If the name “Sacra-Metal” is recognizable to audiences, that’s because it’s a familiar name in the local metal scene via Sacrametal Records. This record label has been a staple in Sacramento since its inception in 2021 by Kevin Dunn, label owner and frontman for local metal band Lysol
Toast. Riding on the momentum of the band’s latest vinyl release, Dunn and Sacra-Metal Records are bringing this compilation style into the live music format with the first (or second, depending on who you ask) Sacra-Metal Fest.
“This is the first Sacra-Metal Fest,” Dunn explains. “Some people are calling it the second one, but the first one was really what we called the Sacra-Metal Massacre, and it was for the release of ‘Sacra-Metal Massacre: Volume One.’”
Although the event may sound like a consortium of metalheads uniting within its own bubble, the Sacramento music scene has shown itself to be more intertwined with other genres than it lets on. While The Rink Studios has traditionally been the home of DJ sets and hip-hop performances alongside music production, this venture into the metal scene shows the uniting strength of music, regardless of genre. Dunn says he couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to ply his craft in this well-designed venue.
“It’s one of the better venues in town. It holds like 500 or 600 people. The sound system is amazing. The stage is amazing. The bar is really cool. It has an area in the front that’s for merchandise,” Dunn says. “There’s a balcony, and it’s a super cool place, so I’m really excited to play it.”
The Sacra-Metal Fest will not only celebrate the Sacramento metal scene but will include a dual album release, with Lysol Toast releasing its second album “Black Dookie” and Unprovoked releasing its 2019 album “Out of the Ashes” on vinyl.Art Courtesy of Bryant Weidkamp Cobb.