Sat 21 Dec – Sadistic Intent, Daemonic, Scrapmetal, Depths Of Misery

Although Sadistic Intent plays shows in Southern California frequently, I hadn't seen them since they opened for Morbid Angel in 2011. I had missed them a number of times since then, including their 25th anniversary show, so I was excited when this gig was announced. It couldn't have been better timing either, as the show was actually on my 21st birthday! What better way to celebrate than at a dive bar with some killer metal?

This show was booked as an intimate hometown gig for the purpose of raising…

Sun 29 Sep – Vader, Vital Remains, Execration, Sacrificial Slaughter

Vader was so incredible the last time around that I just had to see them again. Luckily they were coming around twice. They started off the tour here and now they would be returning for the final date before heading back home to begin writing their next album.

Vital Remains was not very impressive at the first show and I have to say that didn’t change this time. Although they didn’t have horrendous sound, they just weren’t captivating. Brian Werner spends half the time acting like a showman and then…

Sat 28 Sep – Carcass, Exhumed

Hot on the heels of the release of their new album, Surgical Steel, Carcass set out on a small tour of intimate venues in the states. Unsurprisingly all of the dates sold out far in advance, most of them within twenty-four hours of going on sale. At approximately 400 capacity the Troubadour was one of the smallest, if not the smallest, venue on this string of shows.

Joining them for the two nights at the Troubadour was Exhumed, who also put out a new album recently. It was interesting to see them…

Fri 6 Sep – Vader, Vital Remains, Execration, Extremely Rotten, Sacrificial Slaughter

It’s hard to believe that it has been thirty years since Vader’s inception. Formed in ’83, they didn’t make their debut album until nearly a decade later in ’92, but they’ve been going strong ever since the beginning. Although they’ve been touring almost non-stop for the past couple years they had yet to make a trip over to North America since releasing their 2011 album Welcome to the Morbid Reich. This would be the first night of the tour here and their much anticipated return had my expectations…

Wed 28 Aug – Black Sabbath

It was eight years ago that Black Sabbath last played in Southern California and fans were eager for the fathers of heavy metal to return. This time they would be performing a full set list instead of the abbreviated ones they were doing for Ozzfest. It would be my first time seeing them and now I can say that hopefully it will not be the last.

Thankfully it was not a long wait for the main event. Merely twenty minutes after Andrew W.K.'s DJ set the amphitheater went dark and the sirens for “War…

Sat 25 May – Bolt Thrower, Autopsy, Benediction

Bolt Thrower is a band I never thought I would have the chance to see. They hadn't been to California since 1991 on tour for War Master. So when this show was announced I was completely shocked. It seemed too amazing to be real. It wasn't just Bolt Thrower though. The whole lineup was mind blowing. Benediction, another one the UK's finest, had never played on the West Coast before and who doesn't love Autopsy? Needless to say, I bought tickets the second they went on sale. There was…

Fri 1 Feb – Cro-Mags, Strife, In Defence

I had been waiting for Cro-Mags to return since I regrettably missed the Scion show in November 2011. Lucky for me they came back much sooner than expected and I wasn't going to miss them again. Joining them on the lineup was LA's own Strife, who recently put out a great comeback record. It was guaranteed to be a great show.

I got to the Key Club at bit later in the evening, just after In Defence started. They were entertaining and got the crowd going, but there were way too…

Tue 13 Nov – Napalm Death, Municipal Waste, Exhumed, Repulsion, Attitude Adjustment

Every once in a while there is a lineup you know you can't miss. A lot of other people seemed to feel the same way, as the venue was pretty packed considering that it was a Tuesday night. Two of the most important bands in grindcore would be sharing the stage, along with some other great bands. To ensure I wouldn't miss anything I arrived early and waited for Attitude Adjustment to start. Although I wasn't really familiar with their material I enjoyed them a lot. There were…

Sat 10 Nov – Roadburn Records Scion Label Showcase

For a while I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to this show, but I'm glad I did. Enslaved was the only band I wanted to see and I knew they wouldn't get to play a full set, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to Hollywood and wait around for hours just to see them. In the end I decided to go since it was free and I wouldn't have been doing anything else anyway.

The first band, Astra, was decent, but they're not something I would…

Fri 19 Oct – Death Angel, Threat Signal, Wretched, Holy Grail, Velosity, Skeptor

Death Angel is one of those bands that I had yet to see, despite the fact that they have played here numerous times over the past few years. In fact, I can't think of many bands that have played here more than they have in that time frame. Once this tour was announced I knew that no matter what I was going to this show. For the 25th anniversary of The Ultra-Violence they would be playing the album in its entirety. With it being one of my…