The Best Heavy Metal Bands Of 2024, Ranked
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- Slipknot are an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, drummer Joey Jordison and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Jordison, Gray, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Gray died on May 24, 2010, and was replaced during 2011–2014 by guitarist Donnie Steele. Jordison was dismissed from the band on December 12, 2013. Steele left during the recording sessions for .5: The Gray Chapter. The band found replacements in Alessandro Venturella on bass and Jay Weinberg on drums. After the departure of Jordison, as of December 2013 the only founding member in the current lineup is percussionist Crahan. Fehn was also dismissed from the band in March 2019 prior to the writing of We Are Not Your Kind. The band has sold 30 million records worldwide.More Slipknot
- Gojira are a French heavy metal band from Ondres. Founded as Godzilla in 1996, the band's lineup—brothers Joe (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Mario Duplantier (drums), Christian Andreu (lead guitar), and Jean-Michel Labadie (bass)—has been the same since the band changed its name to Gojira in 2001. Gojira has been known for their progressive and technical death metal styles and their spiritual and environmentally-themed lyrics. The band has gone "from the utmost obscurity during the first half of their career to widespread global recognition in the second". Gojira's first two albums, Terra Incognita (2001) and The Link (2003), and powerful live performances established their reputation as a leading French metal band. Maciste All'Inferno was a silent film score composed and performed for a one-night show in Bordeaux. Their third album, the critically acclaimed From Mars to Sirius (2005) was covered in the British metal press. The band then signed with Prosthetic Records.More Gojira
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- Rammstein, a German band, emerged onto the musical scene in 1994. The band was formed in Berlin and comprises six members - Till Lindemann, Richard Kruspe, Paul Landers, Oliver Riedel, Christoph Schneider, and Christian Lorenz. Known for their distinctive blend of metal, industrial, and techno music, they gained worldwide fame with hit songs such as "Du Hast" and "Sonne." Their unique artistic expression is also reflected in their provocative lyrics, which often delve into controversial subjects, and their visually striking live shows, renowned for pyrotechnics and theatrical performances. Rammstein's first studio album, Herzeleid, was released in 1995, marking the start of a prolific career that spans over two decades. Their second album, Sehnsucht (1997), proved to be their breakthrough, especially with the success of the single "Du Hast." By their third album, "Mutter" (2001), they had solidified their place in the world of hard rock and metal. The band has since produced several more successful albums, including "Reise, Reise" (2004) and "Rosenrot" (2005). The strength of their discography is demonstrated by their consistent chart-topping success and multi-platinum status in several countries. Aside from their music, Rammstein's reputation extends to their commitment to creative expression through their concerts and music videos. Their live performances are known for their extensive use of pyrotechnics and spectacular stage designs, setting them apart in the industry. Their music videos often portray elaborate and cinematic narratives that compliment their songs' themes, further enhancing their distinct identity. Despite facing occasional controversy due to their daring approach, Rammstein's innovative style and fearless artistry have contributed significantly to their enduring appeal.More Rammstein
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- Lamb of God known professionally as Lamb of God, is an American heavy metal band formed in 1994 in Richmond, Virginia. Originally formed as Burn the Priest, the group consists of bassist John Campbell, vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, and drummer Art Cruz. The band is considered a significant member of the new wave of the American heavy metal movement. The band's cumulative sales equal almost two million in the United States, including two albums certified Gold by the RIAA. In 2010 and 2011 the band received Grammy nominations for songs from their 2009 album Wrath. The band's ninth studio album, Omens, was released on October 7, 2022.More Lamb of God
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- Megadeth is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. The group was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine's dismissal from Metallica. A pioneer of the American thrash metal scene, the band is credited as one of the genre's "big four" with Anthrax, Metallica and Slayer, responsible for thrash metal's development and popularization. Megadeth plays in a technical style, featuring fast rhythm sections and complex arrangements; themes of death, war, politics and religion are prominent in the group's lyrics. In 1985, the band released its debut album on the independent label Combat Records. The album's moderate commercial success caught the attention of bigger labels, which led to Megadeth signing with Capitol Records. Their first major-label album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, was released in 1986 and influenced the underground metal scene. Despite its prominence in thrash metal, frequent disputes between its members and substance abuse issues brought Megadeth negative publicity during this period.More Megadeth
- Dig Deeper...The Best Songs on Megadeth's Album 'The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!'
