Denver death metal band Chthonic Deity plays crushing, riff-forward extreme metal shaped by Colorado's active underground scene. Their music is rooted in the genre's foundational elements: brutal riffing, blasting percussion, and uncompromising heaviness.

Austin thrash act Chucktallica brings irreverent energy and crunching Metallica-influenced riffage to the Texas underground. Their music keeps the Bay Area thrash tradition alive while carrying the spirit of Austin's anything-goes live music culture.

Boston's Chuggernaut merges groove metal's locked-in heaviness with Southern metal's swagger, an unlikely but effective combination in a city more associated with hardcore and punk. Their music is built around thick mid-tempo riffs designed to move crowds.

Philadelphia's Chulainns Hound draws on Celtic mythology and traditional heavy metal song structures to craft doom-tinged metal with an old-world character. Their music blends the weight of doom with the accessibility of classic heavy metal.

Chum formed in Huntington, West Virginia in 1992, founded by vocalist and guitarist John Lancaster and drummer Chuck Nicholas following the dissolution of their previous band Guru Lovechild. The band released their debut album Dead to the World, recorded beginning in November 1995, which circulated in the regional hard rock and heavy metal underground. Their early output also included two self-financed cassette EPs, Postblisstheory and Godgiven, both from 1994.

Kingsport, Tennessee death metal band Chunked delivers blunt, no-frills brutality rooted in the genre's core traditions of guttural delivery and downtuned heaviness. Their sound reflects the straightforward ethos of the Southern underground extreme metal scene.

Fort Madison, Iowa groove metal outfit Chupacabra takes their name from the legendary creature and brings a similarly lurking, heavy presence to the Midwest underground. Their sound is built on mid-paced groove and the kind of riff weight that makes rooms feel smaller.

Columbus, Ohio death metal band Church keeps it appropriately grim and heavy, drawing on the Ohio underground's tradition of no-nonsense extreme metal. Their music prioritizes atmosphere and crushing heaviness in equal measure.

Illinois death metal outfit Church Burner deal in densely layered, churning riffs that lock into grinding, punishing grooves. Their Bandcamp output reflects a devotion to old-school brutality with a modern edge.