Not to be confused with the veteran California-based punk band X, California X is a rock group hailing from Amherst, Massachusetts whose sound recalls the heavier and sludgier side of '80s and '90s alternative rock, while maintaining a tuneful core amidst an aggressive, growling guitar attack. Formed in 2012, California X made their debut with a cassette-only EP release, Sucker/Mummy. In 2013, the New York City punk label Don Giovanni Records struck a deal with California X, and released their eponymous debut album. California X's second album, Nights in the Dark, was released in January 2015. ~ Mark Deming