- #211 of 863 onThe 250+ Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time, Ranked
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- 6Korn (stylized as KoĐŻn) are an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 by three members of the band L.A.P.D., Korn's current lineup features founding members James "Munky" Shaffer (rhythm guitar), Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu (bass), Brian "Head" Welch (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Jonathan Davis (lead vocals, bagpipes), with the addition of Ray Luzier (drums) in 2007, replacing the band's first drummer, David Silveria. Korn made a demo tape, Neidermayer's Mind, in 1993, which was distributed free to record companies and on request to members of the public. Their debut album, Korn, was released in 1994, followed by Life Is Peachy (1996). The band first experienced mainstream success with Follow the Leader (1998) and Issues (1999), both of which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The band's mainstream success continued with more LPs.
- Ghost, also formerly known as Ghost B.C. in the United States, are a Swedish rock band that was formed in Linköping in 2006. In 2010, they released a three-track demo followed by a 7-inch vinyl titled "Elizabeth", and later their debut full-length album Opus Eponymous. The song "Ritual" was chosen by Kerrang! as one of "The 50 Most Evil Songs Ever." The Grammis-nominated album was widely praised and significantly increased their popularity. Their second album and major label debut, Infestissumam, was released in 2013, debuted at number one in Sweden, and won the Grammis Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Album. The band released their third studio album, Meliora, in 2015 to much critical acclaim and high record sales, reaching number one in their home country of Sweden, and number eight in the United States. Its lead single, "Cirice", earned them the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. The band released their fourth studio album, Prequelle, in 2018.
- Meshuggah is a Swedish extreme metal band formed in 1985 in Umeå, Sweden. In 1985, guitarist Fredrik Thordendal formed a band named Metallien, and recorded a number of demo tapes, after which it disbanded. Thordendal continued playing under a different name with new band members. It was renamed in 1987 by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Jens Kidman and took the name Meshuggah from the Yiddish word for "crazy," which Kidman found the word in an American street slang dictionary. Meshuggah has become known for its innovative musical style and complex, polymetered song structures and polyrhythms. The band was labeled as one of the ten most important hard rock and heavy metal bands by Rolling Stone and as the most important band in metal by Alternative Press. The band was an inspiration for the djent subgenre. in the late 2000s.More Meshuggah
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- Sabaton are a Swedish heavy metal band from Falun. Most of their 10 albums are written about war. Their 9th album The Great War (2019) reached number 1 on Swedish and German music charts. Sabaton has been referred to as one of the "big four" power metal bands, along with Helloween, Blind Guardian and DragonForce. They are one of the most successful rock bands in Swedish history, with their album Carolus Rex being the best-selling Swedish heavy metal album of all time.
- Rage Against the Machine are an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello, and drummer Brad Wilk. Their songs express revolutionary political views. As of 2010, they have sold over 16 million records worldwide. The band was nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility in 2017, then again in 2018, 2019, and 2021, though the bids failed. Rage Against the Machine released its self-titled debut album in 1992 to commercial and critical success, leading to a slot in the 1993 Lollapalooza festival; in 2003, the album was ranked number 368 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The band's next two albums, Evil Empire (1996) and The Battle of Los Angeles (1999), were also successful; both albums topped the Billboard 200 chart. RATM had a large influence on the nu metal genre in the 90s.More Rage Against the Machine
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- Arch Enemy are a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup from Halmstad, formed in 1995. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, The Agonist, Nevermore, and Eucharist. Arch Enemy was founded by Carcass guitarist Michael Amott along with Johan Liiva, who were both originally from the death metal band Carnage. The band has released ten studio albums, three live albums, three video albums and four EPs. The band was originally fronted by Johan Liiva, who was replaced by German vocalist Angela Gossow in 2000. Gossow left the band in March 2014 to become the group's manager and was replaced by Canadian vocalist Alissa White-Gluz.More Arch Enemy
