Los Angeles-based metal band Cirith Ungol formed in 1981, taking their name from a tower which played a key role in author J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series. The lineup originally comprised singer Tim Baker, guitarist Jerry Fogle, bassist Michael Flint, and drummer Robert Garvin, and made its debut with the Enigma release Frost and Fire, followed three years later by King of the Dead. In the wake of 1986’s One Foot in Hell, both Fogle and Flint left Cirith Ungol, and the band spent the next five years out of action, recruiting guitarist Jim Barraza and bassist Vernon Green for their fourth LP, Paradise Lost. In the wake of Barraza’s departure, Cirith Ungol disbanded in May of 1992.

Night Demon erupted onto the underground heavy metal scene with their self-titled four-song EP in 2012. This recording showcased a sound forged by a deep-seated passion for the New Wave of British Heavy Metal loaded with unmistakable notes of American muscle and swagger.

Listeners around the globe were captivated by this fresh take on a revered sound, and a notable street buzz soon followed. Through relentless touring Night Demon’s reputation, both at home and abroad, is now known for being an incendiary, must-see live act with a tireless work ethic.

Never a band to follow the expected trajectory, Night Demon has forged their own path bringing their distinct brand of heavy metal heat to more people in more places – including those less traversed and off the beaten path. With each successive tour, Night Demon’s live show has incorporated additional production elements, including innovative lighting, visual effects and the nightly onstage appearance of the band’s black-cloaked skeletal mascot, Rocky, to haunt, goad and tempt concert-goers into drinking from the chalice.

The true defenders of the night are poised to bring their volatile stage show and fist pumping, neck wrecking, Heavy Metal sound to audiences the world round.

Brooklyn power trio Sanhedrin do metal the old school way, channeling the greats that preceded them to create something that is instantly familiar yet with a new, modern energy to it. With 2019’s The Poisoner they branched out, exploring new avenues and hitting home with every effort, all the while staying true to themselves. Now they return with Lights On, their most accomplished effort to date. “We want to satisfy ourselves with music that we are proud to present to the world. That’s the overall plan with every record we have made,” states vocalist/bassist Erica Stoltz. Adds drummer Nathan Honor, “hoping it would likely reach the widest audience of any of our work thus far, it was important that we further refined our sound and pulled out all the stops. These songs are a collection of feelings of loss, uncertainty, hope, fear, anger and a deep examination of the human condition. The music draws from our deep and varied influences and is presented in a fashion that is unabashedly Sanhedrin.”

​When asked why anyone should give a damn about Sanhedrin in 2022 Honor answers the question most succinctly: “In a time where the world around you feels like it’s aflame, when our heavy metal heroes are beginning to disappear to failing health or changing social norms, we, Sanhedrin, stand here as a shining light through the dark. We are prepared to fly the flag of heavy metal in these trying and uncertain times, and have only begun to show the world what we are capable of.”