Not often do we see local bands that feature members from well known bands in them. Her Demise My Rise hails from Rancho Cucamonga, CA and formed in 2006. The lineup is Ryan on vocals, Peter on guitars, Jake from Carnifex on guitars, Tony on bass and Dusty from Rose Funeral and now Make Me Famous on drums. The band previously did start as high school friends wanting to play music and party hard.
They recorded two demos over 2007 and 2008 then got signed to Uprising Records in 2009 which released albums from artists like Fall Out Boy, Emmure, 7 Angels 7 Plagues and many others. They released their debut full length The Takeover in 2010. The debut featured guests such as Riverside area rapper T. Mills and original vocalist Cam. The album went through the roof with many online and hard copy publications.
As of this year, the band is finishing up their most recent release titled Curses which the band says is dues out next year. Many people do not know the current lineup due to many of the members having other projects that they are working on as well.
So as some of you may ask or know, many people ask, "how can you listen to that music? It sounds like he's burping / the devil / or some other answer along those lines." Well I have been a fan of metal since I was ten and I really got into death metal and grindcore around thirteen. One of my favorite bands upcoming from the late 2000's was Pencil Lead Syringe. I first heard them on a compilation that 187 Records used to put out featuring bands like Elysia, Robinson, Destroyer Destroyer, Ivebeenshot, The Crinn and many others.
Pencil Lead Syringe is a three-piece Brutal Death Metal band from the Inland Empire area of California. Their name comes from a song by a band called Glass Casket. The band formed in the middle of 2005 and has had multiple line-up changes but the current lineup is Ramon Mercado on vocals, Chris Philippsen on guitar and Gerry Flores on drums. They recorded and released their first demo Redrum Is Murder Backwards in 2005. The demo sounded very muddy and hard to hear but displayed the group's unique sound. Shortly after in 2006 came their label debut EP by Dan's Crypt Records called The Agua Mansa Massacre which opened the doors for the band to receive much acclaim and recognition.
In early 2007, Pencil Lead Syringe recorded their debut full length titled Suffocated and Embalmed which featured twelve tracks of chaotic guitar work, unintelligible guttural vocals and machine-gun drums. Many people related their sound to Circle of Dead Children, Ion Dissonance and Decapitated. With the recognition the band was receiving on this release, they came back in late 2008 to release A Loss Of Orientation which featured four all new tracks. The band seemed to have disappeared after the release but resurfaced in 2011 announcing a new release.
This year, the band released a self titled EP available through Black Sessions Inc. The EP showcases the band's evolved sound and better recording quality. If you're a fan of grindcore, brutal death metal or just lyrics about sex, drugs, violence and anti-religion then this band is great for you.
Another well known band to rise up from the Los Angeles area was We Are The End. We Are The End or also known as WATE to their fans, was a five-piece deathcore band from Los Angeles, CA with members also from the Fullerton/Anaheim area that was born in 2005. The band consisted of vocalist Spencer Aragon, guitarists Brandyn Love and Mychal Wright, bassist Shaun-Matthew Paramore and drummer David Crough.
The band released their first demo The Skies Most Wanted in 2007 which actually featured three guitarists on the recordings. They later went into the studio to record their EP If I Should Die in 2009. The EP gained much acclaim from online metal review sites as well as music publications like Highwire Daze and AP Magazine.
After multiple shows and tours planned, the group was picked up by famous metal label, Metal Blade Records which features artists like Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse, As I Lay Dying, Whitechapel and Job For A Cowboy. The band was set to record their debut full length but Brandyn and Spencer left the band which led to loss of interest from the label and they were dropped from Metal Blade. In 2010, the band announced their breakup online.
Brandyn and Spencer decided to continue on with a new project called Inspired By You which is a band as well as a clothing label created by Brandyn.
The Funeral Pyre is a blackened death metal band from La Habra, CA. The group has recorded three studio albums, two EPs and two split releases. The band consists of guitarists James Joyce and Justin Garcia, vocalist John Strachan, drummer Alex Hernandez, and bassist Adam Campbell.
The Funeral Pyre got their start in 2001 under the name Envilent. The Funeral Pyre has gained acclaim
amongst metal internet press outlets for its Swedish-style melody, ethereal
keyboards, and black metal style vocals.
Several
demos and an early EP were released under the bands former identity, Envilent, until the independent release
of the 2003 EP, October, when the
band changed their name to The Funeral
Pyre. Soon, the band released its first full length album, Immersed by the Flames of Mankind in
2004, and a split between Oregon's Leech
and The Funeral Pyre was released in
2006, with limited quantities as a split 7" called The First Book Of The Kings, released through Forest Moon Special
Products. The band released their second full length album The Nature of Betrayal in 2006, recorded at Ulug studios in Costa
Mesa, California through Creator-Destructor Records, an independent California
based recording studio. In a distribution deal with Prosthetic Records, The Nature of Betrayal was re-released
in 2007, due to decent success on the internet.
