Bristol's Metal Scene

The wealth of metal events in Bristol is drawn from a rich metal heritage in the city, classic local bands include: Onslaught, Gonga, Jaguar and Evita. A lot of the best events are in underground pubs like the Gryphon and Mother's Ruin where you can hear big riffs and roared vocals most nights of the week - with strong support from the metal scene elsewhere in the West of England.

As well as older cover-style bands at German boozer Bierkeller, you can see larger international acts at Bristol's bigger venues like O2 Academy and Colston Hall. The city's Old Market area is full of old biker-gang hangouts like the Packhorse - with various shops selling metal memorabilia and records - perfect for the morning after a big gig.

Our recent metal recommendations

After their feature spot on the cult Doomed and Stoned in Wales comp, ASIDHARA trudge over the bridge from Cardiff wielding their own brand of metallic hardcore crossover / thrash ugliness. FFO: Amebix, Toxic Holocaust, Power Trip. ASIDHARA plus supports at Crofters Rights.

Calling all cyberpunks! Dark synthwave-fuelled RPG action at The Crypt featuring neon-lit electronica and synth metal from warlocks of the genre Dan Terminus, Lebrock and more. Space Jams/ SCC: Tales From The Crypt 2 at The Loco Klub.

Ambarchi’s stylistic shapeshifting processed guitar has touched everything from electroacoustic ambient to drone metal to free jazz via collaborators as diverse as Ricardo Villalobos, Merzbow and Jim O’Rourke. Thee all-knowing journeyman will massage your ears into infinity from the edges of time. Strange Brew pres: Oren Ambarchi, Ashley Paul LIVE at Strange Brew.

SELL OUT WARNING: Unmissable Indonesian spiritual folk-metal played on DIY instruments by two musicians (but it sounds like a whole army of demons). Imagine Sunn O)))) soundtracking Holy Mountain and you’re not even close. Support from ATC’s medieval midi-grind wunderkid, Sophrosyne. Senyawa, Sophrosyne & Laughter of Saints at Dareshack.

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WHAT OUR EDITORS SAY

Liturgy is the project of Hunter Hunt-Hendrix, whose yearning, energetic “transcendental black metal” exists in the space between metal, art music and sacred ritual.

Mean Stack Promo present a Saturday night of hardcore noise rock with MADE OF TEETH at Zed Alley (Host Street, BS1 5AE, close to The Gryphon), 1st October 2022. Support from: Icantdie (heavy alternative rock) Throwing Knives (metallic punk) Scrape (alternative metal) Nelson St (hardcore punk) Shoegaze rock from who are the monsters added to this mixed bill!

18+ event. DUMA (SUB POP) Martin Khanja (aka Lord Spike Heart) and Sam Karugu emerge from Nairobi’s flourishing underground metal scene as former members of the bands Lust of a Dying Breed and Seeds of Datura. Together in 2019 they formed Duma (Darkness in kikuyu) with Sam abandoning bass for production and guitars and Lord Spike Heart providing extreme vocals to the project.

Their unique sound fuses the frenetic euphoria, unrelenting physicality and rebellious attitude of hardcore punk and trash metal with bone-crunching breakcore and raw, nihilist industrial noise through a claustrophobic vortex of visceral screams.

Duma has a new 7″ dropping soon on Subpop’s singles club and a new AV collaboration with Jesse Kanda. A remix for Mdou Moctar and a collaborative album in the works with Indonesian duo ‘Gabber Modus Operandi’ and with Brazil metal band Deafbricks.