Conceived by Thunder from Tucson, Arizona take cues from classic heavy metal and speed metal traditions, delivering high-energy riff workouts with a reverence for the genre's analog-era roots.

Gilbert, Arizona's Concertina blend fuzzed-out stoner metal grooves with the melodic hooks of traditional heavy metal, building a sound that is both hazy and hook-laden.

Raleigh doom metal band with a cult following built on their unconventional rhythmic approach and vocalist Sel Balamir's striking high-register delivery. Their 1992 debut *Condemned* remains one of the most distinctive American doom records of its era.

Bremerton, Washington band blending classic heavy metal power with black and thrash metal intensity from the Pacific Northwest. Their sound bridges the old-school and extreme metal worlds with energy to spare.

St. Louis power and thrash outfit Conquest combine classic heavy metal hooks with the ferocity of thrash, delivering anthemic riffwork and soaring vocals rooted in the Midwest metal underground.

San Antonio's Conquest carry on the proud tradition of Texas heavy metal, delivering straight-ahead riffs and muscular songwriting for the hardworking local scene that shaped them.

Heavy/thrash metal band fusing the anthemic riff structures of traditional heavy metal with the aggressive edge of thrash. Their sound sits at the crossroads between classic metal power and hard-hitting velocity.

Gurnee, Illinois heavy metal band delivering traditional hard-hitting metal grounded in strong riffs and a powerful rhythm section. Their sound carries the straightforward conviction of classic American heavy metal.

Kansas City's Convulsed grind through brutal death metal with a grindcore-informed hunger for speed and extremity, delivering punishing releases that hit hard and don't overstay their welcome. They're a reliable force in Missouri's underground extreme metal scene.

El Paso's Core Fire bring heavy metal and thrash metal together from the Texas-New Mexico border, forging a sound shaped by the city's isolated desert geography and its position between two major metal scenes. Their music carries the no-frills directness of a border town with something to prove.

Aurora, Illinois outfit blending doom and traditional heavy metal into crushing, atmosphere-laden compositions. Expect thick riffs and a dark, vintage heaviness.

Modesto, California heavy metal act operating in the classic tradition, rooted in the Central Valley's no-frills approach to guitar-driven music. They keep the focus on riffs and the kind of power that made heavy metal what it is.

Pasadena, Maryland heavy metal and thrash act operating in the Baltimore-Washington corridor's lively underground scene, with a sound rooted in the genre's classic aggressive traditions. Their music favors riff-first songwriting and no-nonsense heavy metal conviction.

Vancouver, WA doom and gothic metal band that fuses the melodrama of gothic metal with the heaviness of traditional doom. Their music is dark, theatrical, and drenched in atmosphere.

Cottonmouth hit hard at the crossroads of hardcore, speed metal, and thrash, channeling the raw aggression of the midwest underground. They keep sets short and loud, favoring attack over subtlety.