This weekend, it’s time for some metal when Orange County metalcore maniacs Avenged… This weekend, it’s time for some metal when Orange County metalcore maniacs Avenged Sevenfold team up with My Chemical Romance, Trustkill’s Nora and Alexisonfire at Mr. Small’s Funhouse.

A7X has been making waves in the metalcore market ever since the release of their album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. It had the cheesiness of ’80s hair metal, with hardcore and emotional vocals scattered throughout, but never gave up any brutality. This album was wicked heavy, and with good reason. The song “Darkness Surrounding” seemed to be the big hit that spawned it all, from their simple days as mp3.com metalheads to their signing with European label Goodlife Recordings, until they finally hit the nail on the head by signing to Hopeless Records. With plenty of good, ol’ American promotion, the band found itself getting offers to play festivals, and touring around the country with well-known bands in the scene. Waking the Fallen was released mid-2003, and has put them on the map. Hell, they were even featured in EA Sports’ “Madden 2004” and “NHL 2004.”

My Chemical Romance has a “power punk” sound. Alexisonfire seems to have latched onto mixing melody with an edge. They don’t completely give in to emo sound, as reviews have insinuated, but it can be seen as such. Both of these bands’ work has not gone unnoticed in the music scene, as they are becoming bigger names with each and every tour. But another band to keep an eye out for is Trustkill’s Nora.

The band was originally given major props for their split with the Dillinger Escape Plan a few years ago. Their connections with the New Jersey mathcore heroes allowed them to move on to bigger and better things. They offered a Slayer-esque approach to metal with Neverendingyouline, an EP that was just as brutal as it was amazing. Dreamers and Deadmen, their full-length offering of 2003, was a major hit with metal and hardcore fans alike, winning them even more popularity as time went on.

So prepare to saddle up this weekend for some hot and heavy metal, with lots of fun to be had. What else are you going to do on a Friday night besides thrash around in the pits and scream along to the lyrics until your lungs hurt? Probably nothing, so get motivated and make that experience the best part of your night.

Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical Romance, Nora and Alexisonfire play at Mr. Small’s Funhouse on Friday. Doors open at 7 p.m. For more information, call (412) 821-4447.