Contributed by sick_nick, Posted by

Long-running anarcho-punk collective/label Profane Existence, has announced that they will be shutting down:

Today I am sad to announce that Profane Existence Records will immediately stop production on all upcoming releases not currently in the manufacturing process. This decision was a long time in the making and was the result of several years of struggling to make ends meet. Increased pressing, printing and shipping costs -- combined with a recent sharp decline in sales -- have made it all but impossible for Profane Existence Records to maintain financial self-sufficiency and independence. With no signs of improvement in sight, and all our financial resources exhausted, there is really no choice but to pull the plug once and for all.

The publication of Profane Existence Magazine will not be affected by the record label shutting down and PE Distribution will continue to operation into the foreseeable future. Profane Existence will NOT be putting out back catalog up for sale nor do we plan to sell the rights or licenses to any of our releases. As far as we're concerned the bands are the proper owners of their music and retain all further reproduction rights

The label was originally formed in 1989, with the shutdown coming just one year shy of their 20th anniversary. Throughout the early and mid 1990s Profane Existence released and/or distributed records by many other crust bands, including Doom, Misery, Fleas and Lice, Anarcrust, Counterblast, Dirt, and Hellbastard.

Recent releases include albums by Nausea, The Cooters, Behind Enemy Lines and Witch Hunt.