Tera Melos Tickets

Tera Melos in Concert

Deep in the heart of California, Tera Melos create a beguiling concoction of experimental rock that's as wild and untamed as the earthquake-ridden land of their home state. The Sacramento band has long shunned convention in favor of whatever sounds strike their mood, sharing a similar unhinged air as fellow noisemakers Hella and Death Grips, also from California's state capital. That said, their technicality is always impressively on point, which is why they're so often recognized as one of the best math-rock bands of the 21st century.

After playing in other hardcore bands like No Regard, guitarist Nick Reinhart and bassist Nathan Latona formed Tera Melos in 2004. Guitarist Jeff Worms and drummer Vince Rogers would soon follow. At the time, they were a pure instrumental rock band, working through weird and wonky guitar effects and complex basslines and drum patterns, all realized on their first album, ‘untitled,' released in 2005. Though its songs are simply named "Melody 1," "Melody 2," etc., the post-rock sprawl within is intricate and heavy, fluctuating between ambient bliss and manic noise. The band would soon take this sound on the road — a place their mix of punk and precision could truly thrive (and instigate plenty of moshing).

A year later, Worms left the band, but they kept chugging along as a trio, releasing the ‘Drugs to the Dear Youth' EP and embarking on their first national tour. By 2008, Rogers would also depart, and was eventually replaced by drummer John Clardy. The new lineup then returned to the road, touring with bands like These Arms Are Snakes and Melt Banana, and tackling a headlining tour in Japan.

By their second studio album, 2010's ‘Patagonian Rats,' Reinhart would take full control as lead singer, adding another complexity to Tera Melos' math-rock melodies. They would tour extensively yet again, this time alongside artists like Marnie Stern and Firehose. Their impressive output explores the furthest realms of rock, punk, jazz, and even pop on albums like 2013's ‘X'ed Out' and 2017's ‘Trash Generator.' Catch them on the road, where they spend much of their time, constantly bringing an intensity that's both unpredictable and unforgettable.