Hesperia, California death metal band Cicada Swarm pile on savage riffs and hammering rhythms in the tradition of American brutality. Their sound is straightforward and crushing, built around the kind of riff density that defines underground death metal.

Los Angeles progressive/doom metal outfit Circle of Sighs build lengthy, emotionally complex compositions that move through shifting dynamics and melancholic atmosphere. Their sound blends the heaviness of doom with the ambitious structure of progressive metal.

Simi Valley death/thrash band Circumsodomy deliver blunt-force riffs and caustic vocals in the tradition of early Bay Area savagery. Their no-frills approach keeps the brutality honest and unrelenting.

Ventura legends Cirith Ungol helped define American doom and epic heavy metal in the late 1970s and '80s with their dark, Tolkien-inspired sound and Tim Baker's instantly recognizable wail. Rediscovered by a new generation of doom devotees, they reunited in 2015 and continue to record.

Santa Cruz death/grind act Citizen bring West Coast venom to their short, violent bursts of blastbeat-driven brutality. Their sound is compact, precise, and merciless.

Los Angeles speed/heavy metal outfit City Kings channel the spirit of NWOBHM and early American power metal into high-octane anthems built on galloping riffs and sky-high energy. They play classic metal with conviction and swagger.

Los Angeles death doom act Civerous conjure suffocating, subterranean darkness at the intersection of black, death, and doom metal, building cavernous soundscapes of genuine dread. Their Maze of Sorrow EP and Decrepit Flesh Relic debut mark them as one of the more compelling voices in contemporary underground death.

Los Angeles experimental progressive metal act Civil Defiance push beyond conventional song structures, blending odd meters and dissonant harmonic choices into something deliberately off-axis. Their music challenges as much as it rewards.

San Diego death metal act Civil Unrest deliver aggressive, riff-first material grounded in the Southern California underground's long tradition of no-frills brutality. Their music is direct and without ornamentation.