It’s been almost three decades since Coal Chamber, the Californian metal quartet, came screaming out of the dead zone of Hollywood in the early Nineties. When singer Bradley ‘Dez’ Fafara and Miguel ‘Meegs’ Rascón first met in 1992, these two hot-headed misfits first wrote songs under the name She’s In Pain, recruiting bassist Rayna Foss and drummer Mikey Cox. After renaming themselves Coal Chamber and honing a unique sound and art direction, the band broke through to public awareness with their gold-selling, self-titled debut album in 1997. A slot at the first Ozzfest and a management deal with Sharon Osbourne helped to propel the quartet to national level.

            Over the next six years, Coal Chamber experienced several lifetimes’ worth of excess, making their trajectory both unpredictable and stressful. Tours with Danzig, Type O Negative, Megadeth, Pantera and many other artists built their reputation, but substance abuse nearly derailed the musicians and intra-band tensions almost destroyed them. Two more albums, Chamber Music(1999) and Dark Days (2002), came before their differing personalities finally drove them apart. Foss quit after Dark Days and was replaced by Nadja Peulen, and after 2003’s compilation, Giving The Devil His Due, no-one expected to hear from Coal Chamber again, especially after Fafara embarked on a second career with the successful DevilDriver. 

            This made the 2015 comeback album Rivals all the more unexpected, reasserting Coal Chamber’s authority for a new generation of metal fans. International tours followed before the musicians went their separate ways, but eight years later still, Coal Chamber is returning for live dates in 2023. 

            You literally could not make this story up, and yet the 30 years of angst and adrenaline that make up this band of survivors can be heard in every note on the albums in this collection. There’s a reason why the word ‘Loco’ is so closely associated with Coal Chamber—and the madness isn’t over yet.

One can’t overstate the size of the Fear Factory boot print on the neck of heavy metal. Unleashing influential albums with devastating anthems for over 30 years, Fear Factory is widely recognized as both crucial and innovative in extreme metal circles. Fear Factory manufactured, demanufactured, and remanufactured a sound that reverberates across several subgenres. They perfected an explosive blend of staccato paint-stripping riffs, industrial-tinged drums, electronic flourishes, and a scream/sing dichotomy, all of which became staples in heavy music, ever since the group first emerged in L.A.

Fear Factory headline major festivals; earned several awards from the international sales charts; toured with legends like Black Sabbath, Slayer, Iron Maiden, and Metallica; performed at three Ozzfests; and influenced generations of bands who achieved multiplatinum success. But it’s the group’s commitment to unrelenting extremity and creative authenticity which ensured its place in heavy metal history, from the touchstone masterpiece Demanufacture to the similarly dominating Genexus.

Hailing from NYC, Black Satellite, led by indomitable frontwoman Larissa Vale, is creating waves in the rock scene with a sound that’s dark, edgy, and distinctly their own. Fusing industrial and metal influences, their music transcends conventional boundaries solidifying their place in the genre. The band continues to break new ground through ceaseless hard work and non-stop touring, showcasing their dedication both on and off stage.

Shortly after launching their first single Valkyrie from their debut album Endless, Black Satellite garnished attention from press outlets such as Billboard, Huffington Post, Revolver, Loudwire, Knotfest, and Alternative Press. Black Satellite was also named one of Alternative Press’ “12 Bands You Need To Know” in a print issue of the magazine.

Black Satellite subsequently released two cover songs paying tribute to Type O Negative, which charted on metal radio.

The band recently concluded writing and recording their sophomore record, Aftermath, mixed by veteran producer Ben Grosse (Marilyn Manson, Breaking Benjamin, Filter) with tracks produced by Kane Churko (Papa Roach, In This Moment). Their single Void is the first taste of the brand new album. Knotfest commenting on the track: “the first single offers a glimpse into the bold, stylishly dark sound that has made the duo of Larissa Vale and Kyle Hawken such a promising prospect.”

In 2021, they released a cover of Rammstein’s “Sonne” to critical acclaim with Revolver Magazine describing the track as “a masterclass in metal covers.” This was followed by the release of their latest single Broken.

Black Satellite has since completed back-to-back tours as direct support for John 5, Fozzy, and Nita Strauss in Fall/Winter 2021/2022, with additional appearances at Metal In The Mountains Fest and Blue Ridge Rock Fest. Black Satellite also toured supporting Cold, Sumo Cyco, and Drowning Pool 2022. The band joined the Double Trouble Live Tour with co-headliners Cradle of Filth and Devil Driver as direct support in March, 2023, continuing with the second leg of the tour in October 2023 directly followed by a massive Fall tour with Wednesday 13. Black Satellite is hitting the road in August 2024 with Coal Chamber and touring Europe in the Fall with Cradle of Filth.