Courtesy Relapse Records

Misery Index

You want hard riffage, apocalyptic vocals, blast beats and double-bass-drum pounding. You need to sling your head and neck to the point of whiplash. Roanoke's own DooM Syndicate is working to give you an outlet.

For the fourth time this year, the death metal masters are hosting nationally recognized heavy rockers at a local spot. On Wednesday, Baltimore band Misery Index headlines a five-band bill at La Finca in Roanoke.

Misery Index -- a label mate of Baroness, whose members grew up in Lexington -- is touring internationally behind its latest release, "Traitors" (Relapse Records). Misery Index drummer Adam Jarvis made the cover of Sick Drummer magazine recently. The magazine described Jarvis' band as a "death metal juggernaut."

DooM Syndicate, in one configuration or another, has been inspiring moshers for about a decade and remains tight and devastating. The band has consistently made other Roanoke Valley-based heavy-rock bands a part of these big lineups -- Overt Enemy and Dysphagic fill out the bill on Wednesday.

Of all the acts playing, Gigan -- from Tampa, Fla. -- might be the most intriguing. Its "Undead Auditory Emanations" not only rocks at hyperspeed, it also calls to mind such progressive acts as King Crimson.

-- Tad Dickens

CHECK ’EM OUT

Who: Misery Index, with DooM Syndicate, Gigan, Overt Enemy, Dysphagic

Where: La Finca, Roanoke

When: 8 p.m. Wednesday

How much: $8; all ages

Info: 343-0801, myspace.com/miseryindex, myspace.com/doomsyndicate, myspace.com/giganmusic, myspace.com/overtenemymetal