Castle Communications was a British record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane & Jon Beecher, subsequently being renamed Sanctuary Records Group and since 2007 a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Starting out as a mid-price catalogue reissue specialist with labels including The Collector Series and Dojo, Castle grew into the largest European owner of repertoire outside the major record companies. It purchased a number of record catalogues, including Pye, Piccadilly, Bradleys, Bronze, Black Sabbath, Sugarhill, Transatlantic, Beserkley, All Platinum and Solar.
They possess most of the Transatlantic and Trailer catalogue.
Starting in the early 1980s, they released work by Fairport Convention, John Renbourn, Barbara Dickson, Steeleye Span, The Watersons, Richard Thompson, Geoff Turton and others. They have also diversified to reissue several early albums by The Fall as well as "Pink Years" and "Blue Years" albums by Tangerine Dream, and compilations by Nurse With Wound and Current 93. They have just recently released a comprehensive compilation featuring songs by Canadian rock legends, Triumph.
In the 1980's they were notable for releasing many Heavy Metal compilations albums under the series name Metal Killers. Interest in these licensed releases led them to forming their own heavy metal imprint Raw Power, to sign and promote new rock acts, rather than to just license older product from other more established labels. The first signing to the Raw Power label was the N.W.O.B.H.M act HellsBelles, releasing their debut album and single in 1985. After several years, the Raw Power imprint was retired with the waning of the heavy metal's popularity in the UK.
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