By Staff | May 7, 2026

Hailing from the industrial heart of Los Angeles, Velvateen is an alt metal outfit that brings the grit of Southeast LA into a dense, wall-of-sound sonic experience. Frontman Jacob draws directly from a childhood soundtrack of mechanical noise and ironwork, filling every musical void with aggressive textures that serve as a protective layer for deeply personal themes. Their music functions as a vital cultural bridge, reclaiming the metal space for the Chicano community while tackling the anxieties of modern fatherhood, the scars of gentrification, and the resilience of immigrant roots. By weaving together bilingual lyrics and a defiant toe-to-toe philosophy, Velvateen isn't just seeking entry into the industry, they’re expanding the house to ensure the next generation of La Raza is both seen and heard.

Southeast LA has a distinct industrial and cultural fingerprint. How does the specific noise of your upbringing in that environment translate into the sonic landscape of Velvateen’s music?

Well, I was raised by a single father in LA. He’s an Ironworker. With that, there was always some kind of noise happening around the house. We would be working on my dads car, dirt bikes or just building things in general. It almost seemed like there was a constant need for noise at the house. If there was no noise, we would be uncomfortable. I think that’s where we see these things in my newer music. I got more into production and feel the need to fill in all the empty space instead of just being bare bones with guitars, bass, drums and vocals. Now I fill in the space with sounds to make it all feel full.

Metal is often associated with catharsis and rage. Why is this specific genre the right medium to express the complexities of the Chicano experience, rather than more traditional or expected genres?

I believe this genre represents the Chicano experience because it provides us with that aggressive outlet for a lot of the frustrations we have but also gives us a community that we did not know existed or needed. Being a Chicano in the late 90’s and early 00’s could have been isolating in some areas. It wasn’t “cool” to be Chicano. You were picked on by one side because you were Mexican in general. Then the other side did not treat you much better because you weren’t Mexican enough. Metal is where most of us found each other because we could relate on that aspect.

How does the band balance the vulnerability of your personal story with the heaviness of your sound?

I always had trouble being vulnerable. It’s a flaw of mine that only changed once my daughter was born. With the band, I am able to be vulnerable but hide it behind a wall of aggression. I also don’t have to be straight forward when it comes to my lyrics. I am able to hide my vulnerability behind double entendres. If someone really wants to know what I'm feeling, they’ll have to take themselves on a journey. It’s also a creative outlet for me that leaves my songs open to different interpretations depending on what me or the listener may be feeling that day.

You’ve witnessed the physical and social displacement in your community. Is there a specific track in your repertoire that serves as a monument to a part of LA that no longer exists?

I’ve talked about this so much as an adult. Growing up in Artesia, there were a lot of Hispanic families. As I grew up, I saw many of my friends have to leave due to gentrification. The cost of living in my area went up so with that, I saw a lot of my friends and their families have to leave until the three blocks around me were the only ones left with predominantly Hispanic families. Seeing these events led me to write songs like “I’m A Slave”. My lyrics are as follows:

“Got no time for your school.
I’m a liar and I’m a thief.
What I want is to be heard.
What I want is to be seen.

Am I not pretty?
Am I not clean?
Am I not worthy to be seen?
Can’t be chained when I’m found.
Can’t be shamed in the dark.”

Songs like this came about because I didn’t feel like I fit into the changing environment around me. I felt like people saw Chicanos a certain way which was usually negative. In my youth, I felt like I had to live up to those expectations because they weren’t going to give me the chance to prove otherwise. I believe this is a feeling a lot of people have when it comes to feeling left out because of your heritage. Be it Mexican, Asian, African American, etc… you’re not given a chance to show who you are as a person so you instead choose to double down on those outside expectations.

Growing up as children of the 90s/00s vs. raising a child in 2026 presents different challenges. How has becoming a father changed the way you write lyrics about struggle or resistance?

Things seem so fast paced now compared to when I was a kid. My dad just had to keep me safe from what was outside his home. Now that I am a dad in this new era, I have to protect my daughter from outside dangers as well as inside…the internet. There are so many variables out there now and it terrifies me to know that I won’t be able to protect my child from them. I am also concerned about how technology will affect the way my daughter develops mentally. Growing up in the 90’s/00s we developed based on what was directly around us. We weren’t concerned about the outside world and lived in the moment. Now, kids are concerned about the opinions of someone who lives on the other side of the country who is using a spam account to talk shit. When I was a kid, you could say, words hurt but my fists hurt more. Then you go about your day. Now, you just let the opinions of that person marinate because the person who is saying these things has no face. There are so many variables now that weren't around when I was a kid. I’d need more than a short interview to really dig in and elaborate on that.

But yes to your point, my song writing has changed because of my daughter. I would always write from a “me” stand point, but now I write about REAL frustrations that I have surrounding society. I have a new song called “Wake Up” in which I am just criticizing people who take advantage of others for their enjoyment, for money or just out of spite. We see that happening with our government starting altercations with other countries when it’s going to be our kids who have to go fight those wars for them. Or even personally where I’ve dealt with people who wanna hide behind laws and courts because they're too petty and scared to deal with problems face to face. I feel like my newer music is going to have a lot more frustration now that I have a daughter. An example would be lyrics in our upcoming song “Wake Up”:

“Tell me how many times you wanna run it back?
Never toe to toe,
You a bitch in fact,
Yo moms don’t love you and yo kin despise you.
So why I gotta deal with this stupid mothafuckin leva,
Cause you a bitch!
You yo daddy’s son.
You ain’t never gonna see me on the run.”

