W.A.S.P. was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1982 by vocalist and bassist Blackie Lawless, becoming one of the most notoriously theatrical acts of the 1980s metal scene through provocative live performances and shock rock imagery that earned them a place in the Parents Music Resource Center's "Filthy Fifteen" list of objectionable songs. Their self-titled debut (1984) and The Last Command (1985) were both RIAA gold-certified, and The Headless Children (1989) marked a critical turning point toward a more serious, album-oriented approach. With over 12 million records sold worldwide, W.A.S.P. remains active under Lawless's direction, releasing their most recent studio album Golgotha in 2015.

Wage War emerged from Ocala, Florida with a precise blend of metalcore aggression and modern production polish, breaking through with 'Blueprints' in 2015. Their subsequent albums 'Deadweight' and 'Manic' expanded their sonic palette toward alternative metal and electronic elements without sacrificing the crushing breakdowns that built their fanbase.

Atlanta's Waited emerged in 2013 dragging the dense, tar-thick weight of sludge metal into collision with the aggressive precision of metalcore. Their sound is built on the tension between those two poles — punishing low-end churn undercut by the kind of punchy rhythmic attack the Atlanta heavy scene breeds naturally. It is heavy that sits in the gut rather than the head.

Dallas duo Waiting 4 April pair vocalist Colton Ray's piercing range — from aggressive highs to intimate crooning — with heartfelt, soul-searching lyrics that have earned them a devoted cult following. After their 2020 debut single 'Fade' gained traction partly through Ray's popular TikTok presence, the band has grown into a genuine force in the modern rock scene.

Wakrat is a Los Angeles trio formed in 2015 by Tim Commerford, bassist of Rage Against the Machine, alongside French guitarist Laurent Grangeon and Swiss drummer Mathias Wakrat, whose surname provided the band's name. The band plays aggressive, politically charged punk and alternative metal with clear DNA from Commerford's previous work, and released their self-titled debut album in 2016 after debuting live at the Viper Room in September 2015.

Walls of Jericho formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1998, fronted by vocalist Candace Kucsulain, and became a significant force in early 2000s metalcore through a sound that balanced old-school hardcore, thrash metal, and the chug-driven heaviness of the genre's emerging wave. The band released a series of albums on Trustkill Records, including All Hail the Dead (2004) and With Devils Amongst Us All (2006), before a lengthy hiatus and return with No One Can Save You from Yourself (2016). Kucsulain's commanding presence made Walls of Jericho one of the most visible female-fronted acts in the hardcore and metalcore underground.

Wampyric Rites is a raw black metal band from Loja, Ecuador, formed in 2019 by members operating under the monikers Wampyric Strigoi and Eblis Destructor. Their music centers on themes of vampirism and darkness, drawing from the primitive end of the black metal spectrum, and they have released a steady stream of demos, splits, and EPs since their inception, culminating in the full-length debut Under the Tragic Fullmoon of the Vampire in 2026 on Inferna Profundus Records.

Originally an Oakland band on Ripple Music, relocated to Austin in 2020. Two albums of Pentagram and Deep Purple-inspired heavy rock.

War Curse formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2013, playing old-school thrash metal with a contemporary edge that draws on Bay Area and Teutonic traditions. The band released their debut material through Static Tension Recordings before signing to Blacklight Media/Metal Blade Records, under which they released Eradication (2019) and Confession (2023), steadily building a reputation as one of the more consistent acts in the current American thrash underground.