Recorded
in January and February with producer John Haddad, Wounds was mixed by Erik Rutan and mastered by Alan Douches and was
released in 2008. This was the first album to not feature long time
keyboardist, Daniella Jones, who was released by the band for "musical
differences" and was in turn replaced by a second guitarist, Justin
Garcia.However, the band suffered another loss when Garcia left the
band, but soon was replaced by Lanny Perelman, formally of Cerberus, who left
the band as well. The band has more closely embraced black metal entirely with
the release of Wounds, as well as
later works. The band released December,
mixed and mastered by Ryan Butler at Arcane Digital Recording during December
2008, a limited EP distributed by Creator-Destructor Records in 2009. A 7"
split with Landmine Marathon was
released shortly after through Forest Moon Special Products, showcasing a cover
of short lived German act, ACME's
song "Attempt", as well as another original song.
The
band's fourth studio album, Vultures at
Dawn was released in 2010. It was generally well received, much of the
praise coming from the more experimental songs "Monolith" and
"To Watch the Earth Rot", both being further from their normal genre
of songwriting known to the audience of The Funeral Pyre.
The Letter Red was a well known local band from my high school days. Hearing of a local band playing events like Vans Warped Tour was unheard of back then but this band was not your usual band.
The Letter Red was a metalcore four-piece from Pasadena, CA that got their start in 2004. The band consisted of Jamie on guitar, Travis on vocals, Farrar on bass and Jeff on drums. The group released their first demo in 2005 featuring the track "The League of Extra-Ordinary Men" which became their known single at all shows. The band also recorded a self-titled EP that was never released.
The group has shared the stage with such acts as From A Second Story Window, Every Time I Die, He Is Legend, Scars Of
Tomorrow, Nevea Tears , The Acacia Strain, Inked In Blood, Remembering
Never, Underoath, The Receiving End Of Sirens, Into The Moat, Throwdown,
Suicide Silence, The Faceless, The Human Abstract, Terminal, The Red
Death and many more. They have also won quite a few battle of the bands events at high schools and the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands for Warped Tour '06.
The band officially broke up in 2007 but their music still lives on for anyone who was part of the local scene through the 626 area and remembers the days of No Future Cafe in Pasadena. Bands may end but their music is forever.
So I went to see a rarity at the Glass House in Pomona, CA on Saturday which was an all local night. The show was to celebrate the drummer of All Ages Assault, Ramon Burreul's birthday. There was a good sized crowd already waiting for the bands to go on.
As the show started, the first band which was Alive In Shadows which looked to be a younger metalcore group. The group comes from Antelope Valley with their own sound. They took the stage with a burst of high energy with a heavy sound and engaging stage presence. Second up was More Than Reason which I mentioned before in a past post. The lineup has been hard at work with new material which they showcased that night. With the addition of their new drummer, the band sounded a lot more well rounded. The band did a live cover of "A Prophecy" by Asking Alexandria which with people rushing the stage to sing along definitely got the people excited and engaged. To quote their guitarist Alex, they definitely had new "amaz-za-zing" songs and were quite impressive.
Right after was All Ages Assault. The group was quite excited to be playing the Glass House and brought their A-game. The had the crowd going nuts in the pit with bodies flying from left to right and up and down. There was not a moment that there was no movement in the crowd through the band's set. Their vocalist Nick Serki also did a shout out to all the bands playing that night as well as a shout out to my band, Love On The Lips Of A Whore, which was a very cool thing.
Up next was the group I had not heard before called Though I Walk. They are a Christian metalcore band from the Orange County vicinity. With their uplifting and spirited lyrics, people enjoyed their positivity that also did not lack the heaviness that the genre brings. For only being a band for a year, they had a sound that was beyond their time. The Voice Within was up after. A group from Imperial Beach, CA that was also a Christian group. They were quite a good band with words of repentance for sin and acceptance of God which kept the positive atmosphere going.
The closer was Disposable Heroes from Chino, CA. Not to be confused with the Southend, UK metal band of the same name. The group brought a sound with a mix of metal and punk. The music had the heaviness and aggression of metal but the speed and anger of punk rock. The crowd was pumped to see these guys and ready to move.
