Heavy metal seems to exist on a rift in time. Even as groundbreaking albums near their 50th anniversaries and famous musicians pass from this mortal coil, metal fans continue to hold new releases to the same standards as old classics.
This is especially true in America, a country whose youth makes it immediately defensive about its metal legends. Even as the ever-hungry U.S. gets excited for new bands, it often pits them against veteran acts. Lamb Of God and Slipknot, for example, are still considered "young," even though they've put in decades of work. As a result, newer metal bands don't get their due until several years after their biggest albums came out, and sometimes after the band is no more.
This year, Kerrang!'s U.S. team decided to give this crop of younger artists their due. We got together and painstakingly listed the fifty American metal bands from the last 10 years who we think are leading the charge into the next decade, and will someday be remembered as greats of our time.
The selection process wasn’t easy, and to make sure we kept it relevant and young, we applied the following guidelines to each entry:
1. The band must be American.
2. The band must be actively playing shows, releasing albums, etc.
3. The band's debut full-length must have come out in 2010 or later (apologies to Killswitch Engage, Pig Destroyer, Black Dahlia Murder, etc.).
4. The band must be discernibly metal or have metal roots (as opposed to hardcore or punk -- hence, no Code Orange or Vein).
With those guidelines in mind, here are the 50 best American metal bands from the last decade.
(And be sure to check out our Spotify playlist -- featuring every artist -- at the bottom of the page!)