As I Lay Dying
Metalcore
Area San Diego
Latest release As I Lay Dying (LP, Napalm, due Feb 5, 2027) — February 5, 2027
This is SDMETAL’s directory of San Diego metal bands — the heavy side of the county, lined up by region and ready to tear through. Most cards open that band’s profile on this site. Genre, hometown, latest release, and official links are listed on each card.
Most entries still say San Diego, because that is how the bands recorded their area. A few are pinned to a North County or East County city. Neighborhoods are not filled in yet. If a fact is stale or your band is missing, see Submit your band at the bottom.
San Diego metal bands by region
Open a region to see who is based there. The search box and genre filter work across the whole county at once.
Central / City of San DiegoBands whose profiles list San Diego, without a more specific city.41 bands
Asphyxiater
Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Process of Suffocation (Full-length, Independent), July 3, 2026
Bum Cadaver
Death Metal/Grindcore
Area San Diego
Latest release Americas Finest Tent City (Demo, Smuggler Tapes) — June 19, 2026
Cadavered
Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Demo 2025 (Demo, Independent) — October 23, 2026
Cascade Effect
Groove/Death Metal/Metalcore
Area San Diego
Latest release The Weight of Nothingness (LP, Eclipse, due Jan 8, 2027) — October 13, 2026
Cattle Decapitation
Deathgrind
Area San Diego
Latest release Terrasite (LP, Metal Blade) — May 12, 2023
Deformity
Brutal Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Demo 2026 (Demo, Independent)
Desecation
Brutal Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Despoiled Ethereal Purity (Full-length, New Standard Elite) — May 19, 2026
Enucleation
Slam/Brutal Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Blood Soaked Anomaly (Single, Comatose Music) — August 11, 2026
Eternity Opens
Progressive Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Well of Souls (Full-length, Independent) — September 11, 2026
Fadrait
Progressive Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Numinous (Full-length, Independent) — March 20, 2026
Fire & Flesh
Metalcore/Groove Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release The Smaller the Dog, the Louder the Bark (Single, Independent) — August 26, 2026
Gangrenous Creophagy
Slam/Brutal Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Consumed, Digested & Discarded in Dung Piles (EP, Brutal Mind) — August 13, 2026
Genestealer
Grindcore
Area San Diego
Latest release Civilian Thrower / Genestealer (Split, Lixiviat Records) — October 23, 2026
Gnawing
Slam/Brutal Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Bully Breed (EP, Independent) — January 3, 2026
Grim Gathering
Black/Death/Doom Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Крвна Одмазда (Blood Feud) (Single, Independent) — September 10, 2026
Hadoth
Atmospheric Black Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Deprivation of Light (EP, Independent) — July 11, 2025
HarXson
Thrash Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Can't Kill Us (EP, No Life 'til Metal Records) — January 30, 2026
Headless Cadaver
Slam/Brutal Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Headless Cadaver (Demo, Independent) — May 17, 2026
Heartworm
Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Bloodthirst (EP, Independent) — October 10, 2026
Infernal Tide Riders
Black/Thrash Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Dawn of the Drenched (EP, Independent) — December 19, 2025
Kauterized
Thrash Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release The Human Error (Full-length, Independent) — December 13, 2025
Killing Capacity
Brutal Death Metal/Hardcore
Area San Diego
Latest release Years in Torment (EP, Independent) — November 18, 2025
Morgue Defilement
Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Impetus of Decay (Demo, Eminent Sounds) — August 1, 2025
Nightshadow
Power Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Oathbreaker (EP, Independent) — March 6, 2026
Nuclear Crucifixion
Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Basilica of Shrapnel (Single, Independent) — September 18, 2026
Old Gods
Metalcore/Sludge Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Above / Below (Full-length, Independent) — October 30, 2026
Orphan Feast
Grindcore/Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release A Ruined Nation Awakens (Single, Independent) — January 3, 2026
Palace of Mourning
Metalcore/Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Palace of Mourning (EP, Independent) — January 20, 2026
Pentagoatcross
Blackened Thrash Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Open Your Mouth Bitch (Full-length, Malevolent Sound) — December 25, 2025
Plagued
Doom/Sludge Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Cruel Hand (Single, Independent) — October 22, 2026
Queen Burial
Doom Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Heresy & Sacrilege (EP, Independent) — March 13, 2026
Ritual Awakening
Melodic Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Greed (Full-length, Independent) — June 9, 2025
Sangre
Death Metal/Hardcore
Area San Diego
Latest release Sangre (Full-length, Independent) — September 16, 2025
Sleep Paralysis
Avant-garde Black Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Illusory Dissolvents (Split, Independent) — October 10, 2025
Submerged
Brutal Death Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release Resurfacing Nautical Ruin (EP, New Standard Elite) — April 18, 2026
Temblad
Death/Thrash Metal/Grindcore
Area San Diego
Latest release Bilechant (Single, Independent) — February 3, 2026
Virtue of Decay
Atmospheric Black Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release The Insignificance of Despair (Full-length, Black Winter Productions)
Vivicidious
Death Metal/Grindcore
Area San Diego
Latest release Awakened from Death (Full-length, Independent) — July 17, 2026
Woods Witch
Black/Doom Metal
Area San Diego
Latest release The Early Days (Compilation, Fiadh Productions, Jun 27, 2025) — October 30, 2026
Wretched Death
Death Metal/Grindcore
Area San Diego
Latest release Vermin (Single, Independent) — December 19, 2025
North County CoastalOceanside, Carlsbad, and nearby coastal North County.4 bands
Druide
Black Metal
Area Oceanside
Latest release Realm of Shadows (Single, Independent) — June 14, 2025
Monarch
Thrash Metal
Area Vista/Oceanside/Carlsbad
Latest release XMGT (Full-length, Independent) — August 29, 2025
Mysidia
Melodic Death Metal
Area Carlsbad
Latest release Children of Depravity (EP, Independent) — March 27, 2026
Project Sarcophagus
Death Metal
Area Oceanside
Latest release Mincing Hideous Creatures (EP, Independent) — January 19, 2026
North County InlandInland North County, including Fallbrook.1 band
Doomslayer
Death Metal
Area Fallbrook
Latest release Fire Giant (EP, Return Trip Records) — July 25, 2025
East CountyEl Cajon, La Mesa, Ramona, and the rest of East County.3 bands
Nukem
Thrash Metal
Area El Cajon
Latest release The Grave Remains (Full-length, Redefining Darkness) — October 10, 2026
Sleep Eternal
Blackened Death Metal/Deathcore
Area La Mesa
Latest release War of Ideals (Full-length, Independent) — August 6, 2026
VoidCeremony
Progressive Death Metal
Area Ramona
Latest release Abditum (Full-length, 20 Buck Spin) — November 14, 2025
No bands match that search. Try another name, genre, or city.
Submit your band
Are you a San Diego County metal band that should be on this list, or is your entry wrong? Email SDMETAL with your band name, home city, genre, latest release, and official links. A San Diego County source is required.
Submit your band 🤘Or write to bands@sdmetal.com if you don’t have a mail app.
Areas and genres come from each band’s SDMETAL profile where one exists · 🤘 Keep it loud