Jason Roche

Terrorizer - 1989 line-up; Credit: Courtesy of Emma Pintado

Celebrating Terrorizer's Legacy, 25 Years Later

Jason Roche
Terrorizer’s 1989 debut album World Downfall showcased what would become trademarks of the grindcore genre. That is, extremely short bursts of aggression similar to punk, but amped up by distorted death metal riffs and the fastest blastbeat drumming imaginable, with all of it a backdrop for politically-conscious lyrics. The album is......
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Yngwie Malmsteen

Jason Roche
Modern hard-rock acts such as Animals As Leaders may be carrying the torch for shred guitar, but no man has carried it longer and prouder than Swedish master Yngwie Malmsteen. Since the release of his landmark 1984 solo debut, Rising Force, Malmsteen has specialized in the type of over-the-top neoclassical......
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Pelican

Jason Roche
Illinois quartet Pelican slather their instrumental metal with layers of atmospherics. The group's powerful soundscapes inspire listeners to pump their fists in the air even as no vocals beckon for such an action. Comparisons with now-defunct post-metal pioneers Isis have followed Pelican throughout their decade-plus career, but they are very......
Cult of Melancholia act Lake of Blood; Credit: Richie Torres

Cult of Melancholia: A Haunting L.A. Metal Collective

Jason Roche
South Bay metal musician Eric Netto has lots of tattoos, but the one he seems most proud of is on his lower right leg. It's adorned with the logo for Cult of Melancholia, the local metal collective he co-founded with members of bands he's part of. The logo consists of an ancient......
Animals As Leaders; Credit: Courtesy of Guitar Center

Premiere: Animals As Leaders' New Track "Lippincott" (VIDEO)

Jason Roche
Since moving to Los Angeles from Washington D.C. in 2010, metal instrumental trio Animals As Leaders have drawn serious accolades. Their heavy sound includes progressive-rock guitar, as well as moments of jazz and electronic music. Their dynamic virtuosity has allowed them to connect  connect with younger metal listeners, rather than just, say, aging......
Jack Russell

Great White's Jack Russell Is a Hair-Metal Survivor

Jason Roche
In the late 1980s, Great White were all over the radio and MTV, led by charismatic frontman Jack Russell. Spurred by hits such as "Rock Me" and "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," they toured alongside giants including Bon Jovi. Nowadays, however, the band is torn apart and Russell lives on a......
Floor - see Saturday

Floor

Jason Roche
Miami group Torche have found great acclaim over the last decade combining the heaviness of Black Sabbath with the poppiness of Foo Fighters. The roots of that band are found in Floor, the previous group of Torche leader Steve Brooks. During their original existence from 1994 to 2004, Floor indulged......
Ron Funches; Credit: Photo by Ryan Orange

Ron Funches: Nerd of the Absurd

Jason Roche
One of the fascinating Angelenos featured in L.A. Weekly's People 2014 issue. Check out our entire People 2014 issue. The lovable, stoned teddy bear persona that comedian Ron Funches projects onstage is an extension of who he is in regular conversation over lunch at the Mess Hall in Los Feliz. His......
ACxDC; Credit: Courtesy Curran Reynolds PR

Premiere: ACxDC's Raging New Song "Filicide"

Jason Roche
Los Angeles powerviolence outfit ACxDC graced our cover last July. While they're known for their bursts of moshpit-friendly hardcore aggression - both funny and socially aware - at that time they'd only released about ten minutes of music, comprised of 17 songs spread out among EPs and split releases. But on June 24......
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Mastodon

Jason Roche
Atlanta quartet Mastodon rains down thunderous riffs that are as burly as the beards on its members' faces. Starting off as a thick sludge-metal group in 2000, the Mastodon have evolved over their decade-plus existence into a powerful metallic unit dabbling in prog-rock concepts. But they have not forsaken the......