All and all, the night was full of energy and great upcoming local sounds. I was glad to have been there, meet and listen to all bands that played. I'd also like to say it was great of the Glass House to set up this locals show that looked like it went well. Just remember everyone as a small piece of advice, support all local bands out there because you have to remember, bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, No Doubt and many, many others were bands that practiced in garages and played small local gigs with barely any fans and now they are well known and heard daily on the radio. You never know who you'll see at a show this year and later on find out that they are signed and doing huge tours so...SUPPORT THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE!
So I never really got to tell anyone about me, my music career and writing background. As you all should know by now, I'm Neil Andersen, 25 and I attend Mt. San Antonio College as a Music Major. I have been playing and recording music since 1999 (yes since I was 12 I've been writing and recording).
I first started with my solo project Echoes Of Silence (Info Here) in 1999 but recorded my first album in 2003. I have been doing this solo symphonically influenced metal project from then up to this day. I work mostly with FL Studio as well as using Adobe Mixcraft and Audacity to record. I self taught myself how to use all programs so that I may actually be able to do my own home recordings and mixing.
I am also the vocalist of an upcoming local band called Love On The Lips Of A Whore which I started originally in 2006 but finally got serious with it in 2010 when we recorded our debut full length titled Asylum. We recorded again our EP titled Liars & Cheaters last year at No Mercy Recordings which is available through Your Label Records (hard copy) and Record Union (digital) on iTunes (BUY HERE!). We are currently working on our sophomore full length titled Deception that should be due out late this year or early next year. We have toured twice and most recently did our first headlining tour called The Lies & Deception Tour with Aura & Vanity and Vale of Avalon.
As for my writing experience, I got into writing because of my father Paul Andersen who was a freelance writer and has written for such publications as Long Beach Press-Telegram, LA Times, Entertainment Weekly, LA Weekly, Pasadena Weekly, Pasadena Star-News, and many others. He has interviewed such bands as In Flames, Opeth, Black Label Society, Phil Anselmo from Pantera, Ville Valo of HIM, Blue Oyster Cult, Styx and many many more. I saw how he got to meet and talk to so many amazing musicians through out his career and it made me want to try my shot at it.
At the age of 16, I got my first published article for Entertainment Weekly covering The Blackest Of The Black Tour featuring Danzig, Nile, Opeth, Lacuna Coil as well as other metal acts. I was beyond happy seeing myself published. I later went to write for a short period with AP Magazine, Highwire Daze and Skinnie Magazine and now I am currently a writer for Lovely Robot Media (View Here).
I now am focusing on my blog here that I am writing to you all on as well as trying to further my music. I hope you all now feel closer to me and continue to read! I included a track from both my bands below in case anyone is curious.
In the rapidly changing and evolving world of heavy music, bands come
and go faster than you can get a value meal at a fast food restaurant.
Finding bands who are still slugging it out after a decade is a rare
occurrence. What’s even more uncommon is finding a band who have
recorded their most intense and career defining album 12 years into
their career. But, that is exactly the case with SouthernCalifornia’s ANTAGONIST, and their new album, “World In Decline.”
The band was formed by, then teenage, singer/guitarist Carlos Garcia
and drummer Lond Garcia in 1998 and released two albums and three EPs
before signing with Prosthetic Records and releasing 2008’s “Exist.”
After a few lineup changes through the decade, the current lineup
features the (unrelated) Garcias, along with guitarist Roland Leonard
and bassist Nick Reyes. The band hit Buzz Bomb Studios in Orange, CA
earlier this year with producer Paul Miner (Thrice, Throwdown, Terror)
who recorded, mixed and mastered the effort. The band’s sound has gotten
tighter, more technical, and angrier on “World In Decline,” while
summoning the thrash of early Metallica, the groove of Pantera and the
technical death metal of At The Gates, while still holding on to the
strings of melody and the guitars have never been more searing and
ferocious.
Probably
the biggest difference this time around with World In Decline is the clean singing (or lack
thereof). This is a very pissed off album lyrically and thematically, so they thought it would only be proper to NOT include any clean singing
this time around. I know some of you won’t like that, but it’s something the group felt would be necessary to hopefully get their point across.
The album Exist had a hopeful message of working together as humans towards a
better future. World In Decline is about the realization that things
will always be screwed up, people will always be selfish, and this world
is going to end at any minute, and we have nobody to blame but
ourselves. People grow older and figure out that life doesn’t get any
easier and that our own selfishness, carelessness, and ignorance are at
the core of our demise.
Antagonist is in the midst of plotting a US tour this year and will be on the road continuously throughout the foreseeable
future. It will certainly not be a shock to their system as they’ve put
countless miles on their van through continuous touring over their
existence with the likes of Animosity, Light This City, The Faceless,
Arsonists Get All The Girls, and more.