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- Scorpions, a German heavy metal band, was formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker. Over the decades, the band's lineup has seen various changes, with Schenker being the only constant member. However, it was the addition of Klaus Meine as vocalist and Rudolf's younger brother Michael Schenker as lead guitarist that truly defined Scorpions's sound and image. The band's international breakthrough came with the album Lovedrive released in 1979. One of their best-known hits, "Rock You Like a Hurricane," from the 1984 album Love at First Sting, sky-rocketed the band to global fame. Known for their powerful anthems and evocative ballads, Scorpions have been noted for their signature blend of hard rock with melodic elements, creating an enduring and distinctive sound. Throughout their career, Scorpions have released over 20 studio albums and achieved multiple awards, including World Music Awards and ECHO awards. They've also paved the way for many European bands to break into the international market. As they continue to be a formidable force in the world of rock music, Scorpions's influence extends beyond their hefty discography, influencing countless musicians and delighting fans worldwide.More Scorpions
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- 13Behemoth is a Polish extreme metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground.Until the late 1990s, the band played a traditional black metal style with heathen lyrical content, but soon changed to that of occult and thelemic themes written by their lead vocalist Nergal and Krzysztof Azarewicz. With the 1999 release of Satanica, the band demonstrated their presence in the death metal scene, while retaining their own signature style characterized by the drum work of Inferno, multi-layered vocals and Middle-Eastern influences. Despite Behemoth having been labeled as death metal or thrash metal-influenced, Nergal has mentioned that he does not like the band to be labeled.More Behemoth
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- 14Volbeat are a Danish rock band formed in Copenhagen in 2001. They play a fusion of rock and roll, heavy metal, and rockabilly. Their current line-up consists of vocalist and guitarist Michael Poulsen, guitarist Rob Caggiano, drummer Jon Larsen and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen. The band is signed to Dutch label Mascot Records and has released seven studio albums and one DVD. All of their studio albums have been certified gold in Denmark. Their second album Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil received platinum status, and their 2010 release Beyond Hell/Above Heaven was subject to widespread international critical acclaim, receiving double platinum in Denmark, platinum in Finland and Germany, and gold in the United States, Sweden and Austria. Volbeat's seventh album, Rewind, Replay, Rebound, was released on August 2, 2019. Their eighth album, Servant of the Mind, was released on December 3, 2021.More Volbeat
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- Halestorm are an American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale, her brother drummer and percussionist Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger, and bassist Josh Smith. The group's self-titled debut album was released on April 28, 2009, through Atlantic Records. Their second album The Strange Case Of... was released on April 10, 2012. Its lead single "Love Bites (So Do I)" won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance on February 10, 2013. Their third album, Into the Wild Life (2015), peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200. The band's fourth album, Vicious (2018), debuted at number eight on the chart, becoming their second top 10 record. Halestorm is well known for their near non-stop touring, often performing as many as 250 shows a year. After concerts were cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Halestorm launched #RoadieStrong, a fundraiser for Live Nation Entertainment’s Crew Nation fund to support live show crews.More Halestorm
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- Annihilator are a Canadian thrash metal band founded in Ottawa in 1984. It is the highest-selling Canadian thrash metal group in history, having sold more than three million albums worldwide, although most sales have been generated outside of Canada. Along with Sacrifice, Voivod and Razor, Annihilator is known as one of the "big four" of Canadian thrash metal. They are also considered to be part of the "second wave" of thrash metal bands from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Annihilator has released eighteenth studio albums and undergone many line-up changes. Waters is the only remaining original member, and assembles touring or session musicians to perform with him. Annihilator's first two studio albums, Alice in Hell (1989) and Never, Neverland (1990), are considered to be influential Canadian heavy metal records. Many of their later albums — including their third and only major-label album Set the World on Fire (1993) — also received praise from critics and enjoyed success in Europe.More Annihilator
- #116 of 262 onThe Greatest Heavy Metal Bands Of All Time
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- Shinedown are an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida, formed by singer Brent Smith in 2001 after the dissolution of Dreve, his previous band. Smith, still under contract with record label Atlantic Records, recruited the band's original lineup of Jasin Todd as guitarist, Brad Stewart on bass, and Barry Kerch on drums. Consistent for the first two album cycles, a few lineup changes followed in the late 2000s, eventually stabilizing with Smith and Kerch alongside Zach Myers on guitar and Eric Bass on bass. The group has released six studio albums: Leave a Whisper (2003), Us and Them (2005), The Sound of Madness (2008), Amaryllis (2012), Threat to Survival (2015), and Attention Attention (2018). Their seventh album, Planet Zero, is set to be released on April 22, 2022. Shinedown has the most number one singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts with 17, and all of their released singles have reached the top 5 on the chart.More Shinedown
