Explore California Metal

Browse California Metal Bands

1987 bands found
Irvine · 2017–present · active
Adora is a melodic death metal and metalcore band from Irvine, California that has been steadily building a body of work since their earliest demos in the mid-2010s. With two full-lengths — "...of Serpentine Forces" and "Ophidian Kult" — alongside EPs, demos, and a split, the band has refined a serpent-themed aesthetic married to tight melodic death metal riffing with metalcore intensity.
Los Angeles · 2016–present · active
Los Angeles NWOTHM project whose name references the Hindu philosophical concept of non-duality. Eastern spirituality meets Western heavy metal tradition.
Los Angeles · 2015–present · active
Advent is a folk and heavy metal band from Los Angeles. Their 2015 full-length "Silent Sentinel" blends folk instrumentation and storytelling with traditional heavy metal across twelve tracks, creating something that straddles the line between folk rock grandeur and metal power.
Los Angeles · 2023–present · active
Los Angeles death metal project. The name signals opposition and hostility from the city's vast underground.
· 2019–present · active
Adversary XIII is a black metal and acoustic project from California. Across three full-lengths and two EPs released between 2019 and 2024, the project alternates between raw black metal fury and stripped-down acoustic passages, creating an unusual dynamic between aggression and vulnerability.
· 1985–present · active
California death metal project. The name channels struggle and hardship into Golden State extremity.
Half Moon Bay · 2008–present · active
Half Moon Bay, California groove metal project channeling coastal fog into heavy, rhythmically driven music from the Pacific shoreline.
San Diego · 2008–present · active
San Diego death metal and progressive project named after the character from Dan Simmons' Hyperion saga. Sci-fi-influenced extremity from Southern California.
· 2010–present · active
Aenimus was a technical death metal and deathcore band from Santa Rosa, California, formed in 2010. They released their debut Transcend Reality in 2013 independently, followed by Dreamcatcher in 2019 on Nuclear Blast Records, which displayed a more progressive and melodic dimension alongside their technical death metal core. The band dissolved in 2024, having earned comparisons to Whitechapel and Veil of Maya during their run.

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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.
Filter by city and state to find heavy metal bands near you. Each band page includes streaming links, genre tags, and upcoming metal concerts. Discover death metal, black metal, thrash, doom, and all heavy metal bands in your area.
Visit our shows page for California metal concerts — death metal shows, black metal concerts, thrash metal shows, doom concerts, and all heavy metal events. Updated daily with ticket links from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek.
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.