doing 7"'s records. The 7" is the cheapest format to make (or buy) records, and that's the reason we think it needs to be supported.