Des Moines's Second Side have been navigating the space between thrash aggression, groove-metal momentum, and alternative metal experimentation since 2015. The Iowa trio's approach resists easy categorization — the thrash instincts keep things sharp and forward-moving, while the alternative influences introduce texture and dynamics that prevent the sound from calcifying into formula. They're a product of the Midwest DIY underground where versatility is a survival trait.

Formed in 2025 out of Gilroy, California, Serpent and the Sun drive a groove-heavy thrash metal sound rooted in riff-forward aggression and thick rhythmic punch — a brand-new presence in the Bay Area's deep-rooted thrash tradition.

A groove metal outfit from Littleton, New Hampshire, Shadow Moses have been delivering thick, punishing riffs and locked-in rhythms since 2016. Their approach favors the bulldozing mid-tempo stomp that defines the genre, honed in a small-city scene that demands directness.

New York's Shadow of Demise have been at it since 2006, fusing the groove-forward chug of groove metal with outright death metal brutality into a sound that's both punishing and propulsive. Their long tenure gives them a road-worn authority that newer bands are still working toward.

Martinsville, Virginia's Shadows Within have been blending groove metal's rhythmic stomp with metalcore's intensity since 2011, carving out a sound rooted in the Southern region's blue-collar hard rock tradition. Their approach leans on heavy, mid-tempo riffing anchored by metalcore dynamics and a songwriting sensibility honed over more than a decade of regional activity.

Denver's Shard have been building their groove metal sound since 2020, channeling the genre's signature syncopated heaviness into the Colorado scene's increasingly diverse heavy music landscape. Their music sits in the thick-riffed, head-down groove tradition — built for momentum and physical impact.

Philadelphia's Sharkbullet arrived in 2018 playing groove and thrash metal with the East Coast's characteristic directness — dense, percussive riffing that locks into a body-moving groove before exploding into full-tilt thrash aggression. The band benefits from Philadelphia's historically combative live scene, where their sound finds a natural home.

Tampa's Shimera brings a groove-heavy approach to heavy metal, leaning into the mid-paced churn and rhythmic swagger of groove metal within a city known for producing acts that favor intensity over flash.

A New York act founded in 2014, ShitKill blend groove metal's chunky, riff-forward momentum with thrash's velocity, crafting a muscular hybrid sound rooted in the aggressive traditions of the Northeast underground.