Category: Gig Reviews

Review by Erik E. Wrath
Photos by Albert Licano

January 6 2018, The Regent, Los Angeles CA: The folks behind ‘Show Your Scars’ have been organizing an amazing festival-type show in the first week of January for the past couple of years, and this year they left no stone unturned in making it their best one yet. Christened ‘X Fest’, the 2018 edition featured Nuclear Assault, Hirax, Toxic Holocaust, Evil Dead, Expulsion, Thrown Into Exile, Pounder and Brain Dead, and our man Erik E. Wrath was in attendance to review it for us. Read his words along with Albert Licano’s images below. Continue reading “Metal Madness: ‘X Fest’ Marks the Spot at the Regent”

Photos by Robert DeAnda

January 27 2018, 5 Star Bar, Los Angeles CA: It was NAMM weekend, but this was not a NAMM jam. It was just a heavy metal show with 5 killer local bands that we put together at the last-minute, and we’re glad we did, because it was a total blast, and the place was completely packed. Our thanks go out to GraveDanger, The Composites, Chamuco, Tyranis and Barbeerians for jumping on the show at such short notice and rocking our socks off. Our man Robert DeAnda was in attendance to capture some stills for us. Enjoy them below, and be on the lookout for more kickass Metal Assault events! Continue reading “Photo Gallery: GraveDanger, The Composites, Chamuco, Tyranis & Barbeerians @ 5 Star Bar”

By Andrew Bansal

January 25 2018, House Of Blues, Anaheim CA: All-star heavy metal supergroup Metal Allegiance, created by bassist and songwriter Mark Menghi, features Alex Skolnick (Testament), David Ellefson (Megadeth) and Mike Portnoy as members of the core quartet alongside Menghi. The band writes and records original songs as well as performs covers with the help of guest musicians, and through the two studio releases and past live shows, Metal Allegiance has boasted involvement of the who’s who of heavy metal. Every year, the group convenes to play a show in Anaheim when all members are in town for the NAMM convention, and judging from past concerts, it is always a show worth attending for all metalheads. So, this year I had no hesitation in choosing this one as my sole concert of choice for NAMM week, and I expected nothing but a stellar show. Continue reading “The Cream of the Crop: Metal Allegiance rocks Anaheim with Metal Hits and Deep Cuts”

Images & Words by Sebastian Vazquez

December 2nd 2017, Malone’s, Santa Ana CA: As a tribute, and as a commemorative way of paying respect to the underground metal scene in Southern California, Costa Mesa melodic death outfit Voices of Ruin showcased a hefty lineup of the finest  death metal acts the region has to offer. They collaborated efforts with ADHD Entertainment in putting this all together. Continue reading “Orange County in Ruins after SoCal’s Heaviest Festival Thunders Through”

Photos by Maurice Nunez

December 7th 2017, The Viper Room, West Hollywood CA: Last Thursday we hosted an event at the Viper Room which featured Up The Irons, Systematic Chaos and Trendkill Revolution (tributes to Iron Maiden, Dream Theater and Pantera respectively), plus original opening act Blaze The Thunder. Through the 44 Metal Assault events that have taken place so far, we haven’t booked a whole lot of tribute bands, but we try to do something different every show, and this was our big tribute-themed night. To say that it was a good time for all involved, would be an understatement. All the bands ruled, and made for a fun Thursday evening on the ol’ Sunset Strip! In case you weren’t there, our man Maurice Nunez took these killer photos for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy them below: Continue reading “Photo Gallery: Up The Irons, Systematic Chaos, Trendkill Revolution & Blaze The Thunder @ The Viper Room”

November 29th 2017, The Viper Room, West Hollywood CA: Last Wednesday, we had the privilege of putting on a prog-themed night, headlined by Los Angeles’ own instrumental cult heroes An Endless Sporadic, playing their first LA show since 2013, and supported by one of our favorite prog locals Aeonic Impulse, and the ever-eccentric House Of Rabbits. On a night when LA also played host to bands like Guns N’ Roses, Trivium and Arch Enemy, our all-local-band prog night was completely packed, and all three bands played such splendid sets, it is hard to put in words. So, we’ll leave you with not one but two pictorial perspectives, by Maurice Nunez and C. Jones. Continue reading “Photo Gallery: An Endless Sporadic, Aeonic Impulse & House Of Rabbits @ The Viper Room”

Words by Andrew Bansal
Images by Maurice Nunez

November 22nd 2017, Fonda Theatre, Hollywood CA: In support of their 14th full-length studio album ‘The Blood of Gods’, perennial shock rock / heavy metal group GWAR is currently on a typically extensive North American headline run. The band is known to bring solid support bands with them as part of the touring package every time they come through, but this time even they’ve outdone themselves with the lineup, featuring fellow blood-splashers Ghoul, along with North Carolina hard rockers He Is Legend and Richmond VA rock n’ roll trio U.S. Bastards. The fact that the tour arrived in Los Angeles the night before Thanksgiving did not deter GWAR’s LA faithful to pack the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood to capacity, as the white-shirt-clad fans knew they were in for a bloody treat. Continue reading “Bloodbath in Hollywood: GWAR & Ghoul splatter Fonda Theatre”

Photos by Chris McFly

October 26th 2017, Estadio Caliente, Tijuana, Mexico: The inaugural edition of the Fronterizo Fest took place recently, and featured a power-packed lineup headed by Anthrax and Testament, and supported by local acts Alchemy and Armagedon, plus Deadly Apples all the way from Montebello, Quebec. Our man Chris McFly was in attendance, and captured these photos for us. Enjoy them below, and keep tabs on the festival’s official website and social media for updates on the 2018 edition! Continue reading “Photo Gallery: Fronterizo Fest @ Estadio Caliente (Tijuana, Mexico)”

By Andrew Bansal

When it comes to national and international touring acts, Los Angeles is undisputedly the biggest market in the United States and without doubt, one of the biggest in the world. But even in this concert-friendly city, there is still vast room for the improvement of the local music scene, the local hard rock/heavy metal scene, to be more precise. Getting people out to attend all-local shows and support local bands is a huge challenge, specially with so much happening in town on any given night of the week. But, in a new endeavor inspired by the concept of the well-known “Emo Nite”, there is a new series of events called “Heavy LA”, featuring a combination of curated heavy metal playlists and live metal bands. The series made its debut at Silverlake Lounge on November 8th, and I ventured to check it out. Continue reading “Live & Local: New Event Series ‘Heavy LA’ makes its Debut”

Photos by Maurice Nunez

November 16th 2017, Union, Los Angeles CA: Last Thursday, we had the honor of bringing LA shock rock / horror punk / heavy metal cult legends Haunted Garage to the Union nightclub, along with LA’s own stoner doom stalwarts Yidhra as main support, plus longstanding Hollywood shock rockers Rebel Rebel and thrash metal youngsters Graveyard Shift as opening acts. Led by iconic frontman Dukey Flyswatter, backed by his excellent band of musicians, and decorated by the gore-gore girls, Haunted Garage put on a memorable performance, while Yidhra crushed skulls, pierced eardrums and compelled heads to bang. Earlier, things got weird during Rebel Rebel’s prop-filled, instrument-smashing, no-holds-barred set, and before them, Graveyard Shift began proceedings with high energy. The great Maurice Nunez was in attendance to take these incredible photos for us. Enjoy them below! Continue reading “Photo Gallery: Haunted Garage, Yidhra, Rebel Rebel & Graveyard Shift @ Union”