The Red Chord formed in Revere, Massachusetts in 1999 and carved out a distinctive position in extreme metal by combining death metal brutality, grindcore velocity, and metallic hardcore chaos in a way that presaged the deathcore genre before that term solidified. Their 2002 debut Fused Together in Revolving Doors introduced a fanbase to their erratic, high-density approach, and Clients (2005) sold over 50,000 copies in the United States. Prey for Eyes (2007) and Fed Through the Teeth Machine (2009) both charted on the Billboard 200. After a period of inactivity beginning around 2015, the band returned to live performance in 2022.

El Paso, Texas metalcore outfit formed in 2013 whose sound extends well beyond genre convention, incorporating progressive metal complexity, ambient atmospheric passages, and diverse influences ranging from Meshuggah and Between the Buried and Me to Deftones and Sigur Ros. The band has shared stages with Six Feet Under, Ringworm, and Caliban, and represents one of the more texturally adventurous acts to emerge from the Southwest's underground metal circuit.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania metalcore band formed in 2020, delivering the aggressive riffing, dynamic song structures, and throat-shredding vocals that characterize the modern metalcore scene. Their Pittsburgh roots situate them within a region with a strong tradition of hard-hitting heavy music.

Peoria, Illinois metalcore band with roots going back to 2006, one of the longer-running acts in a Midwest metalcore scene that has produced consistently hard-working bands far from the coasts. Their extended tenure in the subgenre reflects a commitment to the aggressive, dynamic songwriting at metalcore's core.

Olympia, Washington's The Speed of Darkness blend melodic death metal's harmonic sensibility with metalcore's dynamic structure and outright death metal brutality, crafting a sound that moves between melody and devastation with ease. Formed in 2019, the band draws from the Pacific Northwest's experimental heavy music tradition.

A heavy and power metal act out of Leverett, Massachusetts, The Threat formed in 2023 with a sound rooted in classic metal tradition — muscular riffing, assertive vocals, and songs built around momentum and impact. Despite being newly formed, they carry the conviction of bands with far longer histories.

Formed in 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida, The Warring Triad are a young metalcore band drawing on the genre's post-hardcore emotionalism and heavy breakdowns, arriving in a state with a historically rich metalcore tradition they seem intent on honoring.

Melodic metalcore from Dallas.

Heavy Melodic Death Metal / Metalcore out of Texas.