Metalachi to bring mariachi metal covers to Pappy and Harriet's on June 6

Can mariachi music mix with heavy metal? East Los Angeles band Metalachi aims to prove they do with ranchera-infused covers of songs such as "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne and "Enter Sandman" by Metallica.

Metalachi is most known for its unique style. Instead of traditional charro suits, members wear leather boots, leopard-print pants, T-shirts, sombreros and luchador masks while performing both traditional Mexican music and metal covers with instruments like guitarrón, violin and trumpet.

Biographical information about the band is scarce and often reads like creative nonfiction. A humorous bio that used to appear on Metalachi's website claimed that the original five members were conceived in 1982 at a Super Ocho Motor Lodge in Veracruz, Mexico, were then sent to the U.S. by their mother, and found an album sleeve of Black Sabbath’s "Paranoid" along the way.

Queen Kyla Vera (violin) said the band was founded before she joined, and the idea of combining metal and mariachi probably came from "a lot of tequila."

"People like metal music and go crazy, so why not take mariachi and turn it into something new that gets an audience going in a different kind of way? If you put them together, you can become a rockstar without switching genres," Vera said.

Metalachi will perform on June 6 at Pappy and Harriet's.

Metalachi appeared on 'America's Got Talent'

You may remember Metalachi from the 10th season of "America's Got Talent" when the band dazzled judges Howard Stern, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel with a cover of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Going To Take It" and advanced to the Judge Cuts, but the band never appeared on the show again.

Metalachi has performed at the Netflix Is A Joke Fest with comedian Bert Kresicher, the Welcome to Rockville Festival and more. The band was also featured in an AT&T commercial.

One recent memorable performance Vera recalled was the 2023 New Jersey Taco Festival after a severe rainstorm hit the area.

"We got there and the whole place was flooded. There was so much lightning that (organizers) decided to close the whole place. We were wading through water and a big audience stayed, refused to leave and were chanting for us. They determined it was safe enough to do the show when the lightning subsided. We went and played for all these people standing in a flood and it was cool," Vera said.

Metalachi is a cover band, but could soon perform original works

Metalachi has released three albums of covers: "Uno," "Dos," and "Tres." The mariachi band covers metal and rock classics such as Anthrax's "Caught In A Mosh," Iron Maiden's "Run To The Hills," Motörhead's "Ace Of Spades," and Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song," which sound magnificent in the traditional Mexican sound. However, the band has also attempted to cover other songs that don't quite fit the mariachi style.

"We've had songs that we thought were going to work and when we played them, they either didn't sound full enough or the balance wasn't right," Vera said.

Metalachi is a cover band, so it only performs other bands' songs. Vera mentioned that the group wants to start including its own songs in future performances.

"Our guitarist Paco is our musical director and does all of that. Personally, I don't like writing music or arranging, so it's all him. I like collaborating, when someone does something, I come in and like to fill it with whatever I want to put in there," Vera said.

Crowd responses to Metalachi are mostly positive

Mariachi music serves as a powerful embodiment of Mexican culture and tradition. Its lyrical content often reflects the nation's values of national heritage, hometown pride, religion and resilience. This cherished musical tradition is passed down through generations, and mariachi bands play an integral role in adding vibrancy to festive, religious, and public events across different regions of Mexico.

Vera said most responses to Metalachi in live settings by regional Mexican music and metal fans are mostly positive, but there have been some mariachi purists who are not pleased with the band's metal repertoire or comedic image.

"Mariachi is very traditional and very much like classical music," she said. "We definitely have a lot of people who aren't crazy about what we do, but we also have a lot of people that think it's really cool and fun. A lot of people show up (to concerts) in their suits and ties after work and are excited I think it goes both ways."

If you go

What: Metalachi concert

When: 8 p.m. Thusday, June 6

Where: Pappy and Harriet's, 53-688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown

How much: $20 to $30

More information: pappyandharriets.com

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Metalachi to bring mariachi metal to Pappy and Harriet's on June 6