• members

    Jose Menendez  vocals

    Rafael “Rafi” Carbonell  guitar

    Rafael Calderon guitar

    Shawn Wallen  guitar

    Janpierre Mojica  bass

    Brandon Thrift  drums

  • biography

    Hailing from Tampa, Florida, ground zero for generations of extreme music, COLD STEEL delivers a relentless fusion of thrash riffs, hardcore breakdowns, and metalcore muscle that they call aggressive metal.

    Formed in 2021, the six-piece, consisting of Jose Menendez (vocals), Rafael “Rafi” Carbonell (guitar), Shawn Wallen (guitar), Janpierre Mojica (bass), Rafael Calderon (guitar), and Brandon Thrift (drums), quickly built a following through their explosive early EPs 'Will of Spiritual Cleansing' (2021) and 'Deeper Into Greater Pain' (2023), which featured fan-favorite tracks like “Bad Beat,” “Evil Eye,” and “Full Tilt.”

    Their fourth show ever saw them open for Trivium, thanks to a fan poll vote, and since then, they’ve hit stages with the likes of Obituary and Weekend Nachos. Known for their high-intensity performances and no-compromise sound, COLD STEEL now brings their next chapter to life under the Spinefarm banner.