Vended

Vended are a Des Moines, Iowa metal band formed in 2018, bringing a new-generation version of nu metal and metalcore out of a city already deeply associated with modern heavy music. Fronted by Griffin Taylor and featuring drummer Simon Crahan, the group inevitably attracted attention because of family connections to Slipknot, but the band has worked to establish its own identity through touring, aggressive singles, and a self-titled debut album. Their sound favors downtuned riffs, shouted and screamed vocals, percussive grooves, sudden tempo shifts, and lyrics centered on anger, mental strain, betrayal, and survival. Vended's music is not subtle, but subtlety is not the goal. The point is impact: riffs that land hard, vocals that feel physically pushed, and arrangements that aim for live-room release. The band's strongest material comes when the nu metal bounce and metalcore attack reinforce each other instead of competing, giving the songs both movement and punishment. Vended represent a younger wave of American metal that treats the sounds of the late 1990s and 2000s as raw material rather than nostalgia. They are still a developing band, but their appeal comes from force, urgency, and a willingness to be judged on volume.