The Plot In You hails from the mythical land of Ohio, where apparently all metal bands are extremely proficient in dynamic chord progressions. Must be something in the water. Alongside their dynamics, there's plenty of glitchy breakdowns, which translated into mandatory fist pumping. Erra from Alabama, a place where I have only dared to venture twice, are wizards of the prog metal scene, which is totally a thing; it's your dad's Rush album meets gravity-defying metal. Expect rapid time signature changes and near-symphonic compositions. New York, a breeding ground for hardcore; Sylar, denizens of New York. By this point, you know how this is going to go down – drop-D tuned chord riffs and machine gun-like percussion. What you don't expect, and what I can't say I admire, is weird pitch-shifted breakdowns that sound deeply schizophrenic. Texas prog metal band Invent, Animate complements Erra's sound, incorporating hints of Southern rock and jazz into musical structures filtered through a lens of ambient sound. Doors at 6 p.m., showtime at 7 p.m., Epic Problem at Skatepark of Tampa, 4215 E. Columbus Drive, Tampa; admission is $15.
This article appears in Jul 21-28, 2016.