Genre:
Metal/Punk RockMastema is a punk-metal trio originating from U.C. Berkeley. Meeting during their freshman year, guitarist/vocalist Ryan Carney and drummer Salim Durrani discovered a shared affinity for punk and metal and the two out-of-staters (MN and LA, respectively) quickly became best friends. After Salim's drum set was acquired the two were joined in 2001 by California native Jack Douglas on bass and the group was formed. Taking the obscure name of the fallen angel who taught mankind science to reflect their majors (Carney's Integrative Biology/Art Practice and Durrani's Molecular and Cellular Biology), they started playing shows that year and in the fall recorded a five song demo at DigitSound Studios.
Mastema's sound is an eclectic mix of New Wave of British Heavy Metal, energetic punk, and hard rock influences. Not wanting to confine or pigeon-hole their music, the group prides itself on the diversity between such songs as Where Angels Fear to Tread and Evil Petting Zoo; Tendril and The Rapture. Woven into their lyrics is a rich source of mythological allegory, allusions to classical and ancient literature, and even political criticisms of U.S. foreign policy. Their sound has been described as "a sonic monolith of guitar-driven riffs and heart-pounding, melodic aggression." That is their modus operandi: to forge the power of a metal imbued with the harmony of punk. The result is songs that are both catchy and haunting; music that you can simultaneously sing and mosh along to.
The band's versatility has allowed them to play with a large and disparate group of punk, rock, and metal bands (such as the Misfits and Dragonlord); they have also done benefits for James Murphy of Testament and the Xiana Fairchild Foundation. Playing throughout Northern California and winning several Battle of the Bands contests along the way, they have performed live on San Francisco's KSAN 107.7 The Bone and have done several guest appearances on Oakland's KOOX and KOFX radio stations.
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