Yes I know they are signed, yes I know they are huge, and yes I know everyone knows about them but I actually grew up knowing them back when they started as Bleak December. So today I talk about the great and all powerful force known as Winds of Plague. They will forever be in my top 5 favorite bands of all time.
Winds of Plague is an deathcore band from Upland, California, formed in 2002. They are best known as one of the only deathcore bands to incorporate symphonic elements into their music along with other acts such as Make Them Suffer.
During the time of the band's inception, its name was originally "Bleak
December". However, they changed their name in April 2005, to Winds of
Plague", being named after a lyric from the Unearth song, Endless. Shortly following their name change, they recorded their debut album A Cold Day in Hell when they had just finished their senior year at high school. It was released on June 27, 2005 through Recorse Records. It features the single "Brotherhood", which they still play at numerous live shows.
Three years after the release of A Cold Day in Hell, they recorded their first major label album Decimate the Weak, which was released on February 5, 2008 through Century Media Records.
The album features the singles "Decimate the Weak" and "Angels of
Debauchery", and a music video was shot and released for the song "The
Impaler". The album also features four tracks from A Cold Day in Hell that were re-recorded for this album.
Winds of Plague's third album, and second release on the major label Century Media, The Great Stone War
was released on August 11, 2009. Though the album features two singles,
"Approach the Podium" and "Chest and Horns", no music videos were ever
shot for any songs on the album. On October 14, 2009, keyboardist
Kristen Randall stated that she would be leaving the band and did so
days afterward. The band approached musician Lisa Marx
to fill in on keyboard for their Australian/New Zealand tour.
Afterwards the band found Alana Potocnik who since then has been
inducted as Winds of Plague's keyboardist.
Against the World,
the band's fourth album, was released on April 19, 2011 to widespread
critical acclaim. "Refined in the Fire" and "California" have been
released as singles, as well as music videos for "Drop the Match",
"California" and "Refined in the Fire". The band also appeared on the
soundtrack for the game Homefront performing a cover of the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth". A cover of "Zombie" by The Cranberries was included in an iTunes EP for "California".
Winds of Plague is currently in the studio recording their fourth full length album for Century Media Records.
I've been lucky enough to personally know and watch these guys grow from back in the day when they were playing locals shows. I bring to you today one of my close personal favorites and great friends at that, At The Skylines.
At The Skylines was formed in 2009 and play a melodic not your usual
post-hardcore. They’re all based in Southern California around
Huntington Beach. They produced a self titled EP in 2009 with producer
Kris Comeaux. They’re a six-piece band who write from their souls. They
recently got signed to Roadrunner Records and their debut album The Secrets To Life was released May 8, 2012.
Their live shows boast two incredibly talented front men that completely
cover the brutality of metal while still bringing forth the catchy sounds
of near pop status choruses in a way that can still be presented
tastefully and admirably. Energetic would be a lackluster way of
describing their live performance, which is driven by non-stop
interaction between band and crowd. No one on stage is standing still,
and neither is the crowd. The music captures great melody, yet is
technically sound enough to achieve respect and loyalty from fans across
multiple genres. Overall, it’s the songs that are going to get the band
to connect with their audience and ultimately point them to success.
The lyrical content isn’t short-sighted or based around petty topics.
This is a mature band with a mature sound that has put together real
songs.
A Welcome Distraction is an alternative rock/Metal band that uses catchy
lyrics, heavy metal shreds with an amazing live show that appeals to a
younger crowd to those that grew up in the height of the 90’s
alternative rock scene.
The four members began their musical careers playing with different
bands in different music scenes. Javier, the vocalist/rhythm guitar/song
writer, began his career in music just over ten years ago and was the
singer and songwriter for the punk band ‘R.V.’ Alex, the lead guitarist,
has put together a number of bands and projects in the heavy metal
underground of Los Angeles and has been signed to four different record
labels.
The latest addition to A Welcome Distraction is Cole on drums and
Vince on bass guitar. Cole has played with numerous bands before and
during his time at Musicians Institute where he was one of twenty-three
to graduate in percussion. Vince is the bass guitar prodigy from award
winning bands from around Orange County and is bringing his experience
to A Welcome Distraction in the quest to take over the rock scene and
kick off a new wave of rock to emerge from California.
A Welcome Distraction’s music is forged from the depths of human
emotion, energy, and is rapidly becoming a powerful force in the Los
Angeles and Orange County rock scene. The music has already caught the
ears of people around the globe with the self-titled debut album. The
second album is in the works so you can bet A Welcome Distraction is
here to stay.
