2025 has felt different for a variety of reasons, and while our end of year scheduling has historically been dominated by friends of the site, this year these haunts have been a little scarcer. Most people, out-music-ed and burnt out from a year that has been stranger than most.
Despite this, there has still been some time to shine a light into the underground’s darker corners, which is where New York label, Fiadh Productions, has thrived in 2025.
Established post-pandemic in 2022 by Bariann Tuite Smith (formerly of Earache Records and Broken Limbs Recordings), Fiadh has been a one-stop shop for the hard-nosed sounds across the world of DIY culture.
Like fellow DIY lifers Cruel Nature Records, Fiadh is all about giving a platform to artists that may not find it elsewhere. The sheer number of releases from the label each month, meaning you don’t really need to look elsewhere for all your esoteric black metal needs.
Not only is the volume of their release schedule astonishing (only Cruel Nature rivals it), but aside from the label itself, Tuite Smith’s life outside of Fiadh is equally jam-packed, led by parenthood, pets (of which she owns four dogs), and a swathe of other endeavours, to the point where there are so few hours in the day to actually indulge the music she puts out under the label. (Which this year has included excellent releases from Uamh, Las Llagas, and so many more.)
When asked on her favourite records of the year, Tuite Smith replies, “I haven’t moved on from Brat,” referring to Charli XCX’s 2024 release; her punk ethos, unintentionally making this 2025 edition a little different to past ones.
There are no lists or top 10s which litter the World Wide Web at this time of year. Just musings on the year in which Fiadh have continued to be one of the most vibrant in DIY culture, led by someone who continues to be one of the key facilitators in underground metal.
S13: From the outside, it was a bold move to start the label when you did. What were your main reasons behind starting Fiadh Productions?
Bariann Tuite Smith: “I had just gotten out of the fog of having my firstborn in NICU during the pandemic and then coming right out of that brand new infant stage while starting an MA program, which was the first thing I had done for myself in quite some time. I hadn’t had any interest in new music until I felt like my own person again, or maybe for the first time ever, and I thought I could finally truly combine a label initiative with helping animals.”
S13: The slogan ‘Be kind to animals, listen to black metal’ might just be my favourite from any label out there. Did you have it mind before starting the Fiadh?
BTS: “I didn’t! Being kind to animals has always been part of my life in general, with my day job since college being in animal welfare, rights, [and] nonprofits. I think I just wanted to combine two things that seemed incongruous but made perfect sense to me, especially because so many black metal fans are vegans, have adopted rescued animals, or just care about other species in general! I’m so glad you like it.”
S13: It been another flagship year for the label. Can you tell us about it?
BTS: “Ahh thank you so much! This year saw two new full lengths from two of the artists who I think have trusted me the most with their catalogs, Lust Hag and Weald + Woe. It was fantastic to see both of those get an overwhelmingly positive reception, as well as new partnerships with the artist behind the Blood Mountain Black Metal Choir / Wounds of Recollection and others, and more output from the always wonderful Garry Brents (Sallow Moss, Gonemage, etc). We also have forayed more into vinyl with cool variants from Greet and Aura Merlin, who are lovely individuals, and I have to mention the new Terzij de Horde as well!”
Fiadh ProductionsS13: Since Fiadh’s inception in 2022, did you ever envisage releasing this much music?
BTS: “No! I was like, thinking no one would ever want to work with me when I first started because I hadn’t been active in years, and I was lucky Garry took a chance on my new adventure! But there’s so much good stuff out there that deserves a platform and to be heard, and if you are rigorous about not spending money on hobbies or anything fun or recreational you can just keep reinvesting!”
S13: How vital is Bandcamp for a label like Fiadh Production?
BTS: “Extremely vital, I have a wonderful relationship with Bandcamp and despite changing hands I do believe in the employees I know are true to the initial mission. Also of course there’s no overhead which is amazing for anyone getting off the ground, and for someone like me who doesn’t have time or experience building a nice website and isn’t able to afford it (Jeff only just got us custom Gmail domains!) It’s absolutely crucial. Ampwall is another great platform, but I really need to sit down and work out who’s on there already and just get uploading!”
S13: It doesn’t seem like you’d have the time, however do you have any hobbies outside the label?
BTS: “I do! Besides my two kids (two and four) and four dogs, I’m also a snare drummer in two pipe bands, one of which is competitive. I try and do a lot of reading, mostly fantasy novels, to keep up with my best friend and run a very chaotic Malazan book club on Discord. I’m also working with my advisor on publishing parts of my thesis as well as more of my research on historical Irish food products which focuses on cereals and regional nuances in rural areas.”
S13: What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to in 2026 the most?
BTS: “We have been working with animal sanctuary Fawn’s Fortress to build a new enclosure for rescued turkey Rhea, which will also allow a space for new animals who need to heal or quarantine, and I am so excited to see the result. We have also been contributing to Positive Tails in NY, which provides spay / neuter and other health services to folks who can’t afford it, and I want to expand this into a larger S/N awareness initiative because it’s truly the only way to stop the animal homelessness crisis. I know this was probably a music-related question, but this is honestly what I am looking forward to the most!”
For more information including the label’s catalogue, visit Fiadh Production’ Bandcamp.
