Hewitt, New Jersey's Sirens formed in 2020 working across metalcore, deathcore, and death metal, combining breakdown-driven aggression with increasingly extreme sonic territory and reflecting the evolution of the East Coast heavy music scene.

Long Island heavy metal and hard rock band active since 2011, rooted in the classic American heavy metal tradition with a blue-collar directness that reflects their New York origins. Their decade-plus of activity speaks to a band committed to the fundamentals of riff-driven songwriting without chasing trends.

Los Angeles doom and heavy metal band formed in 2015, conjuring a ritualistic, occult-tinged atmosphere through slow tempos, commanding riffs, and deliberate pacing. Their name signals an affinity for the ceremonial side of doom metal, and their LA setting has long been fertile ground for that style.

Wausau, Wisconsin heavy metal and thrash band formed in 2019, delivering blunt-force heaviness from a small midwestern city in the tradition of regional American metal that never needed a coastal scene to validate it. Their name evokes the workmanlike physicality of their approach — nothing ornate, just weight and impact.

Cleveland heavy metal band formed in 2018, carrying on the tradition of a city that has contributed massively to American rock and metal history. Their straightforward heavy metal approach under the "450sixx" Bandcamp tag — a nod to Cleveland's 440/216 area codes — roots them firmly in the working-class Rust Belt identity that has always driven the region's heaviest music.

Skapegoat is a Denver, Colorado heavy and groove metal band that has been at it since 2001, building a catalog rooted in chunky, mid-tempo riffing and a blue-collar rock energy particular to the mountain West. They bring the no-frills heaviness of groove metal without the radio-ready sheen.

Skar is a heavy metal band from Amherst, Ohio, formed in 2023, aligning themselves with the classic traditions of the genre — twin guitar work, strong hooks, and a nod to the NWOBHM and American power metal lineages. They are one of the newer acts carrying on the traditional heavy metal torch in the Midwest.

Skara Brae is a heavy metal band from Federal Way, Washington, formed in 2013 and named after the ancient Scottish Neolithic settlement — a nod toward myth and deep history that colors their traditional metal approach. They play in the classic heavy metal vein with a Pacific Northwest earnestness.

Skelator is a Seattle-based epic heavy and speed metal band formed in 2008, playing a style that recalls the grandeur of Manilla Road and Manowar — soaring vocals, galloping rhythms, and sword-and-sorcery mythology without a trace of irony. They are one of the most dedicated standard-bearers of true metal in the Pacific Northwest.