California's Henry Metal is a solo heavy metal project launched in 2017 that leans into earnest, guitar-forward songwriting with a classicist sensibility. Unpretentious and unabashedly rooted in the riff.

Out of Wichita since 2018, Hess n Hell deal in the bruising overlap between doom's slow grind, groove metal swagger, and classic heavy riffing. Their sound is blunt and earthy, built for low-ceilinged venues and speakers pushed past their limits.

Portland, Maine's Hessian carry the banner of traditional heavy metal with the roughhewn conviction of a band uninterested in trends. Active since 2014, they write the kind of riff-forward music that feels like it emerged fully formed from a forgotten decade.

Oklahoma City's Hills of Tyburn evoke the gallows grounds of old London in their name and bring a similarly dark, dramatic quality to their heavy and power metal. Since 2012, they've leaned into the theatrical sweep of the power metal tradition while keeping one foot planted in classic heavy metal firmness.

A heavy metal outfit from Tamarac, Florida carrying the torch of classic metal since 1998. Straightforward riffs and old-school attitude have kept them grinding through the South Florida scene for over two decades.

Apopka, Florida's Hollentor deal in the epic and the anthemic, blending heavy metal muscle with power metal's soaring sensibility since 2017. Their name — German for "gateway to hell" — hints at the grandiose drama they pursue.

Barrington, Illinois's Hostile have been delivering groove-laced heavy metal since 2010, fusing the punch of groove metal with the directness of traditional heavy metal. Suburban Midwest aggression with a low center of gravity.

Hickory, North Carolina doom metal outfit Hour of 13 formed in 2003 primarily as the creative project of multi-instrumentalist Chad Davis, with vocalist Phil Swanson contributing to the bulk of their recorded output. Their 2007 self-titled debut on Shadow Kingdom Records was followed by The Ritualist (2010) and 333, both of which reinforced the band's status as a respected act within traditional doom and occult heavy metal circles. Their sound draws from the same late-1970s and early-1980s roots as Pentagram and Black Sabbath without relying on pastiche.

Chicago's Hunters have been roaming the stoner-sludge terrain since 2011, combining hazy psychedelic drift with the kind of low-end punishment the Windy City's heavy underground specializes in. Thick, slow, and suffocating in the best sense.