I was so irritated with how the current administration constantly makes it feel like we are about to be on the brink of war. In this, I wanna see world leaders handle business themselves instead of hiding behind their people. Go toe to toe and call it a day.

Jacob, You mentioned that your daughter's Mexican heritage is her most valuable asset. How do you weave indigenous or Mexican history into your music, ensuring it remains a core part of the band's DNA?

First I would say that I do mix a lot more Spanish and English lyrics together in our songs. This is like my calling card to the wild to let other Latinos know that we’re here and we can all come together. I’ve also been finding new ways to incorporate Mexican styles of music into our alt metal style. This can be seen in songs like “Watching You” and “Calcutta”. In the future, I plan on working with more predominantly Chicano artists who aren’t in the metal world so that we can bring our different cultures together.

Your father raised two children in a demanding city. How does his resilience manifest in your drive to keep pushing within an industry as volatile as the music business?

My dad broke his back for us. Being a single father isn’t too common so my father probably felt like he did not have many avenues to go down when it meant asking for help. It was him against the world and he attacked it head on without ever complaining. With this, my dad really taught me how to not take no for an answer. He taught me that the world can and will be a hard place. Just because I want to stop and cry or pity myself, it does not mean the world will stop or even care. At the end of the day, the outcome is my decision. It’s just a matter of not being my own greatest enemy.

When your daughter is old enough to look back at Velvateen’s discography, what is the one specific truth you hope she learns about you - and herself - through your songs?

I want my daughter to know that I was a passionate person. I want her to know that I had drive and refused to back down. I want her to know that she is stronger than she will ever know and that if she ever questions it, she just needs to look at where her family came from and where we ended up. She came from a family of immigrants who came here to this country, worked their asses off to give their kids a life they never had and did so with a smile on their face cause they knew that as hard as they worked today, tomorrow was gonna be better because of it.

The metal scene hasn't always been the most inclusive space for Chicano voices. Do you feel Velvateen is knocking on the door of the industry, or are you building a new house entirely?

We’re knocking on the door and letting them know that if they don’t open up, we’re going to destroy what they built and make a bigger home to include everybody. When I was a kid, there wasn’t anybody playing the genre of music I liked that looked like me. The closest would have been Kim Thayil of Soundgarden but he wasn’t Mexican. I’ve seen so many people across the country come to our shows and get excited because they finally see someone who looks like them playing this style of music. I’ve had young kids come up to me who dragged their parents to my shows cause they heard of Velvateen and wanted to see someone who looks like them playing this style of music. This gives me that drive to push harder so that my RAZA sees that we can dominate any and every music style.

You stated you have something of substance to say. If you could strip away the guitars and the drums, what is the fundamental thesis statement of your life’s work?

Be kind. Be driven. Stand up for yourself and others. Leave a world behind that you wish you had when you were a kid.

What is the greatest social or political challenge facing you as a Mexican-American right now? (yes, you can say FUCK ICE if you want).

I feel like there’s a lot going on when it comes to Mexican Americans currently. On a musical level, we’re still boxed into certain categories that I feel are slowly getting broken away. But on a political level, we’re seeing so much division and fear. When the ICE raids first started, the streets went empty. Santee Alley in DTLA was shut down, Swap Meets were wastelands. I would drive home and see abandoned fruit carts on the side of the road everywhere. You could feel the fear that was left behind after whatever altercation had occurred. You were scared for your friends and their families who’d built a life in America for 25+ years. To know that it could all be taken away from them in a heart beat…it was like something out of a horror movie. Even for myself it has been scary. I am a dark Mexican man in Pomona, CA. I have been stopped while pulling up to a parking lot and asked about citizenship. Luckily I’d just gotten my passport so it was in my vehicle and I was let go. I have constantly played in my head what would happen if I did not have my I.D. on me and my daughter was with me. Who would I call? Would they take my daughter and hold her until they can figure out who I was? Would I be able to call someone in time so they could come get her? I could care less about what happens to me but I’m terrified of what would happen to my daughter if she was there. It’s things like this that make me want to keep making music so that my daughter knows she has a voice and that she should use it for the betterment of mankind.

Anyone you'd like to thank?

First I would like to thank my dad. As a new father, I see how much he did for me and how hard it must have been doing it himself. I’d like to thank my wife for continuously pushing me to keep making music and not give up. I’d like to thank my daughter for giving me a new lease on life. She’s opened my eyes up to a world that I never knew existed and I will love her for all eternity. I’d like to also thank everybody who has supported me on this journey, my brother, my family, my friends and most importantly, the fans.

Links

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ySiV1vUSZL2HSy7D8OsB5?si=wCyJaypYQ8OOknIKeFYm4A

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/velvateen_band

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@velvateen_la?_t=8gor0bA0eGk&_r=1

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZwYiQ68djr6P7aau_1_QzQ

Standing Up For Yourself: An Interview With LA’s Velvateen

Now Go Start A Band: An Interview With Canada’s Mean Bikini