Too young to drink, ready to destroy: How young punks Xcomm are crashing the hardcore scene

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It was a Monday afternoon in early May when three members of the band Xcomm gathered at multiplatinum producer Ross Robinson’s studio in Atwater Village. Their bassist, Adan Escoto, joined the session remotely via Zoom. While most teenagers would be eagerly awaiting the end of the school year, Xcomm had just finished performing at the Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas and were now concentrating on releasing their first album – schoolwork could wait.

Xcomm – the group featuring 19-year-old Michael Gatto on vocals, 14-year-old Revel Ian on drums, 20-year-old DJ Hunter Grogan, and 16-year-old Escoto – seem like seasoned musicians as they comfortably discuss their journey over the past few years.

The band started in 2023 when Ian and Escoto began collaborating on guitar riffs. They’d known each other as family friends for years, and initially, Ian – the son of Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian and singer Pearl Aday – played guitar. Once they added another guitarist, Ian switched to playing the drums.

Ian explains that he left his previous band in January 2023 because he was eager to form a band with a heavier, more hardcore sound. He initially envisioned something along the lines of metal bands like Slayer and Mastodon.

They named the band Xcomm, a reference from the “John Wick” film franchise.

When the band first formed, they needed a vocalist. Rather than hanging up posters, Ian, like many musicians today, created a digital ad in his Instagram Story.

Ian told me the initial message was pretty straightforward – someone was starting a hardcore band heavily influenced by the likes of Discharge, Black Flag, and Bad Brains. And apparently, Michael responded immediately. It was clear this caught his attention right away.

Gatto first met Ian a few months prior at a show by Minor Jerk Brains, a cover band playing songs by Minor Threat and Circle Jerks. They kept in touch, even though Gatto was still playing with 2dust. Ian was particularly impressed by Gatto’s energy and talent as a singer and performer.

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Late in 2023, Gatto became the vocalist for Xcomm after connecting with the band over a shared love of Queens of the Stone Age. Shortly after joining, they quickly recorded four original songs, including the heavy track “Time to Burn” and the energetic “Hot Pursuit,” which showcased Gatto’s vocals and guitar work. With these songs, plus a few covers, the band played their debut show at a unique venue: a dispensary on the Venice boardwalk.

Since then, Xcomm has steadily improved their sound while staying true to their raw, energetic roots. Their performances have become more polished and impactful, consistently generating wild crowd reactions – flying fans and swirling mosh pits are now typical at their shows.

Xcomm eventually got the attention of Roy Mayorga, the current drummer for Ministry, who produced their five-song 2024 demo, “Westside Punks.” The demo perfectly showcased the band’s raw, energetic thrash punk sound.

The band members invited musician Paul Robinson to their show, hoping against hope he’d be able to make it. They sent the invitation through a mutual friend, as they weren’t sure he’d accept. To their surprise, Robinson showed up at their release party in Venice in August 2024 and could be seen watching from the side of the stage, clearly enjoying the performance, according to band members Gatto and Ian.

Robinson recalls laughing during their performance. That immediate, positive reaction told him he had to document their energy – quickly and authentically.

“After the show, he walked up to us and said, ‘Let’s do a record,’” Gatto says. “And we got to it.”

From late 2024 through early 2025, the band spent over four months recording with the producer in his studio. They created 12 energetic tracks for their first full album, “Time to Burn,” which will be released on May 22nd via Blowed Out Records, a label co-owned by Robinson.

Watching Xcomm’s growth excited Robinson.

He says he’s incredibly impressed with them, finding them much more skilled and charismatic than he expected. He believes they have limitless potential and can inspire their generation to play music with genuine passion – using real instruments and expressing true emotion, even with all its imperfections.

In the studio, Robinson challenged the new band just as intensely as he had with established artists like Korn, Slipknot, At the Drive-In, and Limp Bizkit.

According to Gatto, Ross demanded perfection during the preparation phase. He wouldn’t let them begin recording until he felt a strong emotional connection to the music. Gatto believes this meticulous approach is the key to the high quality of Ross’s recordings.

Beyond the recognition Robinson received, Xcomm has also been lauded by musicians like Sid Wilson from Slipknot and Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise.

I was instantly drawn in by the catchy guitar riff and powerful drumming,” says Dragge. “The vocals are raw and full of attitude – exactly the kind of sound I enjoy. I think this band has a really promising future, and I’m excited to see what they do next.

It just wouldn’t feel like a true punk band if Xcomm didn’t have people doubting them and questioning whether they really deserved their success. But honestly, they don’t even pay any attention to the negativity.

“If we didn’t get hate comments, I’d be concerned,” Escoto says.

Ian explains that even negative comments are a good sign, because they show people are noticing their music. He sees it as free publicity and expresses gratitude for the attention, saying, “Thank you for helping us!”

There’s been talk online that these young musicians are getting ahead because their parents are in bands, but I don’t believe it for a second,” says Dragge. “They’ve worked hard for everything they’ve accomplished, and they were simply born with a natural talent for punk rock.

I was so stoked to see Xcomm kill it opening for Dethklok at their release show! Now, they’re gearing up for an awesome summer, hitting both the Washington, D.C. and Long Beach dates of the Warped Tour, and even teasing more festival appearances and big things down the line. It’s amazing – these guys might not be old enough to drink or even drive yet, but they’ve got the talent and energy to really take off, and Gatto pretty much nailed it when he described their drive.

“Punk rock ‘til we drop.”

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2026-05-21 18:38