Explore California Metal

Browse California Metal Bands

1987 bands found
Eureka · 2012–present · active
Out of Eureka on California's foggy northern coast, Transient Messiah have been delivering death metal since 2012 — a remote origin that lends their sound a certain isolation and darkness fitting for the genre's bleakest impulses.
Los Angeles · 2012–present · active
please update this band
Riverside · 2017–present · active
Riverside, California's Trapmaker play straight-ahead heavy metal with a no-frills approach rooted in the classic American tradition, forming in 2017 and building a steady presence in the Inland Empire scene.
Moreno Valley · 2009–present · active
Moreno Valley, California's Trapped Within Burning Machinery have been churning out slow, suffocating doom and sludge metal since 2009, combining crushing low-end weight with the caustic edge their name implies.
· 2014–present · active
Trappist formed in California around 2014 as a collaborative project between Chris Dodge of Spazz and Infest, Phil Vera of Despise You and (16), and Ryan Harkins, initially as a two-piece before expanding. The band's entire thematic premise is craft beer culture, rendered through Discharge-influenced d-beat, crust punk, powerviolence, and hardcore played at punishing speeds. Their debut full-length Ancient Brewing Tactics (2018) comprised 21 tracks in 33 minutes and featured guest appearances from Tony Foresta of Municipal Waste and Steve Brooks of Torche. The project operates as a side outlet for members with extensive histories in the American hardcore underground.
San Francisco · 2018–present · active
San Francisco's Trauma draw from the city's storied metal heritage, reviving the power and speed metal traditions of the Bay Area with anthemic riffs and a high-octane approach that recalls the scene's 1980s heyday.
Palos Verdes Peninsula · 2018–present · active
Hailing from the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California, Trauma keep their sound squarely in the thrash metal lane, formed in 2018 and rooted in the region's long and productive relationship with the genre.
Santa Cruz · 2018–present · active
Santa Cruz, California's Traveler are devoted practitioners of traditional heavy metal, formed in 2018 with a clear passion for the melodic power and galloping riff structures of the genre's classic era.
Sacramento · 2023–present · active
Sacramento's Traversing the Cliffs of Insanity pair their theatrical name with a heavy metal and hard rock sound formed in 2023, channeling the drama and arena-ready swagger that the name itself invites.

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California Metal Index indexes hundreds of California heavy metal bands across every subgenre — death metal, black metal, thrash metal, doom metal, metalcore, hardcore punk, grindcore, sludge, stoner metal, and more. Browse heavy metal bands by genre, city, or state.
Yes — browse California death metal bands in our index. Filter by genre to find death metal, technical death metal, and melodic death metal bands. We also index black metal, thrash metal, doom metal, and all heavy metal bands.
Use the genre filter to browse California black metal bands. We index black metal, atmospheric black metal, and related subgenres alongside death metal, thrash metal, doom metal, and all heavy metal bands.
Browse our index for California thrash metal bands. Filter by genre to discover thrash metal, crossover thrash, and speed metal bands. Our index covers all heavy metal bands including death metal, black metal, doom, and metalcore.
Yes — we index metalcore bands, doom metal bands, and every heavy metal subgenre. Browse California metalcore, doom metal, sludge metal, stoner metal, progressive metal, power metal, and more.
Yes — browse California hardcore punk bands alongside heavy metal bands. We cover hardcore punk, crust punk, D-beat, grindcore, metalcore, and all heavy music subgenres.
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California Metal Index is an index of California heavy metal bands — death metal, black metal, thrash metal, doom metal, metalcore, hardcore punk, and all heavy music. Browse bands by genre, find metal concerts near you, and discover the California metal scene.