Denver's Cloud Catcher have been crafting psych-drenched heavy rock and doom since 2013, straddling the worlds of cosmic stoner rock and traditional doom with an accessible, riff-forward approach. Signed to Totem Cat Records for their second album Trails of Kozmic Dust, they remain one of Colorado's finest heavy exports.

Indianapolis's Cloud of Souls, the studio project of Chris Latta and Tucker Thomasson, brew classic black, doom, and epic heavy metal into a sound that evokes Bathory's Blood Fire Death meeting Saint Vitus. Their albums A Fate Decided and A Constant State of Flux demonstrate a consistently ambitious vision within the blackened doom space.

Brooklyn's Clovis play a wall-of-sound doom and stoner rock blend steeped in grunge and classic heavy riffing. Their self-titled LP documents a band content to let the volume speak for itself.

Spring Hill, Florida heavy metal band delivering classic metal riffs with a nod to the genre's foundational power and melody. They carry the torch for traditional heavy metal in Florida's underground scene.

Oakland, California thrash and heavy metal band Cobweb pull from the Bay Area's legendary thrash tradition while keeping one foot in classic metal territory. Their music has the gritty, street-level intensity that Oakland's underground is known for.

Sterling Heights, Michigan progressive and power metal band Coda blend melodic ambition with technical craft, reflecting the Detroit area's underappreciated progressive metal tradition. Their sound moves between arena-ready power and complex structural dynamics.

Toms River, New Jersey heavy metal band Code of Silence work in the classic mold, delivering straightforward riffs and powerful hooks with the Jersey Shore's blue-collar metal sensibility. They're a dependable force in the central NJ underground.

Sonoma County, California heavy metal band Coffin Hunters bring a traditional heavy metal approach to the Bay Area's wine country, with riff-forward songwriting and a classic sensibility. They represent the enduring appeal of no-frills heavy metal in Northern California.

Denver's Cold Moon fuses thrash aggression with death metal heaviness under the shadow of the Rockies, delivering blunt, no-frills metal that draws from the classic American tradition without apology.