Starting out as a mid-price catalogue reissue specialist, with labels including The Collector Series and Dojo, it grew into the largest European owner of repertoire outside the major record companies. It purchased catalogues including
Pye,
Piccadilly,
Bradley's,
Bronze,
Black Sabbath,
Sugar Hill,
Transatlantic,
Beserkley,
All Platinum and
Solar. They possessed most of the Transatlantic and Trailer catalogue. Starting in the early 1980s, they released compilations and reissued work by
Fairport Convention,
John Renbourn,
Barbara Dickson,
Steeleye Span,
the Watersons,
Richard Thompson,
Geoff Turton and many others. They 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 also released a comprehensive compilation featuring songs by Canadian rock band,
Triumph. In the 1980s, they were notable for releasing many
heavy metal compilations albums under the series name
Metal Killers. Interest in these licensed releases led them to form 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
NWOBHM act
Hell's Belles, releasing their debut album and single in 1985. After several years, the Raw Power imprint was retired with the decline of heavy metal in the UK. Castle Communications was acquired by BMG, the largest music distributor, for $24.5 million in 1993. In 2000, they were acquired by
Sanctuary Records Group. The label was dissolved when Sanctuary became a
Universal Music Group subsidiary in 2007. Since 2013 Sanctuary has been owned by
BMG Rights Management, with global distribution handled by
Universal Music Group. == Castle Vision/Home Video ==