Some metal-music heavies share bill at Tremont tonight

On the eve of the final date of their Enemy of God Pt. 2tour, German metal veterans Kreator headline at Tremont today (7 p.m., $16-$18). The four-band bill is an international death-metal fest of sorts. Their English peers Napalm Death, Montreal's A Perfect Murder and Raleigh-based vegan hardcore band Undying share the bill.

While these bands may not be well-known in the mainstream, Kreator and Napalm Death are legendary in the metal world. Both began in the early '80s pioneering brutal grindcore and aggressive black metal, respectively. My two high school and college boyfriends (who had a death metal, garage band of their own) were huge fans.

In fact, a poster of Napalm Death's "Scum" album adorned the wall of my first Charlotte apartment.

And now two Charlotteans, Undying's Rob Roose and Jose Wright, who once worked down the street from me at Phat Burrito, are opening for bands my exes followed faithfully.

Touring is nothing new to Undying. Led by founder and Charlotte native Jimmy Chang, the band spends much of its time touring Europe, where its style of extremist metal is revered.

I heard Napalm Death on BBC radio in London 10 years ago. But I imagine none of these bands will ever be as big in the U.S. as they are overseas. I could be wrong. Back when my beaus were reveling in the ear-exploding intensity of Deicide, Napalm Death and Cannibal Corpse, the heaviest thing on MTV was Nirvana. Almost 15 years later, it's nothing to hear and see bands such as Avenged Sevenfold, Korn, System of a Down and Atreyu receiving radio play and TV time. As public tolerance grows, maybe the heavies will eventually get their due.