Badflower formed in Los Angeles in 2013 and quickly established themselves as one of alternative rock's most unflinchingly honest bands, with frontman Josh Katz addressing depression, addiction, and societal dysfunction with raw candor. Their hit 'Ghost' became a rock radio staple, and their debut 'OK, I'M SICK' earned critical praise for its willingness to confront darkness head-on. The band's dynamic range spans from whispered vulnerability to explosive, arena-filling rock anthems.

Huntington Beach black metal project active since 2016, crafting cold and atmospheric material on California's Orange County underground circuit.

Los Angeles black metal band formed in 2019, carving out a raw and underground presence in the Southern California extreme metal scene.

Los Angeles brutal death metal band formed in 1994, active in the California death metal underground through the mid-1990s before splitting up.

A California-based black metal project formed in 2019, contributing the track In His Offertory to the 2021 compilation The Black Archive Volume I.

A California black metal band active in 2001 whose short discography includes two early demos before disbanding.

Oakland's Barbarous is a death metal outfit that channels medieval battle, war, and gore into a sound rooted in the classic brutalist tradition of the genre.

Santa Cruz sludge metal outfit Barf leans into the genre's grimy, low-tuned heaviness, adding a dose of West Coast irreverence through a name that doubles as a statement of intent.

A Los Angeles-based power/thrash metal recording project helmed by Chris Rydo, Barking Spider features rotating guest musicians across its releases and has maintained an active presence in the underground since the early 2000s.