Matianak Credit: courtesy the artist

This Chicago blackened death-metal outfit takes its name from an evil Malay spirit, the vengeful vampiric ghost of either a stillborn baby or a woman who died in childbirth. To embody this nightmarish inspiration, front woman Arelys Jimenez—a horror buff and taxidermy enthusiast—dons terrifying, gruesome makeup and props for the band’s performances. In 2016, Matianak dropped a solid two-song EP, Enochian Ritual, and this May they released their first full-length, Non Compos Mentis. The record is a whirling, howling, chugging mishmash of styles produced with a grotty feel; it all has a tendency to evoke a pit of the damned—screams of agony, flailing limbs, and all. Jimenez says the band is still looking for a full-time bassist and second guitarist (Frank Garcia of Blood of the Wolf will join the core trio for this show), so if you’re a musician looking to join a promising up-and-coming horror show, that’s all the more reason to check them out.   v