A Piece Of The Action was started in Los Angeles, CA by Adam Morales in Jan. 2009 with the
idea of getting together some of the best musicians and friends anyone
could ever ask for. In his search, guitarist Steve Castellanos, his long
time friend, had joined the line up. Steve and Adam had shared the stage
together before in another previous band known as Soverbia. Later, guitarist Andy
Olson, from Minot, North Dakota, moved to Los Angeles and found that A.P.O.T.A.
was holding auditions for an additional guitarist. He came down, and was
the perfect fit.
In the following months bassist Dale Rosales, Adam's
long time friend from High School, quickly stepped in. Dale, prior to
joining A.P.O.T.A. , used to be in a band known as Doja with Adam's
older brother. With the best fans a band could ask for, several tours
under their belts, an astounding sound, and the desire to conquer the
world, A Piece Of The Action continues to write and record music that
makes the ears cheer that there is a metal band out there that is unlike
any other.
Eden's Onslaught is a unique band. They have been around for a while and to hear their music and think to yourself, "HOLY CRAP! THAT GIRL MADE THOSE VOCALS!?" is an understatement. The band originally formed in 2004 in the general San Gabriel Valley location with members Jaye Vampira on vocals, the Guitars of Di'Brom and Zerion, the Drums of Blackheart and the Bass of Raeon. After moving to Los Angeles, the band went into the studio to record their debut self titled full length in 2007. After much acclaim and high reviews, they continued to dominate the local metal scene playing venues like The Whiskey, The Viper Room, The Key Club and many others.
After more writing and more shows, the group stepped back into the studio to record their sophomore album Dimension 9. The album did very well and received more superb reviews. Many magazines and online review sites have stated that they could not believe the sheer ferocity that Jaye creates with her vocals. The band fuses the lines between the cold and bleakness of black metal and the brutality of death metal.
The band is still hitting the venues and stages anywhere they can play. Word of a third release is in the works so stayed tuned and check them out!
At Your Funeral is a deathcore band out of Lynwood, California. They came to life in late summer of 2005, by Emilio and Diego on guitar, Chris on vocals and Brian on drums. Soon after a few months, Chris announced his departure from At Your Funeral in Late of 2005. In early 2006, Miguel joined in on vocals and Brian was kicked out of the band due to lack of dedication. Soon after Brian’s departure from the band, Sal came in on drums fitting perfectly into the group's sound. For a while, At Your Funeral continued to play without a bassist until the middle of 2006 Peter came in on bass. In 2007, Peter was also released due to lack of commitment. Again, the band continued to play without a bassist until Damian decided to join. With this perfect line up, they continued to make their music more experimental by mixing gravity blasts and half times. Their music is filled with heavy riffs from some of their death metal influences, slams & skull crushing breakdowns. Playing & Headlining various shows in the state of California, At Your Funeral built a sizable fan base bringing death metal and hardcore together with rotting emotions and anger which is the subject of their lyrics. In spring of 2008, At Your Funeral played the main stage at their first fest, Spring Breakdown. In summer 2008, the band did their first and final tour.
Jameson is a band that I remember seeing back in the day at The Whiskey in Hollywood multiple times pulling in huge crowds with the upbeat energy. Formed in Hollywood, California in February of 2006, Jameson’s very first EP, Keep the Change had fans hailing them as, “One of the best metal bands to come out of southern California in over a decade!” Jameson has five members influenced by heavy metal, blues, jazz, classic/southern rock, grunge and even hip-hop. The genesis of Jameson began when Ryan Dial (guitar) and Dan Ranada (guitar) met at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California. Before long, Jason Brennan, Dan’s roommate and a bass student at MI, began jamming with them. The trio wrote the riffs that would become Keep the Change, Jameson’s first EP. Fortuitously, Matt Bomb, a singer from the New Jersey metal scene exploded on the L.A. landscape and caught the band’s attention. Matt’s lyrics and vocals kicked it up a notch. Matt introduced the band to his roommate and M.I. percussion student, Chad Keith. Chad’s solid, high-speed, but most of all violent drumming technique gave Jameson the groove that took them to the next level. The group uses a unique writing technique. They utilize a guitar-driven writing style. The group produce metal that’s abrasive and fast, with a groove that can grab hold of any fan, anytime, anywhere. Now, this quintet of trained musicians brings a high level of professionalism, consistency and energy to their live shows at clubs like The Whiskey A Go-Go in West Hollywood and the Joint in Los Angeles, giving their audience a once-in-a-lifetime experience each and every time they perform.
