As a band, Anathemma has prided itself in creating music that represents us as a group. We pride ourselves in uniting people through thrash! Banging our heads all throughout Southern California and Arizona, we have played in venues such as the House of Blues, Whisky a Go-Go, Blooze Bar, Malone’s, and more! Although we are based in Los Angeles, we have traveled vast distances to enjoy bonding with others in the metal and music community.
Who is Anthemma?
Allan Chan
Guitar and Main Vocals
2016-Present
Photo Credit: Overt Media
Bio:
Throughout my whole life, I have always been heavily into music. Starting with the clarinet as a kid, I realized how much enjoyment I received from participating in a group effort to create music. That feeling continued until I realized that the clarinet did not completely fit what I wanted to do. Eventually, I wanted to pursue something that fit me. Picking up the guitar, I realized that it truly represented me as a person and musician.
My list of influences include groups such as Metallica, Motorhead, Exodus, Testament, The Outlaw Mariachi, Lost Society, Metalachi, and more! All of these groups have played a significant role in the way I perform on stage. Although these groups have inspired me in the past, I still find myself amazed by new local talent such as Minority, Fallacy, Nomanic, Mortalis, Ophiuchus, and more!
I have grown so much as a musician and continue to strive for my very best. Every day I try to reach that goal, and that cannot be done without the help of my bandmates as they truly have helped me reach my full potential. I cannot express how Anathemma has taught me about the importance of understanding collaboration, musicianship, and communication. I am truly lucky to share this experiences with my partners in Anathemma.
Adrian Tellez
Bass and Backing Vocals
2016-Present
Photo Credit: Overt Media
Bio:
I began my journey into the world of music by listening to my parent’s favorite genre choices. In my case, my father would play cumbias, 90’s techno, and most importantly Spanish rock! He often listened to Heroes Del Silencio, Liran Roll, El Haragan y Cia. During my youth, two of my step cousins, Jesus and Cesar, introduced me to Iron Maiden’s “Run to the Hills,” which threw me into an obsession with the band! I wanted to learn guitar at that moment, but it turned out difficult for me with no one to teach me and not having the correct gear for metal music. From there, I kept listening to power metal throughout high school!
My father has been playing the bass guitar since I was in middle school. Naturally, I chose to try it! My father was involved in a church group, so I learned their songs very quickly as they were simple, and I understood note changes and timing decently for a beginner. Now, the real fun began when I tried learning Iron Maiden songs, and boy was that even more exciting!!! I first tried, “Run to the Hills” and quickly learned the intro, but came to a halt with the rest of the song as it involves the galloping technique. I jumped over to “Phantom of the Opera” and found that song was better suited for me to learn!
I heavily dedicated myself to practicing every day with a break on the weekends as my fingers would be strained. Sure enough I was playing, “Phantom of the Opera”, “Run to the Hills”, “The Trooper”, “Killers”, the whole first Maiden album along with some of the Killers album after three months! I was on a roll!! I picked up Steve Harris’ style of playing naturally. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have learned to play the Bass guitar the same way! After learning quickly, I started jamming with Allan. He then taught me Metallica on bass!! Although that was short lived and parted ways for about 4 years, we got in touch again thanks to his Grandma (May She Rest In Peace). I saw her by the neighborhood store and said hi, also asking if Allan and his family were okay! Thanks to that moment, we reconnected as friends, and I pushed Allan the idea of starting a band! And now, thanks to that moment in time, we have Anathemma!!
Thomas Gonzalez
2023-Present
My name is Thomas Gonzalez, and I’m excited to be a part of the Anathemma family. I’ve been playing the drums since the age of 10, and it has been a pleasant journey for me. My main influences in music are bands such as Slayer, Sepultura, Exodus, and Anthrax!!! Metal isn’t the only type of style that I enjoy to drum. I really enjoy watching Chad Smith’s ability to play funk. This has inspired me to add different flavors into my playing style. My favorite drummers who inspire me to play are Dave Lombardo from Slayer, Neil Peart from Rush, and Danny Carey from Tool. They are the reason why I am the drummer that I am today. My drumming history includes performing with bands such Omnicide and Casket Crusher. At the moment, I am using Mapex drums along with Zildjian cymbals. Tone is very important to me, and I do my best to fine tune my sound. The future excites me, and I look forward to performing at a show near you.