Formed in Morgantown, West Virginia in 1994, Karma to Burn built their reputation on relentlessly heavy, largely wordless instrumental stoner rock that placed groove over theatrics. After a label dispute with Roadrunner Records forced them to briefly use a vocalist on their 1997 self-titled debut, the trio returned to purely instrumental territory on Wild, Wonderful Purgatory (1999) and Almost Heathen (2001), the latter widely cited alongside Kyuss and Monster Magnet as a defining document of the genre. Following a hiatus, the band reunited and released Appalachian Incantation (2010) and V (2011).

Santa Cruz, California's Karman Vortex — named after the fluid dynamics phenomenon — approach progressive death metal as a vehicle for genuine experimentation, bending the genre in unusual directions since their 2019 formation. Technical and strange in ways that keep listeners off-balance.

Albuquerque's Karmic Ashes pull from both black and death metal traditions, crafting music that reflects the stark, sun-scorched landscape of New Mexico since 2016. Their blackened death metal carries a distinct southwestern desolation that sets them apart.

Formed in Dayton, Ohio in 2013, Karnage fuse power metal's soaring melodicism with the aggressive crunch of thrash, delivering anthemic riffs alongside plenty of speed and bite.

New York's Karnage have been unleashing no-frills thrash since 2013, built on grinding riffs and relentless forward momentum with no stylistic detours to slow them down.

Out of Tumwater, Washington, Karp have been a fixture of the Pacific Northwest heavy scene since 1995, navigating the space between raw heavy metal and caustic sludge with a sound that's abrasive and unpredictable.

Aurora, Illinois epic black metal project Kasek-Nos arrived in 2021 with a sound that reaches for grandeur — sweeping, atmosphere-drenched compositions rooted in the most grandiose traditions of the genre.

Plaistow, New Hampshire's Kataan blend the melodic interplay of Scandinavian black metal with the brutality of death metal, carving out a dense, emotionally charged sound since their 2021 formation.

Technical precision meets melodic depth in the Chantilly, Virginia outfit Katabasis, who have been constructing intricate melodic death metal with a strong ear for arrangement since 2022.