Founded by Zakk Wylde in Los Angeles in 1998 after his legendary tenure as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist, Black Label Society channel southern-fried heaviness through Wylde's signature pinch harmonics and biker aesthetic. Albums like 'Stronger Than Death' and 'Mafia' deliver crushing riffs alongside surprisingly tender piano ballads, showcasing the duality that defines Wylde as a musician. The 'BLS' brand has become a lifestyle as much as a band, with a global chapter system of devoted fans.

Brand New Sin is a hard rock and Southern rock band from Syracuse, New York, active from 2002 to 2012, formed by members of the local metal band Godbelow who wanted to explore bluesier, groove-oriented territory. After a self-titled debut on Now or Never Records in 2002, the band signed to Century Media Records, releasing Recipe for Disaster (2005), Tequila (2006), Distilled (2009), and United State (2011). The band contributed the entrance theme used by WWE wrestler Paul Wight (Big Show) during his career, and held original-lineup reunion shows in 2019.

Down are a New Orleans heavy metal supergroup whose music turned Southern sludge into a landmark sound of the 1990s and beyond. Formed in 1991 by musicians connected to Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, Eyehategod, and other heavy acts, the band brought together Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower, and later Pat Bruders and other members across different eras. NOLA remains the essential statement, blending Sabbathian riffs, bluesy Southern atmosphere, swampy tempos, and Anselmo's raw vocal presence into songs that felt both massive and lived-in. Down II, Down III, and the EP series continued the band's mix of groove, heaviness, and regional identity. Down fit metal scope directly through sludge metal, Southern metal, and heavy metal, with a legacy that shaped countless riff-focused bands. Their best work does not sound like a side project despite the famous resumes involved. It sounds like musicians translating a shared landscape into weight: humidity, sorrow, addiction, camaraderie, and defiance all pushed through amplifiers. Down's riffs feel carved from New Orleans heaviness, slow enough to sink and strong enough to endure.

After leaving Underoath, Dallas Taylor formed Maylene and the Sons of Disaster to pursue a grittier blend of southern metal, hardcore, and outlaw country that owed as much to Lynyrd Skynyrd as it did to Norma Jean. Albums like 'II' and 'III' deliver whiskey-soaked riffs and Taylor's distinctive growl over a foundation of swaggering, dirty southern grooves.