There’s a plethora of hard rock and extreme metal bands from Los Angeles, yet it’s refreshing to hear one such band that is softer and melodic, but still epic and worthy of your headbanging time. This is the case with L.A.’s self-proclaimed dream metal band Blue Midnight, fronted by the charismatic and talented Justine Glaser: vocalist, musician, and songwriter.

Glaser, an L.A. native, created the concept of Blue Midnight, as a unique interpretation of rock and heavy metal music with soul, passion and layered sounds that offer dreamy and ethereal interludes and rhythms.

Among the band’s listed influences are Korn, Linkin Park, Nightwish, Evanescence and Within Temptation. But another clear influence prog metal vets Dream Theater.

“My favorite band of all time is Dream Theater — they are brilliant composers all of them,” Glaser says during a recent interview on a sunny day in Hollywood. “That band is so great. They are all amazing musicians and one of my biggest influences.”

Glaser, who plays the piano, guitar and harp, worked with her cousin Sam Glaser to create the music for Blue Midnight’s debut album, 2018’s Eternal Wish. Now, her band includes David Allen, Jake Courlang, Julian Garcia, Seth Hansen, and Todd McCool.

“I found all the musicians I play with on Facebook and Instagram,” Glaser said. “Lots of people post videos of themselves playing on social media, and I just searched and found people I thought would fit stylistically.”

Regarding the dream metal genre, Glaser admits it was her idea, but isn’t too fond of genres labels. “I would call Blue Midnight’s sound a blend, that is really the heaviness of metal with synthesizers and dreamy sounds and instruments; it’s otherworldly, in the way it’s composed and thought out the song structures,” she says. “ I came up with the name of the genre dream metal but I kind of feel like genres are a concept that is dying a little — there are so many new influences and new music it’s just getting different, so we just create the music we love.”

Glaser is an avid reader of mythology and books by JK Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien and more. “I love reading. It’s my favorite thing on the planet. I love books,” she says. “But I am also an artist, and I really want to be able to create what I love doing and help others while I create.”

As for what inspires Blue Midnight’s music, Glaser says there are no limits. “I get inspiration from all over the place — by reading, an experience I had, or someone else’s experiences,” she says. “To create music, inspiration comes from everywhere I just keep an open mind and let it happen freely.”

Glaser also has slightly weird connection to the color blue: “It is my is my favorite color, I’ve always been into it since I was three,” she says.  “It was always a safe space for me. It is versatile, calming and works well with everyone. I just love blue.”

Being a band from L.A., and working the local scene can be difficult at times, though Blue Midnight have managed to book several local shows opening for acts such as Lita Ford, Sponge and Anvil at the legendary Whisky A Go Go, with other future dates to be announced later this summer.

“We have no management, we do it all ourselves, and it can get exhausting,” she says. “But  I’m grateful we are putting in a lot of this footwork on our own because when we get a team to back us,  it will be amazing with all this we did to make it there.”

Glaser said the key is to never give up; there’s no substitute for hard work and dedication. This spirit of persistence has finally paid off for the band, because Blue Midnight will be performing at the biggest show of their career so far: the Aftershock Music Festival in Sacramento on October 11 through 13. Blue Midnight will perform on the last day with headliners Korn, plus Tool, Gojira and many others. Other performers over the weekend include Slipknot, Rob Zombie, Blink 182, Halestorm, Sum 41 and many others.

“We haven’t gone on tour yet to Sacramento, this is going to be our first outward reach,” Glaser says, adding the band is ecstatic to have this once in a lifetime opportunity. “We all can’t wait for this, it’s going to be a huge music festival,  and a great experience we’re all looking forward to it.”

Glaser says the band plans to do some warm-up shows in the L.A. area before the Sacramento date, but at this time, dates are still being booked.

“Right now though, we are in the writing phase so not playing too many shows, and we will be releasing an EP or an album sometime soon,” Glaser says. “Our live shows have taken a back burner a little bit because of this, but when we do play, we plan on playing something new life as a special treat to fans.”

For more information, visit Facebook.com/bluemidnightmusic.