Scary Kids Scaring Kids

This six-piece melodic punk act from Arizona is oft labeled "post-hardcore," but we think their pairing of fantastic riffs with serviceable vocals is reminiscent of early Metallica. Certainly, thrash is back — but not with kids this age. So they tended to claim more fashionable influences, and when the supercatchy refrain of "Snake Devil" hits, we have to admit they do owe a debt to bands like At the Drive-In and Blink-182.

And although it caught on like wildfire with "scene kids" in the early- to late-00s, the band's recent history has been fraught. Though it has continued to tour nationally, including a high-profile slot on last year's Warped Tour, a couple of years have passed since the band's last full-length, its self-titled sophomore effort. Possibly fed up with the lags, drummer James Etheridge (the band's third) called it quits last year. Soon, the band as a whole followed suit. This Thursday's show at Culture Room marks its final appearance in South Florida; after the end of this tour, Scary Kids is officially kaput.