Evil was still lurking the night after Halloween in the form of three shredding bands who put on a display at The A-Frame.

The Bowling Green area heavy metal scene is one that is overlooked and unknown to a lot of music fans who call Warren County home. On Friday night, though, the turnout was plentiful, and support for these three hard-working bands exceeded expectations.

“We definitely didn’t expect that many people to show up,” said Blood Curse guitarist Aaron Franks.

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The Caneyville natives started the night off with speed. Consisting of bassist Scott Briggs and wedded couple Aaron and Olivia Franks on guitar and drums, this group pumps out plenty of riffs and an old-school sound metal purists can’t deny.

Guitarist and vocalist Aaron Franks’ stage presence is enough alone to grab any rocker’s attention right off the bat.

Laying down leads with long, flowing red hair and tight jeans, he can’t help but remind the audience of Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine.

Even more impressive is his wife, Olivia, laying down the beats for the band. It’s not often that you see a husband and wife collaborate as well as these two do in their style.

Bassist Scott Briggs is a jack of all trades, not only laying down the groove for Blood Curse but manning the drums for Bihargam, the second band on the bill that night.

Blood Curse ended its set with a deafening “Angel Witch” cover met with great praise from the audience.

Maybe the most impressive sight to see on this night of wicked music was Bihargam, taking the stage clothed in cult-like attire. The drummer and both guitarists wore black cloaks with hoods, while the vocalist displayed a zombified Catholic priest look.

Not only was the look of the band fitting, but so was the loudness of the music. By the time the band began its set the crowd had filled in, something not so common for these local artists.

Lead guitarist Josh Hines was absolutely primed for this occasion, not missing a note in his onslaught. His riffs sounded like those of legendary black metal bands Asphyx and Mayhem.

In his second set of the night, drummer Briggs put on a show as well, proving he was up for the task. Briggs’ powerful cymbals and fast-paced style suited the quartet very nicely.

As near flawless as Bihargam’s set was, the band members knew they had to play up to a high standard with local band Granshaw up next.

Hailing from Bowling Green, Granshaw has made itself known in the region, opening for acts such as Thy Art is Murder and Phillip H. Anselmo and the Illegals.

Of the three bands, Granshaw definitely put out the thickest and heaviest sound, proving its experience. With a sound ranging from Lamb of God to Pantera to Sepultura at times, these boys are sure to shred whenever they are present.

Granshaw’s set consisted of several songs off its 2018 EP, “Bloody Hands, Clear Conscience,” which can be found on Spotify and Apple Music.

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Although it was an excellent night of music from all three bands, publicity and support is something these talented but under-appreciated acts always need. Heavy metal shows are few and far between in Bowling Green, and there is absolutely no reason this should be the case.

With a plethora of small venues in the area like The A-Frame, this incredible genre of music should be put on display much more often than it is. There are so many hard-working, talented musicians across this state that are passionate about the metal genre but don’t get the love they deserve.

With the great turnout Friday, there is room for optimism for the future of the Bowling Green metal scene.

“To me, it shows the metal and rock scene in Bowling Green isn’t dead yet,” Aaron Franks said. “In a world where MIDI beats and auto-tune rule the charts, we can still pack a venue with our pointy guitars and huge amps. I just hope we can keep it going.”

Columnist Casey Warner can be reached at [email protected].