Meet The Bands of The Metal Assault 12th Anniversary Fest featuring Bone Maggot, Claustrofobia, Dawn Fades, Fermentor. Fortress of Empyrean, Malison, Sea Of Snakes, Through The Oculus

The Metal Assault 12-year

Anniversary Festival - Meet The Bands!

Los Angeles, California based metal blog turned record label Metal Assault will be celebrating the 12-year anniversary of its February 13, 2010 inception with a festival, February 12 and 13 2022 at Transplants Brewing, a brewery plus live music venue in Palmdale CA. In addition, Metal Assault is also hosting a pre-party on Friday February 11, at Supply and Demand in Long Beach CA. The weekend will feature an eclectic assortment of 22 bands, including several representatives from the Metal Assault Records roster, as well as some non-roster bands that Metal Assault has supported and worked with over the years.

Metal Assault owner Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal says about the festival weekend: “I’ve devoted the past twelve years of my life to promoting heavy metal, and I find it only fitting to celebrate this 12-year anniversary of the launch of Metal Assault, with the biggest event I’ve curated till date. I’m delighted to have put together a lineup of bands that people will most certainly enjoy from start to finish, across the entire weekend. And what’s more, in collaboration with Transplants Brewing, Metal Assault is launching its very own beer!”

Here are interviews with some of the bands performing at The Metal Assault 12th Anniversary Festival! (See ad in this issue for more information!)

BONE MAGGOT

and what inspired the title?

Our new album ended up being titled “Internal Hate”, released by MAR this past November. The title is inspired by how crazy the world is and how quickly it’s become out of control. We just feel that’s how most of society feels anymore.

What are you looking forward to the most about playing the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

Absolutely stoked to be on board for the 12 year anniversary for Metal Assault and definitely looking forward to jamming with so many of our label mates.

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in your band, and how long the band has been together.

We are Bone Maggot, a groove metal band from Ventura, California. We have Mike Klein on vocals and guitar, Jay Rivera on guitar, Kameron Klein on bass and Lance McNelly on drums. We’ve been pounding eardrums for about 6+ years now.

How did you wind up being connecting with Metal Assault Records?

We had just finished recording our most recent video “Pig Farmer” which was to be the lead single on an album we were working on. This time around we felt the need to push this one further so we were seeking the help of a label to get things done right and get it in front of some more eyes. After some calls and emails, Mike was contacted by Andrew from MAR. After some conversation, Andrew was ready to take us on even though our record wasn’t quite finished yet. We totally appreciate him taking a chance on us.

What is the name of your current or upcoming album or EP Select two songs you might be playing at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest and what inspired the lyrics.

A little insight on a couple of our songs, “Pig Farmer” which is our lead single about a wealthy Canadian pig farmer, Robert Pickton, and a likeness of his story. Look it up… it’s pretty crazy. Another is Sunshine Manor, it’s inspired by a mental hospital in our hometown that was surrounded by a lot of tales and rumors when we were just kids.

What could one expect from your live show at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

You can always expect a damn good time with Bone Maggot. We can’t wait for y’all to catch our brand and feel some of the passion (or hate) that we put into our music.

What’s up next for your band after the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We have a show directly after on Feb. 19th at the Whisky A-Go-Go opening up for Metalachi and a new video in the works coming your way very shortly, teaming up with our producer Addasi at Fuel Music Studios as always to bring one more song from “Internal Hate” to life.

CLAUSTROFOBIA

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in your band, and how long the band has been together.

My name is Marcus Demetrius D’Angelo and I’m the founder/guitarist/vocalist of Claustrofobia. I founded Claustrofobia in 1994 in Brazil when I was just 13 years old. Since then, the band has never had a break, we released some demo tapes in the 90’s but the first official full-length album was officially released in the year 2000. It’s basically 28 years of activities and it can sounds old, but we were just kids when we started this band, and we still feel young enough with the same passion for Metal. The tank never got empty.

