Jason Roche

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Night Demon, Skull Fist

Jason Roche
Bullet belts and leather jackets will be flying at this show co-headlined by two newer bands that worship at the altars of classic metal acts such as Iron Maiden and Diamond Head. Local boys Night Demon have just released their first proper album, Curse of the Damned. The work is......
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Jucifer

Jason Roche
A couple of years ago, a set of photos showing bands using hollowed-out amps and cabs as stage props went viral. This husband-and-wife sludge-metal duo answers the question of what it would sound like if all those amps were really plugged in. The duo’s albums are quite heavy in their......
Iron Maiden; Credit: John McMurtrie

Comeback Kings: 10 Veteran Metal Bands That Have Stayed Relevant

Jason Roche
One constant in every musical genre is the turnover of acts that come swinging out of the gate, but then go through a commercial and/or creative slump. Music’s most truly enduring acts are able to “weather the storm” and come out the other side. The heavy metal genre is certainly......
Excruciating Terror; Credit: Organ Donor

Excruciating Terror

Jason Roche
Excruciating Terror flew the death metal and grindcore flags high in the mid-‘90s Los Angeles metal scene. Their two albums -- Expression of Pain and Divided We Fall -- were two of the most relentlessly brutal albums to come out of L.A. during that time. Live shows since their 2013......
Earth; Credit: Photo by Samantha Muljat

The 10 Best Heavy Metal Albums of 2014

Jason Roche
Just when we think there is nowhere left to explore in the world of metal, a flood of excellent releases both reinforce what we already love about the genre, and push the boundaries of what we know it to be. Below, we celebrate the top 10 heavy metal albums of......
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Krammpstein

Jason Roche
Normally, an invitation to check out a tribute band should be met with a polite decline. But when the opportunity arises to check out tribute bands that twist the templates of their namesakes into a Krampus-themed celebration, we have to accept. Krammpstein uses elaborate costumes and a wild stage show......
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Intronaut

Jason Roche
These L.A. sludge-masters are celebrating their 10th anniversary with this show. We've devoted plenty of space in L.A. Weekly over the past few years to these guys, but for this show they are promising to dig deep and highlight some cuts going back to their early days as well. The......
Credit: SPV

The 10 Most Ridiculous Metal Album Covers of 2014

Jason Roche
Even in the digital music age, eye-striking cover art is still incredibly valued in the heavy metal genre. But the line between ridiculously awesome and awesomely ridiculous often gets walked very precariously. We present to you this year's metal album covers that crossed that line. 10. Foreseen Helsinki Savagery There’s......
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Devin Townsend Project, Animals As Leaders

Jason Roche
Canadian musician Devin Townsend’s main strength is writing infectiously catchy prog-metal, but he can also switch gears with blistering, blastbeat-laden riffs at the drop of a hat. His latest album Z2 is a double-disc opus showcasing his “Ziltoid the Omniscient” alter ego in a humorous rock opera about an extraterrestrial......
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Wolvhammer

Jason Roche
This Midwest act impresses with how many different ways it fills the listener with a sense of dark dread on their newest album, Clawing Into Black Sun. It can be loosely categorized under the black metal umbrella, but there are also twists and turns down highways paved with bluesy sludge......