Santa Rosa, California speed and thrash metal band that has been at it since 2016, leaning into the tighter, faster end of the thrash spectrum with a nod to first-wave speed metal ferocity. A decade-long presence in the Bay Area's underground metal circuit.

North Carolina groove and southern metal act formed in 2019, rooted in swampy, mid-tempo heaviness that leans on the humid weight of southern rock tradition without sacrificing the metallic punch. Their name is both boast and mission statement.

Colorado Springs outfit blending death metal brutality, sludge's tar-thick low end, and grindcore's blunt violence into a dense, punishing whole since 2019. One of the heavier acts to emerge from the Colorado Springs scene.

New Haven stoner metal band formed in 2021, stacking fuzz-heavy riffs over lumbering rhythms with the unhurried confidence the name implies. Connecticut's underground scene gets a steady dose of psychedelic heaviness from these roots.

Bloomington, Illinois black and folk metal project active since 2021, weaving organic, nature-bound imagery into a harsh black metal framework with melodic and acoustic folk elements threaded throughout. A distinctive presence in the Illinois underground.

Santa Cruz, California doom and sludge trio that has been cultivating slow, toxic heaviness since 2017, combining the crushing weight of doom with stoner haze and sludge's abrasive edge. Their Bandcamp handle hints at a UK-influenced atmosphere despite their West Coast roots.

Portland drone and doom metal act formed in 2017, pushing long-form, minimalist compositions into near-meditative territory where repetition and volume become the primary tools. Their Bandcamp URL 'ofthetrees' reflects the woodsy, organic quality of their oppressive sound.

Fort Smith, Arkansas depressive black metal project active since 2019, specializing in the suffocating, introspective strain of black metal where despair and atmosphere overwhelm technique. Isolated in the Ozarks, their music carries the weight of genuine regional solitude.

Tregul is an atmospheric doom and post-metal band from Los Niches, Curicó, Chile. The band released their debut full-length, Sol negro, in 2025 as an independent act on Metal Archives.