So I have been on a fix of looking up some bands that were coming up into the scene from the earlier days like the high school backyard show days I used to play and go to. One of the forgotten bands from back then was Dead and Dying which happened to have popped up on my iTunes while I was at home. Here's the info on them. Dead and Dying was formed in Hollywood, CA in the spring of 2007 by veterans of the Hardcore scene. Members include Rick Rigney on drums/vocals (ex-Dying Breed), Boonie on guitar/vocals, Davey G. on vocals, and Dan Ryan on bass. The result of this combination is a heavy familiar sound from the TROYCORE streets. In 2008, the group released a demo which caught the attention of many. They infused the intensity and speed of punk while keeping the heavy and fast-paced energy of hardcore. The lyrics speak the truth while the music creates intensity allowing listeners to relate and decimate. Influences such as Iron Maiden, Sheer Terror, Sick Of It All, Cro-Mags, Carnivore, Agnostic front, Breakdown and their own scene has sparked an interest in hardcore while Dead and Dying carry on the TROYCORE tradition that they have been veterans of since the beginning.
In celebration of their recent signing, I thought I'd share a great band called Heartist. Heartist started in early 2011 with two guitarists, Tim and John. They had come from another band that had recently broken up, and they decided to give it another shot. They originally were going to do a couple of demos, but the more stuff they wrote, they decided to shoot for an EP. They had Matt on drums, who at the time was playing with Norma Jean, track for them. Matt ended up leaving Norma Jean later on, after a little convincing by the group. They picked up their bassist very late last year to complete the lineup.
They are now the newest band to be signed to Roadrunner Records. The band consists of vocalist Bryce Beckley, guitarists Jonathan Gaytan and Tim Koch, drummer Matt Marquez and bassist Evan Ranallo. Their self-produced, six-song EP, Nothing You Didn't Deserve, will be available on iTunes on October 16. In the meantime, get to know the band on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and check HeartistBand.com for updates; the band will be rolling out lyric videos for each track from the EP in the coming weeks.
After spending one of my band's tour dates sharing a stage with these guys, I felt like they deserved a lot more recognition than what they were receiving so I bring to you today something new and refreshing.
The Modern Prometheus is a melodic deathcore band that originates from Fullerton, California. The band was founded in 2010 by members Rodolfo Calderon, Robert DeVito, and David Vasquez, and later joined Allen Vannordstrand and Jimmy Steedman. After many local shows and pre-production in the studio in 2011, The Modern Prometheus parted ways with vocalist Jimmy Steedman only to pick up experienced vocalist Tommy McCarthy who got his fame from well known deathcore band Knights Of The Abyss.
After re-writing their EP with the band's new vocalist, The Modern Prometheus finished up their first album in June of 2012 with Isaiah Pritchard at Juggernaut Recordings and put it up for free download in July 2012 on their Reverbnation page. The EP received high reviews from many online outlets such as Pure Deathcore, Total Deathcore and Steve Shoots Shows.
The Modern Prometheus is currently unsigned, in high hopes of joining a record label soon here after.
I don't usually talk about bands on here that are farther away but these guys are too good and close friends and always play around the area. I'd like to introduce Beneath The Veil.
Beneath the Veil is a deathcore band from Corona, CA. Making their debut in 2008, they have hit the ground hard with their heavy and unique brand of deathcore. The band consists of members Sammy Alili on vocals, Adam Artea and Ian Judd on guitars, Fernando Frutos on bass and Jake Kelley on drums as of 2009. After the lineup got together, they got hard to work and wrote songs and got out and played small shows. It wasn't long till the group generated a buzz and started playing venues like Chain Reaction, The Grove in Anaheim, The Glass House and many others opening for bands like Molotov Solution, So This Is Suffering, Goliath, Impending Doom, Xibalba and many others. In 2010, this led them to ranking as #5 in Skinnie Magazines top 100 Unsigned Bands.
The group later hit the studio and recorded their debut EP "The Movement" in 2011. They made their debut music video for the title track of the EP which added to their already skyrocketing status in the music scene. As of this year, the band went into the studio again to record the EP "Circle City" which with the early release of the track Father Figure got the group high anticipation for the release of the EP. They also did a music video for the track as well. The EP is out now and available on their Bandcamp page. Highly recommended if you like bands like Legend, Demolisher, The Acacia Strain and Rooks. Keep an eye on these fellas because they're definitely going to make a name for themselves.
So some you know them by their original name which was Sophia's Hanging but they now are Paradigm as of this year. So here's a little on the group...well about both bands technically...you get my point.
