Jason Roche

At first glance, Fear Factory vocalist Burton C. Bell appears to wearing a T-shirt for rising SoCal extreme metal band Nails. But upon closer inspection, it actually says “X-Files” in a black metal font above a stark black-and-white image of a UFO. This marriage of science fiction and blistering heavy......

Van Halen has been making music blog headlines in 2015 for mostly controversial reasons. Whether it’s the grumpy interview Eddie Van Halen gave to Billboard earlier this year or the reviews chastising David Lee Roth’s inconsistent performances at recent live shows, there have been plenty of reasons for diehard Van......

Tuesday, Oct. 6 Overkill, Symphony X The Regent The angry snarl of vocalist Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth on albums such as their 1989 landmark, The Years of Decay, and last year’s White Devil Armory helped Overkill rise high on the ladder of thrash metal greats, in the level just below the Big Four......

Tuesday, Oct. 6 Overkill, Symphony X The Regent The angry snarl of vocalist Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth on albums such as their 1989 landmark, The Years of Decay, and last year’s White Devil Armory helped Overkill rise high on the ladder of thrash metal greats, in the level just below the Big Four......

The first time a concertgoer witnesses San Diego musician Tristan Shone loading his gear onto a stage is an awe-inspiring moment. When Shone performs live under the moniker Author & Punisher, he is not accompanied by a standard guitars-and-drums setup. Instead, his abrasive industrial metal is generated by bulky, steampunk-esque......

The inspiration behind Los Angeles doom-metal group Ancient Altar's first song set the tone for the band’s ominous vision of humanity’s destruction. The leadoff track to their 2014 self-titled EP, Tidal, was inspired by a camping trip guitarist Barry Kavener had taken to a beach in central California. Where most......

Wednesday, September 9 Cult of Luna, Subrosa The Roxy On albums such as 2013’s Vertikal, Swedish post-metallers Cult of Luna are adept at integrating elements of electronic music with their hypnotic riffage, building to flowery explosions and powerfully artful crescendos. Subrosa’s brand of experimental doom-metal on albums such as 2013’s......

Wednesday, September 9 Cult of Luna, Subrosa The Roxy On albums such as 2013’s Vertikal, Swedish post-metallers Cult of Luna are adept at integrating elements of electronic music with their hypnotic riffage, building to flowery explosions and powerfully artful crescendos. Subrosa’s brand of experimental doom-metal on albums such as 2013’s......

Saturday, August 1 Maidens of Metal IV The Airliner This festival thrown by local promoters Metal Invictus is in its fourth year of celebrating talented women within the Los Angeles extreme metal scene. Harlequin stands out on this year’s lineup thanks to a vicious death-thrash attack that is anchored by......

Saturday, August 1 Maidens of Metal IV The Airliner This festival thrown by local promoters Metal Invictus is in its fourth year of celebrating talented women within the Los Angeles extreme metal scene. Harlequin stands out on this year’s lineup thanks to a vicious death-thrash attack that is anchored by......