"Music drives you. It wakes you up, it gets you pumping. And, at the end of the day, the correct tune will chill you down." Dimebag Darrell

X.R.P.M is the acronym of a heavy metal band with deep roots in Concord, Calif., since 2003. Their music is a mixture between hard rock and punk. And some have described their sounds as Funky Punky Metal. But, under the surface of the rageful metal sound, there’s a flavor of pop that lightens the carnage of darkness. Returning from an eight-year hiatus, Clarice Gjers (vocalist), Angie Castro (vocalist), Aaron McCoy (guitarist), Chris Cullen (bassist), Sean Mallet (drummer) found themselves in the studio in early 2019, reestablishing a strong family dynamic that never faded.

Their vibrant sounds are brought with an energetic, rhythmic drum and guitar riffs mixed with a dense bass line you will feel in your core. Was that a cowbell? We could always use more cowbell. Throughout their music career, the passionate vibrations of X.R.P.M. were felt in the Playboy Mansion, the Cow Palace, Whisky a Go Go, and The Key Club. The sounds were also felt on Vegas and Tahoe stages, and many local Bay Area venues. The stage presence of X.R.P.M was also a hardcore performance. Throughout their concerts, there was an erotic showcase of women who played themed “slave” roles. But, getting the band back together has resulted in a stage show that’ll be less erotic but still fanatically entertaining.

Outside the visual and audio pleasures of X.R.P.M, the musical and lyrical genius is wrapped with a spirited rage and advocacy for system change. The collective voice is a legendary flow of lived experience and the struggle of life in darkness, riddled with a complex foundation of humor, resilience and empowerment. The collective voice of X.R.P.M is influenced from artists such as Prince, Lamb of God, Tool, Pantera, Nina Simone, System of a Down, Primus, and a variety of R&B artists. And, never forgetting about Bay Area Thrash Metal, the music of X-Rated Porno Machine is a local gem, nestled in the base of Mt. Diablo.

They’re back in the studio, restlessly recreating the strong, mutual relationship they shared on stage.