Fierce Austin hardcore band from Killeen. Alongside D.R.I. and MDC, they ruled the Texas hardcore scene.

Fort Worth metalcore/progressive metalcore. Technical, aggressive, and melodically ambitious.

Crushing Symphonic Deathcore from Houston.

Thunderous Blackened Sludge Metal from Dallas/Denton, Texas / New York, New York.

Heavy Sludge / Groove Metal out of Texas.

Boston's OK Goodnight emerged from Berklee College of Music as a modern progressive metal band that channels the ambition of Dream Theater and The Mars Volta through a cinematic, narrative-driven lens. Vocalist Casey Lee Williams, guitarist Martin de Lima, and drummer Augusto Bussio craft concept albums like 'The Fox and the Bird' that pair technical virtuosity with emotionally resonant storytelling. Their Berklee-honed musicianship elevates prog metal conventions with sophisticated composition and dynamic range.

Cleveland's Olathia blend power metal's soaring ambition with metalcore's aggression and heavy metal's anthemic foundation, landing in a space that's cinematic and hard-hitting all at once. Since 2015, they've been building on the city's deep heavy music legacy in their own melodic, forceful way.

A deliberately obscure American black metal outfit, Old Cave operate in the shadows with a rawness that feels genuinely ancient rather than performative. Since 2009, their music has suggested isolation and intent in equal measure.

Seattle's Old Iron drag doom and sludge through the Pacific Northwest rain with the heavy patience of a city that knows how to let grief breathe. Formed in 2014, they've built a sound that's slow, corrosive, and deeply committed to heaviness as atmosphere.