The breakup of a fixture on the State College metal scene has opened up the doors for another local act to form a strong presence.
Judgement Shall Pass, a band that considers itself a mix of death metal, hardcore and trash metal elements, will "step in" for former metal night regular Monstruo and help keep the metal scene in State College going, through Cherry Darling Productions, said Cherry Darling founder and promoter Meredith Rebar.
"They put themselves out there and they work harder than anyone else," she said. "They're as metal as metal can be."
Matt Price, drummer for Judgement Shall Pass, said the band is trying to promote itself as much as possible and play shows wherever and whenever the band can.
He added it's "crazy" there isn't more of a metal scene in State College, because it is a college town.
"There are a lot of metal bands around, but I feel like they can't promote themselves or they don't know how," he said. "I feel like people here like metal, but they just don't know of any shows happening."
Price said it has also been difficult to find venues downtown that support metal outside of those such as The Brewery, 233 E. Beaver Ave., The Darkhorse Tavern, 128 E. College Ave., and a few others. Judgement Shall Pass has tried to play all-age venues like SoZo, 256 E. Beaver Ave., and at different fire halls in the area, but Price said this has been hard because venues are sometimes "afraid" to sponsor shows in the metal genre.
"I think a lot of people don't understand heavy metal," he said. "A lot of people get the wrong idea because they think it's evil."
Despite the lack of support for metal, the band will continue doing as much promotion as it can.
Price said businesses that choose not to book metal bands are missing out on potential profits, based on the size of crowds for the band's recent performances, including a show at the Cell Block, 420 E. College Ave., that drew almost a hundred people.
Past Cherry Darling performances with Judgement Shall Pass have gone over well, Rebar said, due in part to their "fantastic" stage presence.
Price said the band's live performance shows just how passionate Judgement Shall Pass is about its music.
"We never hold still for a moment," he said. "When you come out and see us, it's like seeing the circus on crack."
