Where The Dead Are, a metal grindcore band with roots in the Tacoma music scene (former Devils of Loudun and Goratorium) are set to take the stage Sunday at O'Malley's Irish Pub for the 14^th annual Art on the Ave festival in Tacoma.

Be there at 1 p.m. to witness the power of Matt McFarland on guitar, Kyle Swann on bass, Travis Tilton on drums and Grant Hogan on vocals.

A rowdy, raw blend of death metal and grindcore, Where The Dead Are draw influence from many sources. McFarland tells me their name comes from an episode of Twilight Zone, and they practice in one of the oldest standing barns (more than 100 years old) on cemetery hill in Auburn, "which is a dismal place to start a band," he said. "So it works for the sound of music we are creating."

The band's influences range from actual events to fictional stories, according to Hogan. 

"We chose to write about serial killers on some of our tracks, specifically Gary Ridgeway and Ted Bundy because they both terrorized Washington where we were all born and raised," Hogan said. 

"We do not condone their activities, we just tell their stories through our music like a biography," adds Hogan. "Not all of our songs our about serial killers, some are about actual events that have happened in our lives - we figured the best way to express those events is to play them through music."

See for yourself, because, with a fresh demo and strong will, these guys are well on their way to continue rocking heads in the Pacific Northwest.

O'Malleys, Where The Dead Are, Deathbed Confessions, Moron Broz, Czar, South 11^th, Overboard!, Blunt Force, Vida Vore and Psycho Rehab play Sunday, July 15, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., 2403 N Steele Street 6th Ave, Tacoma, 253.627.9403.