Equal Vision Records

Equal Vision Records is an independent label headquartered in Albany, New York. Ray Cappo, the vocalist for hardcore and punk acts Youth of Today, Shelter, and Better Than a Thousand, started it in the early 1990s. At first, the label only put out records by Shelter and other Krishna-themed projects. In 1992, Steve Reddy, who was then the label manager, bought Equal Vision from Cappo. After that, the label broadened its scope to sign a more diverse range of artists. According to Punk News, the mid-to-late 1990s saw a renewed push toward hardcore, with key additions like One King Down and Ten Yard Fight. By the end of the decade, Equal Vision had built a roster heavy on hardcore and punk, bringing in Bane, Trial, Converge, and Saves the Day.

The label has launched several sublabels and partnerships. In July 2009, it started Mantralogy, a sub-label for bands making “edgy, Krishna-conscious music.” In 2012, Say Anything frontman Max Bemis created Rory Records, an imprint distributed by Equal Vision. Later, Casey Crescenzo of the Dear Hunter got his own imprint, Cave & Canary Goods, through a partnership announced on June 19. As of January 23, 2012, Equal Vision moved its U.S. physical and digital distribution back to RED Distribution after many years with Alternative Distribution Alliance. In May 2013, it partnered with UNFD to handle manufacturing, promotion, and distribution in Australia and New Zealand; before that, the two labels had already shared artists like Say Anything, We Came as Romans, and House vs. Hurricane. Velocity Records, originally launched in 2009 as a Rise Records subsidiary, was revived in 2016 as a partner of Equal Vision. On May 16, 2025, Hail the Sun vocalist Donovan Melero announced that his label, kill iconic records, had entered a partnership with Equal Vision, alongside the signing of the band Dwellings.

Current artists on Equal Vision include A Lot Like Birds, Acceptance, Anberlin, Anchor & Braille, Anthony Raneri, Armor for Sleep, As Cities Burn, Dead American, The Dear Hunter (via Cave & Canary Goods), Donovan Melero, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows, Fairweather, The Flatliners, Kaonashi, Hail the Sun, Hopesfall, Hot Water Music, House Parties, The Juliana Theory, Mae, Murals, Museum Mouth (via Rory Records), Night Verses (Graphic Nature), No Devotion, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, Shallow Pools, Silent Drive, Sparta, Texas