Ahh, thrash metal. Nothing will get me waxing nostalgic more than those two words. From the mid to late 80s, these were the only sounds coming through the headphones of my Walkman. I well remember where I was when bands like Metallica, Exodus, Testament, and Overkill were releasing their seminal works, alive and browsing at a music store. Of course, much has changed: no Walkmans, fewer tactile record stores. One thing that has not changed, however, is thrash metal. While some purists may whine about the age of the kids involved in the so-called thrash “renaissance” today, not even born when their idols first created the scene, others choose to simply relish in the sounds of a genre that, while momentarily eclipsed by the solipsism of grunge, never really went away. And there are plenty of thrash bands to get excited about today: Evile, Toxic Holocaust, Hexen, Violator, and Warbringer to name a few. And speaking of California’s Warbringer, the fledgling act is currently on tour for its Century Media debut, War Without End (a disc I have spun many times for its big hooks and precision riffing). As part of this tour, the band will make a pit (get it?) stop in Eau Claire at the end of the month. The night will also see performances from Madison’s Luna Mortis, who have previously wowed Eau Claire audiences with their everything-but-the-kitchen sink style of metal, Razorfist (from Oshkosh), and local flagships for true metal: Desolatevoid and Mors Mortis Machinatio.

    Warbringer + Luna Mortis + Mors Mortis Machinatio + Desolatevoid • March 27 • House of Rock, 422 Water St., Eau Claire • $6 • ages 21+ • 838-0158 • www.house-of-rock.com