Outlaw Order was a New Orleans sludge metal side project formed in 2003, composed largely of Eyehategod members minus Jimmy Bower, with criminal and anarchist themes reflecting the members' actual legal troubles — the band reportedly took its name from the fact that all five members were on probation at the time of formation. The project released a limited 7-inch EP, Legalize Crime, in 2003, followed by the full-length Dragging Down the Enforcer in 2008 via Season of Mist. The band effectively went on hiatus after 2010 as Eyehategod resumed full activity.

Based in Apex, North Carolina, Outliar have been pumping out groove metal since 2018 with a focus on locked-in riffs and driving rhythmic intensity. The name's deliberate misspelling signals a band that operates just outside the expected norm — close enough to groove metal's conventions to hit hard, different enough to keep it interesting. A tight unit with serious momentum.

San Jose's Outlier formed in 2020 at the crossroads of post-black metal and hardcore, creating music that surges between atmospheric anguish and raw, physical aggression. The Bay Area's rich history of experimental heavy music runs through their DNA, but the post-black influence pushes their sound into colder, more expansive territory. They treat dissonance and catharsis as two sides of the same coin.

Thunderous Groove Metal from Austin/San Antonio.

Devastating Death Metal / Grindcore out of Texas.

Cicero, Illinois heavy metal act Outrage have been at it since 2007, drawing from hard rock's swagger and heavy metal's power in a city that knows how to build something tough. The working-class Chicago suburb context shapes a sound that's direct and unadorned — no frills, just riffs and conviction. Nearly two decades in, they remain a fixture of the Illinois heavy music underground.

Santa Rosa thrash outfit Outrage have been tearing through Northern California since 2007, bringing the Bay Area thrash tradition's speed and aggression to the wine country. Their approach is rooted in the classic thrash blueprint — tight rhythm playing, snapping snare, and riffs that don't let up. A region better known for Pinot Noir than pit-ready metal, but they've made it work.

Progressive metal outfit Outrider formed in Jensen Beach, Florida in 2018, crafting music that balances intricate composition with the emotional directness of classic hard rock. The Treasure Coast setting, far from the state's major metal hubs, seems to give their sound an isolated, searching quality. They occupy the space where precision and feeling meet.

Vehicle for shred legend Rusty Cooley, ranked one of the fastest guitarists of all time by Guitar One. Critically acclaimed but tragically under-the-radar. Disbanded in 2009.