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 | | Melodic, hard-hitting heavy metal outfit Another Black Day formed in 2004 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, around the talents of vocalist/guitarist Matthew Wilkof, drummer Angel Hernandez, and bassist Das Haas. |
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 | | Formed in Miami in 1997, Nonpoint is an alternative metal/rap-metal foursome that consists of vocalist Elias Soriano, drummer Robb Rivera, guitarist Andrew Goldman, and bassist KB. |
 | | Based in Memphis and named after one of its roads, hard rock group Egypt Central were formed by lead singer John T. |
 | | Ann Arbor, MI's own Taproot sent their demo to Limp Bizkit's frontman/business entrepreneur Fred Durst in 1998, not ever thinking Durst would call them back personally. |
 | | Earshot is Tool-inspired metal outfit that performs a similar blend of moody heavy metal. The group formed in 1999 out of vocalist/guitarist Will Martin, guitarist Mike Callahan, guitarist Scott Kohler, and drummer Dieter Hartmann. |
 | | Formed in 1997 under the name Revelation Theory, the hard rock outfit Rev Theory is made up of singer Rich Luzzi, bassist Matty McCloskey, guitarist Julien Jorgensen, and drummer Dave Agoglia. |
 | | Vocalist Paul McCoy, bassist Kevin Dorr, guitarist Eric Weaver, and drummer Aaron Gainer were mostly still in their teens when they formed 12 Stones in the small New Orleans suburb of Mandeville, Louisiana. |
 | | Los Angeles-based thrash outfit Five Finger Death Punch formed in 2005 around the talents of former U. |
 | | Chicago-based alternative metal ensemble SOiL formed in 1997 around the talents of vocalist Ryan McCombs, drummer Tom Schofield, bass player Tim King, and guitarists Adam Zadel and Shaun Glass. |
 | | New York City metalcore band Bloodsimple were formed from the ashes of influential hardcore/thrash metal act Vision of Disorder. |
 | | Smile Empty Soul was a heavy alternative trio formed while its three members were still in Santa Clarita, California high schools. |
 | | As long as you understand he's talking circa 2007, then singer Mike Ruocco's declaration that his band Cinder Road are "old-school rock with new-school validity" is right on the money. |
 | | Alternative metal outfit Trust Company (also referred to as TRUSTcompany and TRUST*CO) formed in Montgomery, AL, circa 1997 around Kevin Palmer (vocals/guitar) and Jason Singleton (drums). |
 | | Texas hard rock/alternative metal quintet Submersed blend heavy volume with heavy issues that reflect their rugged individualism and ambition to be a "positive force for change. |
 | | Knoxville, TN's 10 Years formed in 2002 around vocalist Jesse Hasek, drummer Brian Vodinh, guitarists Matt Wantland and Tater, and bassist Lewis Cosby. |
 | | The Exies came together in 1997, emerging from the Los Angeles rock scene with Scott Stevens (vocals/guitar), Freddy Herrera (bass), and Thom Sullivan (drums). |
 | | Heavy metal quartet Mudvayne formed in Peoria, IL, in 1996, its members adopting the unusual pseudonyms sPaG (M. |
 | | Skindred blend reggae and dancehall with searing thrash and punk influences for a striking take on heavy metal hybridism. |
 | | Heavy metal "supergroup" Hellyeah formed in 2006 in Dallas, TX, around the talents of Mudvayne's Chad Gray (vocals) and Greg Tribbett (guitar), Nothingface's Tom Maxwell (guitar) and Jerry Montano -- the latter also played with Danzig -- and Pantera/Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott. |
 | | Toronto modern hard rock quintet Evans Blue came together around 2003 after its members found each other by chance through a local musician's message board. |
 | | With a name like Sick Puppies, you wouldn't think hugs would play a major role in the gutsy indie crew's rise to fame, but they do, along with malls and YouTube. |
 | | Hard rockers J. Loren and Evan Johns met after Johns' producer father, Andy, heard Loren on a demo tape and was intrigued by the singer's voice. |
 | | Coming out of Southern California during the rap-metal explosion around the turn of the century, Atreyu crafted a sound much closer to Agnostic Front or Hatebreed. |
