There is power in a name, as ancient wisdom claims. And sometimes a prophecy. It was a moment of rare foresight when guitarist Esa Holopainen came up with a name for his new band: Amorphis. Derived from “amorphous” (without determinate form, shapeless), the choice would subsequently prove more apt than anyone could have imagined at the time. It... [+] Read More

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Washington, D.C.'s Darkest Hour is a supporter of the death metal/hardcore merger, founded in the early '90s by such outfits as Carcass and Entombed. Comprised of members Mike Schleibaum (guitar), Billups Allen (bass), John Henry (vocals), Fred Ziomek (guitar), and Ryan Parrish (drums), the band formed in the mid-'90s, inking a deal with the New... [+] Read More

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Towards the end of the '90s, Scandinavian death metal -- or at least one branch of it -- began to evolve into a more accessible amalgamation of death-metal intensity, a bit of progressive-metal experimentation, and more traditional late-'70s/early-'80s British metal, with its catchy, groove-oriented riffs and twin-guitar lead lines. Although the... [+] Read More

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Death by Stereo is an aggressive metal/hardcore hybrid from Southern California. After debuting in 1998 with If Looks Could Kill, I'd Watch You Die, Efrem Shulz (vocals), Paul Miner (bass), Jim Miner (guitar), Dan Palmer (guitar), and Bill Bender (drums) watched their fan base quickly expand. Epitaph was watching too, and soon signed them up.... [+] Read More

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After leaving Ceremonial Oath to form In Flames, founding member and guitarist Jesper Strömblad saw this project as a way of expressing his songwriting creativity rather than being stuck in the background. With the added influences of Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, along with his own touch of aggressive metal that overwhelmed his home country of... [+] Read More

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The foursome that came together and created Killswitch Engage already had strong fan followings. Mike D'Antonio (bass) was formerly the leader and principal songwriter of Overcast, the legendary underground metal group. When Overcast split in 1998, D'Antonio sought for a year to find the right combination of players to fuse hardcore and metal... [+] Read More

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Originally known by the less-than-subtle moniker Burn the Priest, Richmond, VA-based Lamb of God decided to change their name shortly after the release of a self-titled debut in 1998. Featuring vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Will Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler, the newly rechristened Lamb of God was... [+] Read More

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Influential West Coast heavy metal quartet Machine Head formed in 1992 around the talents of ex-Vio-lence guitar players Robert Flynn and Phil Demmel, bass player Adam Duce, and drummer Chris Kontos. The band's D.I.Y. work ethic, aggressive playing, and relentless self-promotion eventually landed them a deal with Roadrunner Records, a... [+] Read More

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Slayer was one of the most distinctive, influential, and extreme thrash metal bands of the 1980s. Their graphic lyrics deal with everything from death and dismemberment to war and the horrors of hell. Their full-throttle velocity, wildly chaotic guitar solos, and powerful musical chops paint an effectively chilling sonic background for their... [+] Read More

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The Swedish metal sextet Soilwork formed in early 1997, fusing the country's signature ultra-heavy death metal sound with the power-groove riffs of late-'70s, early-'80s British and European metal. Vocalist Bjorn "Speed" Strid, guitarists Peter Wiches and Ola Frenning, and drummer Henry Ranta were all veterans of the Swedish scene by the time... [+] Read More

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