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.

Skeleton Krew is a heavy metal band from Freehold, New Jersey, formed in 2014, taking their place in the long tradition of New Jersey and Northeast hard rock and metal that stretches back to the late 1970s. They play traditional heavy metal in a scene that still values straight-ahead riffing and no-nonsense songwriting.

Operating out of Juneau, Alaska since 2000, Skeletor blends the twin-guitar punch of power metal with the relentless attack of thrash, an unlikely combination born in one of America's most isolated state capitals.

Connecticut's Skeltima launched in 2023 with a sound that marries the grim atmosphere of black metal to the muscular directness of traditional heavy metal, staking out a place in the state's emerging extreme metal scene.

The storied heavy metal institution from Toms River, New Jersey, Skid Row have endured decades of lineup changes to remain an active force in hard rock and heavy metal, their anthemic arena sensibility keeping them relevant since the band's reformation.

Pomona, California's Skitz bring a heavy metal and hard rock sensibility to the Inland Empire underground, a scene formed since 2011 that blends the blue-collar grit of the 626 with classic heavy riffing.

Reno thrash act Skull Fracture have been tearing through the Nevada underground since 2021, bringing the speed, aggression, and no-frills production aesthetic that keeps classic thrash metal's underground flame burning in the high desert.

A California heavy/thrash metal outfit that materialized in 2025, Skullbuggery appears to be taking cues from classic metal's swaggering riff vocabulary, planting a tongue-in-cheek name on a foundation of heavy, speed-driven material.

Portland, Oregon's SkullMaster emerged in 2020 playing a hybrid of black, heavy, and thrash metal that carries the reckless energy of the Pacific Northwest underground. Their sound pulls from classic thrash aggression while threading in black metal atmospherics and traditional heavy metal songcraft.

Michigan City, Indiana's Skullview have been one of the Midwest's most persistent heavy/power metal acts since forming in 1997, trading in soaring vocals, galloping rhythms, and classic dual-guitar attack. Their nearly three-decade run makes them a genuine institution in American underground power metal.

Chicago's Sky Summoner formed in 2020, blending traditional heavy metal's muscular songcraft with stoner metal's fuzz-drenched ease into something that sits naturally alongside the city's underground rock scene. They bring a groove-conscious approach to classically influenced metal that keeps the songs accessible without sacrificing weight.

Jacksonville, Florida's Skyliner have been one of the Southeast's more ambitious heavy metal acts since forming in 2018, working across heavy, progressive, and power metal to craft music built around strong melodic sensibility and technical range. They operate in the tradition of American power metal that values both songwriting and instrumental sophistication.