LOCAL METAL BAND IN DEAL MERCILESS DEATH SIGNS 3-DC PACT.

Byline: CAROL ROCK Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY -- With a name like Merciless Death, they have to be good.

The thrash-metal group made up of two Canyon Country brothers and a friend just inked a three-record deal with Punkcore Records to market and distribute their music, including the ``Evil In the Night'' CD they just finished recording on their own.

``It's fast, aggressive '80s metal,'' bass guitarist Andy Torres, 20, said. ``We get our inspiration and influence from the whole thrash-metal genre, not just one group. All of our stuff is original, no covers.''

Torres' younger brother, Cesar, 17, is the drummer and Daniel Holder, 20, is the lead guitarist.

Holder's father, Bob, provides rehearsal space in his garage, which led to the band developing a cult following among the neighbors on North Oaks Street.

As Bob Holder recorded their sound at 105 decibels, the group played a few samples, Andy and Daniel deftly steering a frenetic melody from their respective strings, supported strongly by Cesar's drumming.

``You have to admire the talent it takes to play at this speed,'' Bob Holder said. ``In the beginning, the neighbors put their earplugs in but as the boys got the speed and tune down, they developed a following.''

The band members credit MySpace with much of their success. The social-networking Web site, popular with people in their teens and 20s, is where Punkcore found them and asked for a couple of cuts for a compilation CD the label was developing.

When Merciless Death's popularity went worldwide (``we have fans in the Netherlands, France, Brazil ...,'' said Andy), the label signed the deal and made arrangements to send them on tour.

They play the Alpine in Ventura on Saturday and will be featured at the Minneapolis Mayhem Festival on Aug. 26, with East Coast and European dates being arranged.

``Andy starts school tomorrow,'' said Karen Holder. ``I'm not sure how the tour is going to work into that, but they'll make it happen.''

The band has played some local gigs, including a Third Friday concert for the city and at the now-closed Cactus Club and teen nightclub Suburbia, but found better success in Hollywood, where it routinely sells out clubs like the Whisky, Roxy and Knitting Factory.

``Our audience is in L.A.,'' Andy said.

``Merciless Death has played to hundreds of screaming fans at Suburbia,'' said club owner Bret Lieberman. ``With their hard-core sound, they are on their way to becoming a household name in the heavy metal music scene. We wish them tons of success.''

Of the three musicians, only Daniel has had any formal music training, having taken guitar while a student at Canyon High School.

``I saw this tall, long-haired kid and thought he was going to be one of those kids who wanted to do different things than what I wanted to teach him, like learn to read music and be a musician,'' said Mary Purdy, Holder's guitar teacher. ``But he worked hard and did everything I asked him. He's very creative. Even when he would try to show me some of the things he was working on with his group, he was still a good student. I'm really proud of him.''

With their long hair and somewhat edgy look -- Holder sports a tattoo from Exumer -- Andy Torres said sometimes people get the wrong impression.

``We're the only ones in the yearbook with leather jackets on in our senior pictures,'' he said, gesturing to Holder. ``But we moved here to get away from the gangs and violence in L.A. My dad got tired of my room getting shot up every night. People who have lived here all their lives hate it because there's nothing to do, but I love it. They wouldn't survive in L.A.''

``Our chemistry holds us together,'' he continued, lamenting the demise of other thrash bands that started about the same time they did. ``We don't keep stuff from each other; we share the vocals and writing. It's trust and honesty that help us succeed -- and, of course, support from our fans. We haven't forgotten them. We'll see them at the top.''

For information on the band's concert schedule or CDs, visit www.myspace.com/mercilessdeath.

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color; 1 -- color in SAC edition only; 2 -- ran in SAC edition only) Merciless Death, a garage band from Canyon Country, has signed a three-CD deal and will tour the United States. From left are brothers Andy Torres, 20, and Cesar Torres, 17, and friend Dan Holder, 20. Above, the cover of their latest CD.

David Crane/Staff Photographer