Los Angeles power metal project whose 2024 single Fat Man — likely referencing the atomic bomb — pairs military nomenclature with explosive heavy metal from the City of Angels.

Los Angeles heavy metal legends active since the early '80s, among the most respected traditional metal bands in American history. Eight releases spanning decades — including La Raza and the live Carpe Noctum — document a band that helped define the LA metal sound alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth, anchored by vocalist John Bush's iconic pipes.

Whittier/Pico Rivera, California thrash metal act with four releases since 2015. Their full-length Mercurion and subsequent singles deliver tight, precise thrash from the southeast LA suburbs, keeping the region's legacy of speed metal alive.

San Bernardino, California thrash metal veterans whose 1998 debut The Evil has Landed... channels Sam Raimi's cult horror films through late-'90s thrash. Inland Empire aggression with a sense of B-movie humor.

San Francisco's action-adventure heavy metal band, delivering tongue-in-cheek anthems inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger films with the riff-driven swagger of classic NWOBHM and a healthy dose of absurdist charm.

Hayward/San Francisco Bay Area folk metal act weaving melodic death metal with folk elements, reflecting the region's multicultural musical melting pot.

Venice, California thrash metal act with four releases since 2011. Their catalog — from the debut He Was an Arsenal to the intriguingly titled BABE SKEPTIC — brings beachside aggression to a neighborhood better known for street art and skate culture.

Los Angeles death metal project with a staggering thirteen releases since 2019. The Windows-error-themed Activate Windows and subsequent releases demonstrate a prolific creative engine fueled by digital-age absurdism and genuine brutality.

Modesto, California power metal act channeling epic grandeur from the Central Valley, bringing soaring melodies and triumphant riffs to an often-overlooked corner of the Golden State.