 | | Although Slipknot made their mainstream debut in the late '90s, singer Corey Taylor and guitarist Jim Root got their start a few years prior in Stone Sour. |
 | | The Atlanta-based quintet Sevendust became one of the rising acts in late-'90s heavy metal with an aggressive blend of bottom-heavy riffs and soulful, accessible melodies. |
 | | A one-man band of sorts, Ashes Divide was the next step in the career of former lighting technician and guitar roadie Billy Howerdel. |
 | | Edgy Las Vegas-based hard rock outfit Adelitas Way broke into the mainstream in 2009 with the song "Invincible," which appeared on numerous television spots for CSI Miami and served as the theme song for the weekly World Wrestling Entertainment Superstars show. |
 | | Formed by guitarist Oli Herbert and ex-Shadows Fall vocalist Phil Labonte in 1998, Massachusetts' All That Remains debuted in 2002 with Behind Silence and Solitude on Metal Blade. |
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 | | Justin Holman (vocals), Robert Davis (guitar), Nathaniel Cox (guitar), Bob Thiemann (bass), and David Piribauer (drums) comprise the infectious post-grunge sounds of Revis. |
 | | The post-grunge outfit Days of the New rocked heavy in 1998 with their major-label eponymous debut and the singles "Solitude" and "Touch, Peel and Stand," and the boys from Louisville, KY, quickly absorbed the fast success and MTV's praise. |
 | | Dallas-based heavy metal group Drowning Pool was one of the most promising bands of the early 2000s. |
 | | Melodic post-grunge outfit Pop Evil formed in Grand Rapids, MI, in November 2001 with a sound that took cues from the likes of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, aptly putting the quartet right in line with popular modern rock acts such as Crossfade, Shinedown, and Puddle of Mudd. |
 | | Hard rock band Royal Bliss formed in 1997 in Salt Lake City, UT when guitarist Chris Harding met singer Neal Middleton at a Middleton solo gig. |
 | | Dark New Day formed in early 2005 and was quickly billed as a supergroup for the active rock set, since its membership came from various name-brand acts. |
 | | Vancouver hard rock group Jet Black Stare were founded in 2007 by Rod Black (vocalist), who started writing songs after becoming frustrated with the creative direction of his former band. |
 | | Burn Halo is a mainstream hard rock band led by former Eighteen Visions lead singer James Hart that made its album debut in 2009. |
 | | Christian-based post-grunge outfit Red first got their start in Pennsylvania playing contemporary Christian covers to area youth groups. |
 | | Knoxville, TN, heavy metal band Straight Line Stitch were first organized at the turn of the century and self-released a demo EP and an album in the early 2000s. |
 | | Inspired by the lurching riffs of Helmet and the soft/loud vocal dynamics of Tool, the Chicago-based trio Chevelle formed in 1995 with an aggressive, heavy sound. |
 | | In late 2000, guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark James Klepaski made a surprising and unexpected decision: they left Lifer, an alternative metal band that was signed to Universal and was gaining commercial acceptance. |
 | | Alter Bridge resurrected the music-making portion of Creed. After that band's 2004 dissolution, guitarist Mark Tremonti and drummer Scott Phillips tapped ousted bassist Brian Marshall for the new project. |
 | | Although formed in September 1996, Saliva didn't hit the mainstream until 2001, when the band's mix of angsty hard rock and hip-hop helped earn a double-platinum certification for its sophomore album, Every Six Seconds. |
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 | | Jacksonville, Florida-based alternative metal outfit Cold started out by sharing the aesthetic of another Florida band, Limp Bizkit. |
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 | | Huntington Beach, CA's (hed) p.e. (the "pe" stands for "Planet Earth") was founded in 1994 by frontman Jahred (aka M. |
 | | Slipknot's mix of grinding, post-Korn alternative metal, Marilyn Manson-esque neo-shock rock, and rap-metal helped make them one of the most popular bands in the so-called nu-metal explosion of the late '90s. |