Jason Roche

Exmortus; Credit: Alex Solca

Premiere: Exmortus Shred Their Way Through a "Feast of Flesh" (NSFW)

Jason Roche
Whittier metallers Exmortus are a welcome respite from the repeated splintering of heavy metal genres, subgenres and sub-subgenres. In the 10 years since their 2008 debut, In Hatred's Flame, band co-founder Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez (vocals/guitars) has steered the band from their humble beginnings as a local backyard death/thrash favorite to a metallic powerhouse letting fly neoclassical guitar solos reminiscent of ’80s guitar virtuosos like Yngwie Malmsteen....
Matt Cross vs. Brody King at Suburban Fight Pro Wrestling on Feb. 25; Credit: Kevin Quiroz

So We Went to a Bar and Pro Wrestling Bar-Fight Style Broke Out (Video Premiere)

Jason Roche
Local punk-rock promoter Suburban Fight entered the crowded SoCal grappling game with their first wrestling event on Sunday, Feb. 25. Staging their matches at Resident in the downtown Arts District, the organizers of the show immediately established it by changing the formula and doing away with a standard of pro wrestling dating back more than 100 years to the art form's origins: the ring....
Penta el Zero M (then known as Pentagon Jr.); Credit: Courtesy of El Rey Network

The Top Ten Los Angeles Pro Wrestling Moments

Jason Roche
Wrestling fans in our city have been fortunate enough to witness some of the most historic – and infamous – moments in the history of the art form, dating back to early exhibitions at Wrigley Field in the 1930s. The moments below impacted multiple generations of Angeleno wrestling fans, from those that love current favorites of the WWE Universe to those that had front row seats at the Grand Olympic Auditorium during the city's 1970s heyday as one of the hottest regional wrestling scenes in the country....
The Napalm Death burger at Grill ’Em All; Credit: Jillian Voigt

Grill 'Em All Celebrates Five Years of Heavy Metal and Heavy Burgers

Jason Roche
A vast array of heavy metal–inspired burger names adorns the menu, ranging from simple-but-still-creative sandwiches such as the Dee Snider — adorned with peanut butter, jelly, bacon and sriracha — to monstrous concoctions such as the Napalm Death, a pepper-jack cheeseburger piled high with pickled jalapeño, cream cheese and jalapeño poppers....
Meshuggah - performing Monday

The Best L.A. Metal Shows to See in January

Jason Roche
There's no better way to get off the couch, kick off your 2018 with a high-energy start, and sweat off the extra pounds than heading into the pit for the best metal shows coming to Los Angeles in January....
Behold! The Monolith; Credit: Mehdi Hassine

Three Bands That Prove L.A.'s Modern Doom-Metal Scene Is Maturing

Jason Roche
Los Angeles has long been known for its expansive metal history, but recent years have seen a resurgence locally in the thicker musical rumble of doom. These three bands below — each with their own different perspectives and approaches to delivering heavy-metal thunder — are shining examples of what our city is bringing to doom-metal fans in 2018....
Expander; Credit: Necroblanca Photography

L.A. Weekly's Top 10 Metal Albums of 2017

Jason Roche
Humanity may be one reckless Tweet away from getting decimated in a nuclear holocaust. There's never been a better time to throw some headphones on, blast some ear-bleeding heavy metal, and shut out the noise of the outside world until the sweet release that death will bring....