Indiana duo from Chesterton whose angular black metal riffs intertwine with pounding primordial death metal, drawing on influences ranging from Demilich to Cynic. Their album Staring Through the Veil established them as a quietly distinctive voice in the melodic black/death underground.

Los Angeles technical death metal quartet formed in 2003, blending mathcore complexity with sci-fi and horror themes across a discography that spans from their early goregrind experiments to the 2021 comeback full-length The Reaping Phantasm. Their dense, groove-laced compositions were tracked across studios in LA, Seattle, and Portland.

Blackened death metal band from Paducah, Kentucky formed in 2014 by ex-Voyage of Slaves members, blending aggressive, melodic, and grimly atmospheric approaches. Their debut EP Gateways (2015) was praised by No Clean Singing as one of that year's best debut releases.

Progressive thrash/death metal quartet from Calumet City in the south suburbs of Chicago, drawing comparisons to Megadeth, Carcass, and Pantera. The band released their EP Inciting Insurrection while building a reputation in the Chicago-area heavy metal scene.

Melodic death metal band from Hastings-on-Hudson, New York that has operated under several names since 2004, committed to keeping melody intact without sacrificing heaviness. Their self-titled 2024 album continues a long history of emotionally driven, riff-forward melodic death metal in the Hudson Valley area.

Death metal band from Neptune, New Jersey carving out a space in the densely packed Garden State extreme metal underground. The band channels the grim energy of old-school death metal with a straightforward, uncompromising approach.

Nashville, Tennessee solo project started in 2012 by Matthew Plunkett, beginning as post-black metal and noise before migrating toward raw death metal and experimental noise across a prolific output of full-lengths, demos, EPs, and splits. Releases like Putrid Remnants (2020) reflect the project's ongoing evolution away from its atmospheric origins.

Michigan death/thrash metal side project that emerged from members of Violent Night, recording a single before disbanding as the parent band absorbed the group's attention. The project remained brief and obscure within the Michigan extreme metal underground.

Death metal and grindcore act from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 2004 as a gore-and-humor-themed side project of Violent Night members, releasing material on Electric Ice Records before the members moved on. The band has stated no plans to reform.