How did you wind up being connecting with Metal Assault Records?

We’ve been based in Las Vegas since 2018, we were looking for a serious record label to release our seventh album. I’ve been talking to a lot of people, from small to major record labels, so one day talking with my friend Dylan (Beekeeper’s drummer) I asked him about MAR. He made the connection between I and Andrew, so I started to follow MAR’s work and I identified myself with the work posture and the way how Andrew faces the art and the underground. When I had my first conversation with Andrew, I stopped looking for another label and here we are.

What is the name of your current or upcoming album or EP and what inspired the title?

Our new album is called “UNLEECHED” and it’s actually a word that doesn’t exist but that carries a concept. All our albums reflected a lot of our personal life and the moment, so this one could not be different, in a short term, it means something like: “all the leeches were removed from our lives” which can mean all kinds of bad things like addictions, bad thoughts, bad friends and/or things that can put us down...but at the same time the meaning of cure. In the medicine they can use leeches to cure sickness. So, this title can make people think about a lot of things from different point of view. Freedom and cure are the vibes of this album for us. It is finally the beginning of a personal and spiritual regeneration.

What are you looking forward to the most about playing the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

It will be a great opportunity to strengthen ties with the label and its bands as well as all the followers of MAR’s work, as well as bringing our fans and friends together with all of this. I’m sure it will be a memorable night.

Select two songs you might be playing at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest and what inspired the lyrics.

Possibly we will play the two recently released singles that will feature on the new album. “Neuro Massacre” is a typical self-destructive and wrathful thought, which comes from unresolved experiences that can come from the family’s upbringing or simply bad influences or weaknesses of the spirit, it’s an abstract lyric that reports well the harm that thinking can bring to the life and destroy our emotional making us unbalanced. “Corrupted Self” has an epic solo by Marc Rizzo (ex Soulfly/ Cavalera Conspiracy) and the lyrics are more about the person criticizing the corruption of the leaders a lot but in fact he is corrupted himself. It was a lyric more inspired by what happens in the third world, in this case Brazil. People attack each other and don’t get that they are enslaved by corruption.

What could one expect from your live show at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We will 100% delivery of pure Brazilian Brutal Metal style and we hope to receive this energy back. I wanna see everybody having fun and planting new seeds for the new future. After two crazy years without shows we need support the Metal more than ever.

What’s up next for your band after the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We are currently finalizing all the details for the official release of the album on March 11th. We have plans for two video clips and we’re talking to MAR about some release party/shows for the new album and an extensive tour in the middle of 2022. We can’t wait to make things happen. See you in the pit.

DAWN FADES

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in your band, and how long the band has been together.

I’m Sam Sherwood and I’m the vocalist and primary song-writer for Dawn Fades. I formed the band in 2016 in Los Angeles. There’s been a core group of us for the majority of the time including Nate Hertweck (Guitar), Scott Quist (Drums) and Markus Erren Pardiñas (Bass), with Mike Wright joining on guitar late in 2021.

How did you wind up being connecting with Metal Assault Records?

We had played several Metal Assault gigs around LA and became friendly with Andrew. We knew he was a fan of the band so when we heard he was starting a label we hit him up about putting out our record. The stars aligned timing-wise and our self-titled debut was the 1st release on Metal Assault Records.

What is the name of your current or upcoming album or EP and what inspired the title?

In September 2021 we released our second album “Ode”. The title is pulled from a song and poem from the album that is in 2 parts. It is about love, family and loss.

What are you looking forward to the most about playing the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We love Transplants Brewing! Seriously one of the best venues around run by some of the best people. They always treat us great and the stage setup is top notch. We are very much looking forward to seeing our friends in the other bands and making new ones.

Select two songs you might be playing at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest and what inspired the lyrics.

“Ode Pt. 2” is about loss in relationships. The bitter-sweet knowledge that all things must come to an end eventually. “Lean” is about how easily people can be convinced to sell their voices. The way the system tosses lies to the masses and they are gobbled up.

