Continuing the Metal Tree I am near the end of covering all the nodes on Sam Dunn's Metal Evolution chart. There is only one remaining after this, and then a couple nodes of my own I want to add.
This section seems to have focused on bands that became active and popular in the early 2000s. This continues my posts on the evolution of Heavy Metal and it's resulting family tree. It began with this very first post and the easiest way to see all of the posts is to click on the metaltree tab and review the resulting posts that way.
I was inspired to do this series after watching the Metal Evolution documentary series by Sam Dunn and Banger Films. In the series it keeps showing images of the metal evolution poster, and it doesn't cover all of the various leafs and branches on that chart. That was my plan when starting this series. To cover all of those bands, and some I add, as well as all of the branches. I also plan to add a few branches.
Let Us Begin
This new wave of American heavy metal is aggressive and mixes the technical prowess and techniques spread across many of the earlier nodes. It contains some of the current large metal acts out there. In this post I am not listing nationality, as this node of the tree is all United States originating bands.
Darkest Hour
Band First Released: 1996
Love As A Weapon
Demon(s)
Convalescence
Shadows Fall
Band First Released: 1997
In Efigy
The Light That Blinds
Thoughts Without Words
God Forbid
Band First Released: 1998
To The Fallen Hero
Anti Hero
Chains of Humanity
Lamb of God
Band First Released: 1999
It is difficult to be involved in metal today and not heard the name Lamb of God. These guys are a very popular act when it comes to some of the newer metal, and they are quite a powerful metal act at that.
Redneck
Laid To Rest
512
Killswitch Engage
Band First Released: 2000
Killswitch Engage also sometimes simply called KSE has been featured in some previous Metal Tree posts as they tend to straddle quite a few different branches of the Metal Tree. They are another big name in this list. By viewcount on youtube I'd say they are a bigger act than Lamb of God.
Holy Diver - Dio cover.
My Curse
My Last Serenade
Rose of Sharyn
Unearth
Band First Released: 2001
My Will Be Done
Sanctity of Brothers
Giles
Chimaira
Band First Released: 2001
Years ago I was looking for some new music with very powerful rhythms. This band Chimaira was a name that kept popping up. They often deliver exactly that and they are a very interesting band.
Resurrection
The Year of The Snake
Power Trip - I thought this might be a cover of the Ludichrist song Power Trip, but it is not.
Eyes of a Criminal
The Black Dahlia Murders
Band First Released: 2001
Statutory Ape
What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
A Vulgar Picture
As I Lay Dying
Band First Released: 2001
This is another one of the bands that has appeared in previous posts as they straddle a couple of branches.
Parallels
The Darkest Nights
Nothing Left
Shinedown
Band First Released: 2003
This wasn't on the Metal Evolution chart because as I was searching for some of the other bands I stumbled upon this one and did some research, listened to some music, and decided they should have been in this list. By view count they have the largest following of the bands above it in this post. Perhaps it is not here in the Metal Evolution chart because the vocal stylings are different, and some of it is very different? So I suppose it is debateable whether they should be here. They definitely are metal, they are from the proper time frame, and they are from the United States.
Simple Man - Lynard Skynard cover.
Sound of Madness
Cut The Cord
Trivium
Band First Released: 2003
I've been hearing about Trivium from some youtube personalities I'll sometimes watch their channel. This is the favorite band for many of them, and yeah these personalities are the same age as my youngest kids (who are adults). They have some nice guitar work. I like them.
Strife
Until The World Goes Cold
Down From The Sky
In Closing
I personally find the metal in this section to be of great quality and I enjoy it all. It makes me very happy to see metal not only still a very much viable form of music, but it is still thriving and continuing to push and expand the boundaries of what defines metal. I am not always a fan of the vocal style choices, but sometimes it works pretty well and they do tend to mix up the styles which is something I enjoy. As always with this series if you have bands you think I missed feel free to reply and provide a link to a video of a band that you think should be on this particular branch of the Metal Family Tree.
Steem On!
