Drowning Pool

Metallica
Metallica was easily the best, most influential heavy metal band of the '80s, responsible for bringing the music back to Earth. Instead of playing the usual rock star games of metal stars of the early '80s, the band looked and talked like they were from the street.

Ozzy Osbourne
Though many bands have succeeded in earning the hatred of parents and media worldwide throughout the past few decades, arguably only such acts as Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, and Marilyn Manson have tied the controversial record of Ozzy Osbourne.

Rigor Mortis
Brutal thrash played with cruelty; one day they could become the kings of their own world. ~ John Book, All Music Guide

Drowning Pool
Dallas-based heavy metal group Drowning Pool was one of the most promising bands of the early 2000s. Their debut album, Sinner, was certified platinum within six weeks of its release while their first single, "Bodies," was one of the most frequently aired videos on MTV by a new band.

Sevendust
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. The band, comprised of frontman Lajon Witherspoon, John Connolly (guitar), Clint Lowery (guitar), Vince Hornsby...

Apocalyptica
The Helsinki, Finland, quartet Apocalyptica comprised classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Max Lilja, Antero Manninen, and Paavo Lotjonen; formed in 1993, the group made waves internationally in 1996 with Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, which combined their formal background...

Soilent Green
Blending elements of grindcore, death metal, black metal, hardcore, and bluesy, groove-oriented Southern rock, Lousiana quintet Soilent Green has grown into one of the most distinctive bands in the U.

Serj Tankian
System of a Down founder Serj Tankian was born on August 21, 1967, in Beirut, Lebanon. He and his family immigrated to Los Angeles in 1975. He studied marketing at California State University and started his own software company before beginning his music career with the formation...

Shadows Fall
Although their music sometimes bears strong similarities to the technical, progressive brand of death metal centered around Gothenburg, Sweden, and epitomized by bands like In Flames, Shadows Fall actually hails from Massachusetts.

Goatwhore
Louisiana black metal outfit Goatwhore was formed by singer/guitarist Sammy Duet following the breakup of his previous band, Acid Bath. Former Soilent Green singer L. Ben Falgoust II, guitarist Ben Stout, bassist Patrick Bruders, and drummer Zak Nolan completed the lineup, which...

DevilDriver
Following the dissolution of Marilyn Manson/Korn-aping, nu-metal also-rans Coal Chamber, vocalist Dez Fafara hooked up with guitarists Evans Pitts and Jeffrey Kendrick, bassist Jon Miller, and drummer John Boecklin to form DevilDriver -- a rather more extreme band dedicated to the...

The Sword
Not to be confused with the Canadian heavy metal band from the late '80s, named simply Sword, the Sword is a retro-metal four-piece hailing from -- of all places -- the singer/songwriter oasis of Austin, TX.

Kingdom of Sorrow
Another side project from Crowbar's Kirk Windstein and Hatebreed's James Jasta, Kingdom of Sorrow was formed in 2005, when the two found they had a desire to pay homage to some of the heavier legends in the genre, and add their own individual stamp to the style.

In This Moment
Born of a chance meeting and the innate musical rapport established between vocalist Maria Brink and lead guitarist Chris Howorth, In This Moment quickly grew from local cult favorites performing in Los Angeles clubs to a /MySpace phenomenon before landing a deal with Century Media Records.

Hellyeah
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.

Jonathan Davis (of Korn)

Witchcraft

Cavalera Conspiracy
Brazilian death/thrash metal act Cavalera Conspiracy originally formed in 2006 as Inflikted, around the talents of groundbreaking metal juggernaut Sepultura siblings Max Cavalera (vocals and guitar) and drummer Igor Cavalera, guitarist Marc Rizzo (Soulfly), and bassist Joe Duplantier...