Onstage with metal, rock

Nintendo metal, desert country rebel rock and pop-rock are what’s in store over the coming week at The Knitting Factory Concert House. Here’s the rundown:

Playing with power

Who says video games are a waste of brain space?

The perils of “Castlevania,” “Ghosts and Goblins” and “Metroid” can strengthen eye-hand coordination. And not just with the analog control sticks, but also with lightning-fast guitar solos and machine-gun drumbeats.

English Grammy-nominated synth-metal band DragonForce harnesses all of the combined power of ’80s-era video games in an onslaught of hypertempo power metal.

With a multinational roster, DragonForce speaks the universal language of 16-bit cinematics. It’s a conversation that spans the globe, as the band is made up of South African singer ZP Theart, Chinese-born guitarist Herman Li, English guitarist Sam Totman, Ukranian keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov, British bassist Adrian Lambert and his compatriot drummer David Macintosh.

DragonForce’s 2008 album “Ultra Beatdown” was nominated for a Grammy for Best Metal Performance, and was featured on the “Skate 2” video game. The band has also been featured in the popular “Guitar Hero” game.

It’s a suburban teenage dork’s paradise.

DragonForce appears Saturday at 8 p.m. at The Knitting Factory, 919 W. First Ave. Tickets are $21 in advance, $23 day of show, through TicketsWest outlets (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).

Clyne time

Following 2008’s eight-day writing and recording experiment, “Turbo Ocho,” Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers returned with yet another ambitious project in their latest release, “Glow in the Dark.”

Where “Turbo Ocho” traded the superproduction of 2007’s “No More Beautiful World” for a more raw approach, “Glow in the Dark” pushes the purist essence a step further by taking this concert album straight to the fans.

The Peacemakers’ first Web-only album, “Glow in the Dark” was released in early February. Continuing for 14 weeks at the band’s Web site ( www.azpeacemakers.com), fans can watch an entire live show where a new song debuts each week. No physical CD or DVD will be distributed.

The album contains material from the group’s full catalog, including some of Clyne’s Refreshments-era material.

His Peacemakers project is the only independent group to debut in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Internet Sales chart for six consecutive releases, including two No. 1 entries.

A Southern rock rebel, Clyne has loosened his formula so the guitar grit crosses over into country and pop influences with tinges of reggae and Latin sounds.

Look for him Sunday at 8 p.m. at The Knitting Factory with local support from Buffalo Jones. Tickets are $14, through TicketsWest.

Trapt breaks out

Trapt is escaping the past on its new album, “Only Through the Pain.”

On this, its third album, the platinum California rock quartet comes back with a new lineup.

Trapt got off to a shaky start in 2008, announcing the departure of lead guitarist Simon Ormandy. He was quickly replaced by Robb Torres and any sour notes with Ormandy were downlplayed throughout the transition.

Instead of dwelling on the drama, Trapt spent most of 2008 teasing the new studio set through leaking songs online and through video game promotionals, including the video game “Rock Band.”

At the same time the group launched an aggressive multimedia campaign by starting its own online community ( www.onlythroughthepain.com) where users can create profiles and upload images, similar to MySpace.

Trapt’s music also is breaking out of familiar patterns. The band’s early tendency toward emogrunge has broadened with a more contemporary pop sound. The new album is also clean of any foul language, giving Trapt more leverage with a younger fanbase.

Trapt appears Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at The Knitting Factory. Tickets are $18, through TicketsWest.