What could one expect from your live show at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We plan to tear the house down with an emotional, cathartic set. Very Intense. Playing live is what we live for. the LA area for years. He had always been a great friend and business person, so when Covid hit and he started amping up the record label aspect of Metal Assault, it seemed like a no brainer to hop onboard.

What is the name of your current or upcoming album or EP and what inspired the title?

Thanks to Metal Assault we rereleased our album CONTINUANCE on CD last year and we will be releasing our next new record with Metal Assault on vinyl, CD and more!

What are you looking forward to the most about playing the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

I’m excited for the anniversary show because I get to see lots of great friends and also lots of amazing bands!

Select two songs you might be playing at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest and what inspired the lyrics.

We will definitely play the songs “7th Circle” and “The Stench”. We have incredible music videos to both of those songs that we are extremely proud of!

What’s up next for your band after the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

Going to finish writing the new album, record it, and out it out on Metal Assault Records!

What’s up next for your band after the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We are already working on songs for our 3rd album and have a few LA area shows booked. We are working on a possible mini tour up the coast in the spring time (Covid willing)

FERMENTOR FORTRESS OF EMPYREAN

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in your band, and how long the band has been together.

Javier Cortez, vocalist/guitarist. 2022 marks 10 years for Fortress of Empyrean.

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in your band, and how long the band has been together.

Hey this is Dylan Marks, drummer of Fermentor, we are a 2-piece instrumental technical metal band. We have been putting out music since 2008, we have many releases but are extremely excited to be partnered up with Metal Assault for the next one!

How did you wind up being connecting with Metal Assault Records?

We became familiar with Metal Assault long ago because it’s owner, Andrew Bonsal, had been booking great shows in

How did you wind up being connecting with Metal Assault Records?

Andrew actually booked us to play one of his shows at The Slide Bar in Fullerton in 2018. Since then we just saw Metal Assault grow more and more. It seem inevitable that we would cross paths once again and we did.

What is the name of your current or upcoming album or EP and what inspired the title?

Very good question. We are actually in preproduction and entering the studio at the end of January. We have a couple

working titles at the moment. Nothing set in stone just yet.

What are you looking forward to the most about playing the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We look forward to playing outside of our bubble that is the LA area. A weekend of awesome bands is definitely exciting. We look forward to doing what we do in Palmdale.

Select two songs you might be playing at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest and what inspired the lyrics.

We are currently working on a setlist, but I can probably say “Fall in Line” will be on there. Lyrics are about the control and manipulation in society. Another song we will most likely throw in the mix is “Savior”. The song is basically about a bad relationship.

What could one expect from your live show at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

You can expect us to do what we always do, play our asses off and have fun while doing it.

What’s up next for your band after the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

Well like I said before, we I’ll be taking a break from the studio to play this fest. So after this show we get back to work and finish up recording the album.

MALISON

contact and booked more LA-area shows with him throughout the years and eventually signed with his label in 2021.”

What is the name of your current or upcoming album or EP and what inspired the title?

Mario: “Death’s Embrace” is the name of our second album, released via MAR on 9/3/2021. I don’t exactly remember what inspired the name for that song, but I knew I wanted it to be the title track. I pitched the idea to the guys and they all agreed.

What are you looking forward to the most about playing the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

Eddie: Seeing “Patches” the cat at Transplants Brewing Company, of course! But also jamming out with fellow label mates and getting to hang out with the fans afterwards.”

Select two songs you might be playing at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest and what inspired the lyrics.

Steven: We’ll definitely be playing “Oblivion” off our new record. The lyrics are about two empires fighting under a volcano, so driven to destroy one another, not realizing both can survive if they work together. “Nightmare Pursuit” is off our first album. The focus is on a hunter obsessed with claiming a monster to the point that it’s consuming his life. “

What could one expect from your live show at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

Nick: High energy, high speed and a showcase of our musicianship. We have a lot of fun on stage and hope you guys will too!”