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- 18
Fit for an Autopsy
Fit for an Autopsy are an American deathcore band from Jersey City, New Jersey, formed in 2008. The band consists of guitarists Will Putney, Pat Sheridan and Tim Howley, drummer Josean Orta, lead vocalist Joe Badolato, and bassist Peter "Blue" Spinazola. Fit for an Autopsy are currently signed to Nuclear Blast Records and have released six studio albums since formation. - Three Days Grace are a Canadian rock band formed in Norwood, Ontario in 1997. The band's original iteration was called "Groundswell" and played in various local Norwood back-yard parties and area establishments from 1993 to 1996. Based in Toronto, the band's original line-up consisted of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer and backing vocalist Neil Sanderson, and bassist Brad Walst. In 2003, Barry Stock was recruited as the band's lead guitarist, making them a four-member band. In 2013, Gontier left the band and was replaced by My Darkest Days' vocalist Matt Walst, who is also the younger brother of Brad Walst. Currently signed to RCA Records, they have released six studio albums, each at three-year intervals: Three Days Grace in 2003, One-X in 2006, Life Starts Now in 2009, Transit of Venus in 2012, Human in 2015, and Outsider in 2018. Their upcoming seventh studio album Explosions is due to be released on May 6, 2022.More Three Days Grace
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- 20Voivod are a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Quebec (now Saguenay, Quebec). The band's current line-up consists of Denis "Snake" Bélanger (vocals), Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (guitar), Dominic "Rocky" Laroche (bass) and Michel "Away" Langevin (drums). Their musical style has changed several times since the band's origin in the early 1980s. Starting out as a speed metal band, Voivod have added a mix of progressive metal and thrash metal to create their own unique metal style, and they are credited as one of the "big four" Canadian thrash metal bands, along with Sacrifice, Razor, and Annihilator. Since 1982, when it was co-founded by guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, Voivod have released fifteen studio albums, as well as one EP, one live album, two compilations, seven demos and one DVD featuring a live concert. The band found mainstream success in the late 1980s with their fifth studio album Nothingface (1989), which is Voivod's only album to enter the Billboard 200 charts.More Voivod
- #165 of 262 onThe Greatest Heavy Metal Bands Of All Time
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- Candlemass is a Swedish epic doom metal band formed in 1984 in Stockholm, Sweden. After the breakup of his first band Nemesis, bassist Leif Edling started his own band under the name Candlemass with (session) vocalist Johan Längqvist, drummer Matz Ekström, guitarist Mats "Mappe" Bjorkman, and Klas Bergwall. The band had a defining influence on doom metal. Along with Pentagram, Saint Vitus, and Trouble, Candlemass has been referred to as one of the "big four of doom metal".After releasing five full-length albums and touring extensively throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Candlemass disbanded in 1994 but reunited three years later. After breaking up again in 2002, Candlemass reformed in 2004 and has continued to record and perform.More Candlemass
- #191 of 262 onThe Greatest Heavy Metal Bands Of All Time
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- 22Saxon are an English heavy metal band formed in 1977 in Barnsley. As leaders of the new wave of British heavy metal, they had eight UK Top 40 albums in the 1980s including four UK Top 10 albums and two Top 5 albums. They had numerous singles in the UK Singles Chart and chart success all over Europe and Japan, as well as success in the United States. During the 1980s, Saxon established themselves among Europe's most successful metal acts. The band tours regularly and have sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. They have also been cited as a major influence or inspiration by notable bands, including Mötley Crüe, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Pantera, Testament, Dokken, Skid Row, Dream Theater, Exodus, Overkill, King Diamond and Celtic Frost.More Saxon
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- Darkthrone known professionally as Darkthrone, is a Norwegian extreme metal band formed in 1986 in Kolbotn, Akershus, Norway. Originally formed as the death metal band Black Death and they changed their name to Darkthrone in 1991 as the band switched to a black metal style. The band's first three black metal albums—A Blaze in the Northern Sky (1992), Under a Funeral Moon (1993), and Transilvanian Hunger (1994)—are sometimes dubbed the "Unholy Trinity". They are considered the peak of the band's career and to be among the most influential albums in black metal. Darkthrone has been a duo of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto since guitarist Zephyrous left the band in 1993.More Darkthrone
- #192 of 262 onThe Greatest Heavy Metal Bands Of All Time
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- Bloodywood are an Indian metal band from New Delhi, formed in 2016. They began as a parody band that uploaded metal covers of pop songs on YouTube, but later went on to write their own original material. The band has cited Linkin Park, Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, Alter Bridge, and Limp Bizkit as their musical influences.
