CLASSIC METAL WITH A SLICE OF LIME 

Countless bands have rocked the Sunset Strip with cool covers of hard rock classics by metal icons like Metallica, Zeppelin and Ozzy. But no one has ever reinvented metal classics as badass and brilliantly hilarious as L.A. band Metalachi, the world’s first mariachi-metal cover band.

The KISS-inspired makeup and codpieces add a rockin’ edge to the souped up traditional mariachi outfits, but it’s the band’s mariachi-metal renditions of tunes like “Enter Sandman” and “Crazy Train” that steal the spotlight. And Metalachi’s velvet-smooth showmanship and loco sense of humor — they also cover Cheech & Chong tunes — make their shows more fun than downing a bottle of tequila and watching Spinal Tap again for the hundreth time. But what do you expect from a band with awesome aliases as metal as their music: frontman Vega De La Rockha, guitarist Ramon Holiday, violinist Maximillian “Dirty” Sanchez, guittaronist Poncho Rockefeller, trumpeter El Cucey and emcee Warren Russia.

Formed in 2011, the L.A. band is relatively new to the Hollywood scene but has already been packing Sunset Strip hot spots, recently headlining the Roxy on, appropriately enough, Cinco De Mayo. The Mexican metal heads have also nabbed famous fans like Billy Idol and artist Shepherd Fairey. Check out their tour schedule for upcoming SoCal shows, including the San Diego County Fair later this month.

Bang your head to Metalachi’s loco-cool cover of “Crazy Train” below.