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in your band, and how long the band has been together.

Mario: I’m Mario Lovio and I play guitar. Steven Rondina is our vocalist and bassist. Nick Mafi is our drummer, and Eddie Spade is our second lead guitar player and newest member. We’ve been a band since 2014 but this particular line-up has been together since March 2020.

How did you wind up being connecting with Metal Assault Records?

Mario: We met Andrew Bansal after playing a show in Long Beach in 2016. It was our first show outside of San Diego and Andrew wrote us a great review for his website, back before Metal Assault was a record label! We kept in

What’s up next for your band after the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

Mario: We definitely want to get back out on the road and tour as much as possible! We’re eyeing the Pacific Northwest as well as returning to cities like Denver, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Phoenix, etc. If all goes well, we might end up with some East Coast dates before the year is over.

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!

Malison: Thank you all as well!

Sea Snakes and Through The Oculus interview next Please turn the page

SEA OF SNAKES

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in your band, and how long the band has been together.

I’m Jim, I play guitar and write songs. We’ve been together since early 2020.

How did you wind up being connecting with Metal Assault Records?

We knew about the Metal Assault blog and have been in bands reviewed on Metal Assault.com. So when the Metal Assault label was announced, it was right about the time that we we’re recording our first EP.

What is the name of your current or upcoming album or EP and what inspired the title?

The EP we have out right now is called ‘World on Fire,’ which, no matter how you slice it, the world is becoming more and more chaotic. Covid had just hit when we were recording the ep. It seemed fitting.We just wanted to make some shit that people would want to turn up, while they’re driving, or to drown out their boss yelling at them.

What are you looking forward to the most about playing the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We’re gonna be the loudest band there...hands down. We want to peel the paint off the walls.

Select two songs you might be playing at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest and what inspired the lyrics.

We have a couple new ones...’Start A War’ is our newest, it’s a burner... and we have ‘Get the Gun’ which is a slower prodding tune influnced by Ozzy’s ordeal with the satanic panic crowd of the eighties. We live in LA with a lot of shootings and crime so thats an influence too.

What could one expect from your live show at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

It looks like the entire line-up is stacked with bands that are gonna rip the roof off, we aspect a lot of killer die-hard fans to have a great fucking time. Something they’ll remember for a long time...something they’ll wanna come back to next year!

What’s up next for your band after the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

Working on new songs to record this year...immediately after the show we are going to work on the new album. So far it looks to be a bit darker and heavier than the last Ep. Doom and the Occult are weaved into alot of the new stuff.

THROUGH THE OCULUS

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in your band, and how long the band has been together.

Sarah Gamblin, lead vocals, Randy Lee, guitar and back up vocals, Lauren Weatherford, Bass Guitar, Eric Freeman, Drums. The band has been together for 2 1/2 years.

How did you wind up being connecting with Metal Assault Records?

Randy knew about Metal Assault for a few years and liked the hard work and passion for metal music. The band decided to reach out with a submission and from there we built our relationship.

What are you looking forward to the most about playing the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We are excited to meet more bands on our label and perform at Transplants once again. And to build new connections with everyone involved. (Hint Orion Cymbals which Eric is a big fan of)....

Select two songs you might be playing at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest and what inspired the lyrics.

Most definitely “Lilith and Lazarus” as it has become our popular song. The lyrics are inspired from biblical transcriptions about Lilith. Lyric description, (the demonization of women trying to gain ownership of their own bodies and being betrayed by “godly” men/beings). Another one will be a song that is on our next album. Come to the festival to find out the name and hear this new sound of TTO.

What could one expect from your live show at the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

Lots of windmills and 100% raw sound.

What’s up next for your band after the Metal Assault 12 Year Anniversary Fest?

We will be hitting the studio to record our 2nd album. Prepare for new music videos. Also we are hosting a 80s themed show at Frogees in Apple Valley, CA March 5th.