Metal Assault: Gig Reviews

By Andrew Bansal

April 19th 2015, The Roxy, West Hollywood CA: UK doom metal veterans Electric Wizard released their tenth full-length studio album ‘Time To Die’ in 2014 via Spinefarm Records, and soon after, announced their first full US tour since 2002, with support act Satan’s Satyrs. Shows started selling out instantly, and the anticipation surrounding this tour was at its peak. Towards the end of this tour, the night before they would play a second show at the Observatory in Santa Ana, added late on due to extremely high demand, they performed in front of a packed Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood on Sunday April 19 2015. Excitement was in the air and bell bottoms were in fashion on stage. Continue reading “Electric Wizard Plays Sold-Out Gig At The Roxy”

By Andrew Bansal

April 19th 2015, Loaded Rock Bar, Hollywood CA: Continuing on with their newfound weekly tradition of free Sunday rock/metal matinee gigs, Loaded Hollywood hosted another such event yesterday, as part of Metal Sanaz’ birthday celebration for which she had booked the entire day and night at the venue and featured a long lineup of hand-picked bands. I was in attendance only for the matinee portion of the event, which started with Kings Of Carnage and also included Edge Of Paradise and Beneath Flesh. Continue reading “Edge Of Paradise & Kings Of Carnage Play Matinee Show At Loaded”

By Andrew Bansal

April 18th 2015, Complex, Glendale CA: After an underground existence that lasted for nearly two decades, LA ‘murdercore’ veterans Crematorium split up in 2010 and hadn’t played a show since 2009, but in celebration of their frontman and Church Of The 8th Day founder Daniel Dismal’s 40th birthday, they announced a reunion/farewell gig which took place exactly on Dismal’s birthday, at Complex in his birthplace Glendale. Also reuniting for this gig were LA hardcore group Tomorrow Comes Today, and joining these two on the bill were Fatal Substance, Beneath Flesh and Skulls. All of LA metal underground’s regulars were in attendance at this most ideally chosen venue, and it promised to be a celebration filled to the brim with heavy music brought to this stage by bands from all corners of Los Angeles. Continue reading “Crematorium Play Special One-Off Show At Complex”

By Andrew Bansal

April 17th 2015, Poor Kids Mansion, Los Angeles CA: For the past several years, D.I.Y. backyard/house shows have been taking place in the Poor Kids Mansion located in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, and even though I kept hearing about these shows, I never had a chance to attend one. Last Friday, I was finally able to rectify that, when theatrical extreme metal outfit Morbid Eclipse performed as part of a six-band lineup that included BrainDead, Tormenter and Lethal Dossage. Continue reading “Morbid Eclipse In An LA Kitchen: The Most Unique Concert Experience Ever”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

April 16th 2015, The Viper Room, West Hollywood CA: New York-based rock ‘n roll quartet The Compulsions comprises Guns ‘N Roses members Richard Fortus on guitar and Frank Ferrer on drums along with Sami Yaffa (Hanoi Rocks/New York Dolls) on bass, and is fronted by Rob Carlyle on guitar and vocals. The band self-released their second full-length album ‘Dirty Fun’ on April 14th 2015, and played a gig at the Viper Room last night, April 16th 2015, to celebrate its release and present a combination of new and older material. This venue simply never does such a thing as a bad show, and with great local acts Delta Rose and Flashback Heart Attack also on the bill, this was expected to be a worhtwhile evening for all in attendance. Continue reading “The Compulsions, Delta Rose & Flashback Heart Attack Rock Viper Room”

Review & photos by Andrew Bansal

April 15th 2015, The Whisky-A-Go-Go, West Hollywood CA: Formed in 2014, Los Angeles-based fast food themed Black Sabbath tribute/parody band Mac Sabbath have already generated a considerable amount of buzz in the mainstream media. Their concept of the band is indeed novel, turning heads and catching eyes and ears as soon as it is mentioned to anyone unfamiliar with it. Mac Sabbath have been playing actively in the local circuit, and last night on April 15th 2015, they performed at a completely packed Whisky-A-Go-Go. The combination of the visual theatrics, lyrical interpretations and musicianship was truly intriguing for a first-timer like myself, and I was most curious to discover whether this meal tastefully satisfied my appetite. Continue reading “Mac Sabbath At The Whisky: More Mac Than Sabbath”