Concert Photos: BlackThorne Performing at Altar Bar in Pittsburgh on November 10, 2015

BlackThorne is fronted by two powerful vocalists:  Lindsay Victoria Ketchum and Thomas Ullom (not pictured)

Concert Photos: Leeja Stark Performing at Altar Bar in Pittsburgh on November 10, 2015

The band's namesake, Leeja Stark, and brother Bret form the songwriting team of this progressive metal band

Concert Photos: Lullwater Performing at Altar Bar in Pittsburgh on November 10, 2015

Lullwater is apparently from Athens, Georgia.  We think it's cool when bands represent their hometowns!

Concert Photos: Butcher Babies Performing at Altar Bar in Pittsburgh on November 10, 2015

Butcher Babies seem to perform in Pittsburgh every two to three months.  They referred to Pittsburgh as their "second home."

Amaranthe and Butcher Babies Tag-Team Pittsburgh for a Night of Diverse Metal

In many ways, headliner Amaranthe and direct support act Butcher Babies are opposites. 

Amaranthe lights up the stage with a European sweetness.  Butcher Babies pound the stage with a brutal disposition unmatched in all but the most violent of American streets.

Amaranthe weaves in plenty of electronic tracks that - if it weren't for distorted guitars and the occasional growl - give their music an almost dance-club feel.  Butcher Babies bleed the heaviest of metal as if the genre was invented for them alone.

But, when these two currently-hot acts are put on the same bill as they were at Pittsburgh's Altar Bar on Tuesday, audiences are treated to a night of music that runs the gauntlet of metal.

Concert Photos: Amaranthe Performing at Altar Bar in Pittsburgh on November 10, 2015

Elize Ryd gets the crowd fired up early

Disturbed Mixes Classic and New Styles on "Immortalized"

Disturbed has always been one of those bands that's been able to achieve balance.

Accessible enough for mainstream radio, yet heavy enough for some of the snobbiest metal purists.

Unique enough to be recognizable in five seconds, yet not so different as to sound strange to the everyday listener.

With its latest release, Immortalized, the band has put its balancing capabilities to a new test.

Stryper Rises Again With New Album, "Fallen"

The casual metal observer may not have realized that Stryper has been regularly pumping out new records since 2005.  The cynical metal observer may say that no one missed anything.

But, holy cow, has Stryper returned to relevance big time with their new album, Fallen.  It is without a doubt their most exciting release since 1986's To Hell With The Devil.

Andrew Ripp Set To Make A (Big) Name For Himself In The Singer/Songwriter World With New, Self-Titled Album

It's crazy when you see artists like Twenty One Pilots explode out of nowhere.  You ask, "Where the heck did they come from?"  Then, a quick Wikipedia search reveals that they've been underground for years.

So, you can't help but wonder what relatively undiscovered artist is out there right now that could be big in a year or two.

With the release of his new, self-titled album, Andrew Ripp might be huge before you know it.