ARANKAI

ARANKAI plays The Studio @ The Bomb Factory on Friday, December 4, starting at 7 PM. It's a solo bill, so the whole night is built around one name.

ARANKAI is the project of Oscar, who hails from the Midwestern United States and calls Madison, Wisconsin, home. He debuted in 2022 with a string of singles: "HANGMAN," "A Good Day To D13," and "EVERGREEN." Since then, he's put out metal and alternative tracks like "CONTORTIONIST" and "Dead Throne," and stepped into collaborations, including "ROME" with artist Dal Av and "BLACKOUT" with the band Versus Me. His debut album, A Portrait of Red, is due in 2025.

He describes his sound as sitting at the crossroads of rock and metalcore, and that's a fair way to frame it. The singles from those first few years lean into the heavier side of things, while the later work and collaborations pull in alternative textures. Between the early singles and the upcoming album, there's enough material to build a full set around.

If you're familiar with the name, this is a chance to hear those songs live. If you're coming in fresh, it's a good place to start before the full album arrives. The show is at The Studio @ The Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St, in Dallas, on Friday, December 4, starting at 7 PM.