BUZZ BANDS

Making a mark in metal

Pop-punk bands spring up in Orange County like tract homes, but there is a hard-core metal act that is carving out its own piece of real estate. A combination of searing guitars, in-your-face vocals and neck-snapping explosions of melody, Atreyu winds up seven months of touring with a performance Saturday night at the Showcase Theatre in Corona. “I think we all have bags under our eyes, but the response we’ve gotten ... it makes it all worthwhile,” vocalist Alex Varkatzas says, “especially the last couple of shows that we’ve headlined.” After the June release of its debut album, “Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses,” Atreyu toured coast to coast with Boy Sets Fire and Snapcase, two label-mates on Chicago-based Victory Records. The end-of-the-year dates put Atreyu in the spotlight, and the band plans no letup in 2003.

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A real no-brainer

Can’t accuse Nick May of the garage rock outfit the Action Cats of overselling the product. “This isn’t smart indie rock at all,” says the band’s frontman. “Just fun, fun, fun.” Formed less than six months ago, the band has been getting daily play on XM radio with its distinctly So Cal-sounding songs, inspired more by Weezer and the Kinks than the Stooges and New York Dolls. The band -- which recently re-pressed its self-titled debut CD -- considers itself part of a fledgling L.A. scene that includes melodic rockers Rooney and Warped Tour veterans the Waking Hours. Can the Cats compare to any of the breakthrough acts from New York or Detroit? “Honestly,” May says, “I think we have better songs than any of those other garage bands.” Decide for yourself at 7 p.m. Saturday when the band appears at Pug’z Music in Westwood.

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Fast forward

Hello, muscle-funk? The OC Supertones have edged away from their trademark ska sound on their fifth album, “Hi-Fi Revival,” but their songs are no less catchy and their message remains focused on spreading the word. After a handful of shows in January, the band embarks with other Christian bands such as Relient K and Pillar on the 3 1/2-month See Spot Rock Tour, scheduled to wind up in May at the Bren Events Center at UC Irvine.

It might not be quite the standing-room-only smile-fest that broke out last month when his ex-Tories bandmates joined him, but Steve Bertrand takes guitar in hand and spreads some more good feelings at 9 p.m. Saturday at Genghis Cohen.

-- Compiled by Kevin Bronson, with Jeff Miller

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