The band started as Sophia's Hanging in 2009 from the Lakewood/Cerritos area with brothers Spencer (bass) and Madison (drums) Leeds, Lea Arzola on guitars, Ariel Alvarez on keys and the original vocalist Gabriel (no last name listed online but luckily I remembered). The group started with a darker and more sinister sound. The band was managed by Lea's mother Joti Arzola who today continues to handle all of the band's business and booking affairs. The group wrote their original tracks and got out and played them on any stage they could get onto from the backyards to venues.
The band faced the same problem many bands faced and had multiple lineup problems till they met vocalist Jeff Renfro who fit their sound perfectly. After many shows and an expanding fan base, the band recorded their two track demo with the singles Funeral For A Fiend and Madmen & Murderesses which gained the group more noteriety throughout the So Cal metal scene. After playing many festivals such as I'm On A Boat Festival in Long Beach, California Metalfest and many others, they honed their own original sound.
Later, they faced their biggest challenge when the group split to different musical views. The Leeds brothers left to continue their own project while the rest of the members changed their name to Paradigm but kept the same songs. Paradigm decided to take a new route in their sound and write more progressive metal songs. Now with the addition of Jonathan Richmond on bass and Peter Arguijo on drums, the group has gotten stronger than ever and are continuing to raise the stakes and dominate the local music scene.
Not many people know much about this band but they have been in the game for a bit now. Originally forming in 2008 out of East Los Angeles but now residing in the Inland Empire, Empires have been destroying the hardcore scene.
Empires is a five-piece beatdown hardcore band featuring members Fidel on vocals, Memo and Luis on guitars, Richard on bass and Nathan on drums. With so many lineup problems (yeah, they are usually the downfall of many bands) the band thought they were going to face their end early. They fought through it and have the lineup they do today and now are really working through out the Southern California area playing anywhere and everywhere.
The band put out an EP this year titled "Nowhere to Turn" recorded by Michael Montoya of Goliath at Sound Temple Studios and mixed and mastered by Andrew Glover of Winds of Plague at The Treehouse Recording Company. I suggest everyone who is a fan of Murder Death Kill, Brutality Will Prevail and other good hardcore to check them out!
Now here's a Pomona local that has been making a huge impact on the music scene. Skies of Ruin is a metalcore/deathcore band from Pomona, CA that got their start in 2008. While many bands have focused on heartbreaks, gore, destruction, fame, and brutality, Pomona's own Skies of Ruin has set out to prove that California has more to metal than just catchy guitar riffs and heavy breakdowns.
Skies of Ruin came together to go beyond just playing simple house shows and blasting metal in their cars. A solid line up emerged in 2010, consisting of Andre Cha
vez, Adam Reyes, Steven Gonzales, Sam Fritz, Ronnie Casanova, and Marcos Alvarez. The band pushed themselves to blend the various forms of metal and hardcore they grew up with. Armed with a diverse combination of spiritual lyrics, powerful melodies, and ground breaking piano pieces, Skies of Ruin released its first EP "Wastelands" in the summer of 2011. The band embodies a focused determination to progress themselves as artists, spread their message of enlightenment, and devastate fans with their insane stage presence.
Having that said, this band has been very influential to all rising local bands as seeing Skies of Ruin have pushed the limits with their hard work and really made a name for themselves.
Yes, I will be reviewing a show October 20th at The Glass House in Pomona, CA in support of All Ages Assault and More Than Reason and the other acts playing. I will try and catch more live acts as well as band reviews to add onto this blog so please do keep checking back! Also, feel free to comment any bands you guys would like to see posted up here! I am always looking for new local acts to cover give some exposure to. Thanks everyone who has been visiting this blog and reading my posts, much appreciated :)
What do you get when you have close friends, good times and great musicianship? You get a band called More Than Reason. I personally have had the pleasure to share a stage and know these guys all on a personal level and they have come a long ways from when they started out.
Hailing from Monrovia, CA, the metalcore five-piece More Than Reason got their start in 2011. Originally started by founding members Danny Baltazar (ex-Love On The Lips Of A Whore drummer) on drums and Leo Estrada on guitars, the duo sought after filling out the lineup. Taking a new approach, they recruited female vocalist Jin Choi into the lineup. Shortly after, Michael Ruble joined originally as bassist then took on the guitarist role. After multiple lineup problems the group gained brothers Jimmy (bass) and Alex (guitars/vocals) Ippolito.
The band does have a four song demo with the previous lineup but is hitting the studio shortly to record a new demo. The group may be fairly new into the scene but they have been hard at work hopping onto any show they can get to. They will be playing with All Ages Assault (see my previous post) at the Glass House in Pomona, CA on October 20th if anyone would like to see them live.
