Born from the rust belt shadows of East Liverpool, Ohio, Heidentum channels a raw and ancient fury through primitive black metal that feels ripped straight from northern European soil. Formed in 2021, the project embraces pagan hostility with an American grimness all its own.

Los Angeles outfit Heil drags black metal into the sweat-soaked chaos of hardcore, fusing scathing tremolo aggression with the blunt physicality of the pit. Since 2012 they have weaponized both traditions into something confrontational and hard to classify.

Michigan's Heksebrann — the name meaning "witch burning" in Norwegian — conjures cold, ritualistic black metal from the rural quiet of Bancroft. Their sound carries the chill of a Midwestern winter stripped down to bone and frost.

Denver's Hel Hath Fury arrived in 2023 wielding melodic death metal sharpened on the high-altitude edge of Colorado's underground. Sweeping riffs and relentless momentum give their sound a cinematic intensity that belies their short time in existence.

Houston newcomers Held in Orbit blend melodic heavy metal hooks with the angular punch of metalcore, arriving in 2023 with a sound that orbits the line between anthem and aggression. Their songs carry the epic sweep of classic metal filtered through a contemporary lens.

Sacramento's Helion Prime deals in soaring, science-themed power metal built around virtuoso playing and dramatic vocal performances. Relaunched in 2020, the band embraces the genre's grandest traditions — epic riffs, sweeping choruses, and cosmic subject matter — without a hint of irony.

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Female-fronted symphonic power metal in the European tradition. Features vocalist Chelsea Knaack, formerly of DesDemon.

San Francisco's Hell Fire have been feeding the Bay Area's appetite for old-school speed and heavy metal since 2016, channeling the raw swagger of the genre's golden era with genuine reverence and plenty of leather. Their riffs hit like a fist to the face on a Friday night.