- Porcupine Tree is an English rock band formed in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Originally Steven Wilson's solo project, by late 1993, Wilson brought on frequent collaborators Richard Barbieri as keyboardist, Colin Edwin as bassist, and Chris Maitland as drummer to form the first permanent lineup. With Wilson as lead vocalist and guitarist, this remained the lineup until February 2002. Porcupine Tree's early sound evoked various styles of psychedelic rock, space rock, and experimental rock, later moving towards a more progressive/space rock direction comparable to that of Pink Floyd, shifting to more mainstream alternative rock sound in the 1990s, and a more progressive metal direction in the early 2000s. The band became publicly inactive in 2009. However, Wilson, Barbieri and Harrison continued to intermittently work on material in secrecy over the course of the following decade, leading to the release of their album Closure/Continuation in 2022.More Porcupine Tree
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- The Devil Wears Prada are an American metalcore band from Dayton, Ohio, formed in 2005. Previously a Christian metalcore band, it consists of members Mike Hranica (vocals, additional guitar), Jeremy DePoyster (rhythm guitar, vocals), Kyle Sipress (lead guitar, backing vocals), Mason Nagy (bass), Jonathan Gering (keyboards, backing vocals), and Giuseppe Capolupo (drums). The band had maintained its original lineup until keyboardist James Baney left the band. To date, the group has released seven full-length albums: Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord (2006), Plagues (2007), With Roots Above and Branches Below (2009), Dead Throne (2011), 8:18 (2013) Transit Blues (2016), and The Act (2019) as well as three EPs, one DVD, sixteen singles, and thirteen music videos.More The Devil Wears Prada
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- 27Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. Following the death of frontman and lead singer Dave Brockie in 2014, the group has continued without any of its founding members. Easily identified by their distinctively grotesque costumes, Gwar's core thematic and visual concept revolves around an elaborate science fiction-themed mythology which portrays the band members as barbaric interplanetary warriors, a narrative which serves as the basis for all of the band's albums, videos, live shows and other media. Rife with over-the-top violent, sexual, and scatological humor typically incorporating social and political satire, Gwar has attracted both acclaim and controversy for its music and stage shows, the latter of which notoriously showcase enactments of graphic violence that result in the audience being sprayed with copious amounts of fake blood, urine, and semen. Such stagecraft regularly leads Gwar to be labeled a "shock rock" band by the media. Since its formation, Gwar has released thirteen studio albums, two live albums, and numerous singles among other recordings, and has sold over 820,000 records in the United States. Fueled largely by the controversies surrounding their concerts, Gwar experienced brief mainstream notoriety during the first half of the 1990s, receiving regular airplay on MTV as well as frequent in-character guest appearances on daytime talk shows, satirizing the topics of censorship and media violence. Though the band's mainstream popularity declined by the end of the 1990s, Gwar has retained a dedicated cult following. The band's extensive videography consists of both live recordings and long-form feature films, most notably 1992's Phallus in Wonderland, which earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Long Form Music Video. Outside of music and video, Gwar has expanded its franchise into comic books, trading cards, a board game, signature beers, barbecue sauces, and e-liquids.More Gwar
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- Zeal & Ardor are a Swiss avant-garde metal band started and led by Manuel Gagneux, a Swiss-American musician who had previously created a chamber pop project called Birdmask. Formed in 2013, the band mixes sounds of African-American spirituals with black metal. Initially a solo project, the band signed with MVKA records in 2016 and expanded to a full lineup, with Gagneux on vocals and guitar, backing vocalists Denis Wagner and Marc Obrist, guitarist Tiziano Volante, bassist Mia Rafaela Dieu, and drummer Marco Von Allmen. The project started in New York City, but is now based in Basel, Switzerland. Zeal & Ardor have released the albums Devil Is Fine (2016), and Stranger Fruit (2018), as well as a demo album Zeal and Ardor (2014). In 2020, they released their first EP, Wake of a Nation. A third studio album, Zeal & Ardor, was released in February 2022.
- Underoath are an American rock band from Tampa, Florida, founded by lead vocalist Dallas Taylor and guitarist Luke Morton on November 30, 1997, in Ocala, Florida. Its additional members are from Tampa, including drummer, clean vocalist and last remaining core member Aaron Gillespie. The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, keyboardist Christopher Dudley, lead guitarist Timothy McTague, bassist Grant Brandell, lead vocalist Spencer Chamberlain, and rhythm guitarist James Smith. Originally, the band identified as a Christian group; they have since distanced themselves from Christianity. The band's lineup shifted frequently during its early years. Taylor recorded Act of Depression, Cries of the Past, and The Changing of Times with the band and remained with the group until his departure in 2003; Chamberlain replaced him as lead vocalist, and the lineup has remained mostly stable since. The band then released They're Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line, both RIAA gold.More Underoath
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- Cult Of Luna are a Swedish heavy metal band from UmeĂĄ founded in 1998. They are known for post-metal music similar to the contemporary bands Neurosis and Isis. The band was signed to Earache Records in the early 2000s and released five albums, including the commercially successful albums Salvation (2004) and Somewhere Along the Highway (2006). After an extended period of inactivity, Cult of Luna returned with its Indie Recordings debut Vertikal (2013) and companion EP Vertikal II (2013), both drawing inspiration from Fritz Lang's 1927 film, Metropolis. In 2016 the band released their space-themed seventh album, Mariner, featuring American vocalist Julie Christmas.