So I'd personally like to say, from my town of Monrovia, CA, not many bands come forth from there. We've had a few come out and die like Magnolia (RIP 2007), 99 Rounds And No Kills (RIP 2008), Making Out With Razors (RIP 2006) and a few others. All Ages Assault really pushes the bar for only coming into the music scene this year. Let me introduce you all to All Ages Assault.
All Ages Assault is a five-piece metalcore/deathcore band from Monrovia, California. The band originally started out with Nick Serki on vocals and Mathew Lim shredding on guitars. The two made several songs together and soon after Gage Goss joined the duo as second guitarist. After endless searches for members, Bradley Callahan came to play bass along with Ramon Borreul on drums. The group became a full lineup in a short period of time.
The group has already played with many known bands such as As Blood Runs Black, Set Your Goals, Animals As Leaders, Sea of Treachery, Big Chocolate and many others. The band has been working hard to play as many shows as they can get onto to get their name out there.
With high hopes in branching out and creating their own unique sound, the five will do virtually anything to get their name out there. Its always great to see a new generation of musicians working hard and making moves.
I usually don't talk about signed bands but I grew up with these guys and I am proud to see a band from my area make it this far. I have seen these guys grow from our high school days and now a well known touring act. So now if you haven't heard of Confide, read on.
Confide is an American metalcore band from Pasadena, California, formed in 2004. They released three EPs and two full-length albums. Although all the members of the group are openly Christian, they were not marketed in the "Christian" market since the band was on a secular label. The band announced on on October 4, 2010 that they would be disbanding while on tour in Japan in 2010. Upon their return from Japan, they played their farewell show on November 7, 2010. The band reformed in August of 2012 and are currently writing for their third studio album.
Confide was originally started in August 2004 by Aaron Van Zutphen, Jason Pickard and Josh Plesh as a deathcore (the combination of death metal and hardcore sound) band. The group went looking for members in their youth group. Pickard was friends with Billy Pruden while both Pruden and Zutphen knew Helberg. These five made-up the original Confide line-up. They released two EPs at this time; Innocence Surround and Introduction.
By the end of 2006, vocalist Josh Plesh left the band, and was replaced by Ross Michael Kenyon, putting his other band Penknifelovelife on hiatus. Kenyon was born & raised in Europe and moved to the United States to be with his girlfriend and at the same time, went online to search for bands that required a vocalist. After communicating with Helberg, Kenvon joined Confide and moved to his house where they started practicing. This change in line-up made the band shift into a purist metalcore sound, dropping nearly all death metal influence.
In 2007, Kenyon was forced to move back to England and began performing in Penknifelovelife again, this time putting Confide on hiatus. After one tour with And Their Eyes Were Bloodshot in Europe he stated on his band's Myspace that he was leaving the band permanently to put focus into Confide. Penknifelovelife split up and Confide started writing for their debut full-length.
Confide's first full length, titled Shout the Truth, was released on June 17, 2008 through Science Records. Shortly after the album was released, Science Records was eliminated by its parent company, Warner Bros. Records and Confide was left without a label. In early 2009, the band was signed to Tragic Hero Records, and began performing all across the United States, on tours such as the "Don't Take Your Guns to Tour", alongside bands Once Nothing, Here I Come Falling, and In Fear and Faith
Let us jump ahead to recent time where on August 31, 2012, Confide announced their reunion and launched their Kickstarter campaign. The band asked $30,000 by October 1, 2012 to create a new album. As of September 4th, the band has reached the $30,000 they needed to produce their album.
I know this is a long review about the band but since many of us don't see bands from local scenes make it this far, they have an extensive history and its nice to see them make it. Hope you all check them out!
Sorry everyone for the delay on posts. I have many of them written out but have been beyond busy with a lot of things but promise to update ASAP. Right now for those who don't know, I will be covering California Metalfest presented by Soundcheck Hollywood. I have contacted their publicist about it and am excited to say I will be covering this event.
For those who don't know me, My name is Neil Andersen and I have been a writer for over five years as well as a musician for over ten years. I am the vocalist of a band called Love On The Lips Of A Whore and have been granted the chance to tour and meet many great bands and people out there. I wanted to go into being the person to cover great underground and upcoming bands from the area since many of them are as good if not better than the signed bands they share stages with.
My goal is to show those who read my blogs some new upcoming bands in the metal underground so these bands can possibly get the recognition they deserve as well as write about what I love...MUSIC! So hope you all will stick around and check out some of these amazing bands that I will be talking about. Now let us OBSERVE THE MUSIC.
