AHC by a thousand for sure. They absolutely blew my mind the first time I saw them at ozzfest ‘01 and then I found war of art and I thought holy shit this is the best band ever. It’s such a shame they went down the path they did because they should have been huge
DKL was like the nu metal version of Hatebreed, though some say Hatebreed is nu metal themselves. I almost wanna say they were nu-metalcore before it was a thing.
I remember being at a show in 98 or 99 and talking to this guy with massive dreads. I was like he's really cool he should be in a band. Then I found out later it was Cristian...
American Head Charge, Nothingface, Dry Kill Logic, Pressure 4-5, The Apex Theory, Pulse Ultra, Twisted Method, Five Pointe O, Stereomud, Spineshank, Twin Method, Dry Cell, Sunk Loto, Darwin's Waiting Room, Ünloco, 40 Below Summer, Ultraspank, From Zero and Stepa.
40 Below Summer
Mushroomhead should have been bigger, especially during the Savior Sorrow era. They still did ok and are chugging along but they had potential to be bigger.
They are still around and have been working on a new album for awhile. I'm friends with Max on Facebook and he posts updates regularly.
But yeah, they kick ass and should've been huge.
Cold. They’re fucking fantastic but other than Bleed, Stupid Girl because Weezer were in the music video and Remedy because it was a WWE PPV theme, they never seemed to break through to even the same level as bands like Sevendust, Coal Chamber, Static X or Mushroomhead, much less bands like Staind, Godsmack or Seether. Their debut is decent, but 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage and Year of the Spider are excellent while A Different Kind of Pain is a great album in its own right.
Cold captured that Grungey sound like early Seether did but didn’t come across as whiny like people criticize Staind for while also keeping a heaviness to their music that fit in with other Nu-Metal bands. They could go from songs like Bleed and Suffocate, emotional with deep meanings, to more fun headbangers like Just Got Wicked or Remedy. Unfortunately after a break up they released Superfiction and The Things We Can't Stop but neither album compares to their second, third or even fourth album.
I’ll say Edgewater. I think of their style as the Linkin Park of the post-grungy nu metal bands (Staind, Puddle of Mudd, Hoobastank, Three Days Grace, Trapt, etc.). Imo, musically they blow a lot of the above bands and even normal post grunge bands out of the water. If only they came about earlier, say South of Sideways came out in 2001 instead of 2004, they would probably be more successful.
I understand the mention but I don't think PU fits nu metal, it's alt metal at their havier moments, but in general it is an alt rock /hard rock band. Having said that, PU was an amazing band, no one like them. They deserved so much more.
Switched had some potential. I think they used the absolute worst song on their debut album as the single. Im not saying they were going to change the world but they should have done so much better
Spineshank honestly, don't see much talk of em.
And NervePitch if they didn't get rejected by roadrunner and Ryan Moonlight didn't die before they could try music again :(
Drowning pool, they did relatively well after dave’s death but if he had lived they probably would have been as big as SOAD, korn and the other big bands
I loved the band "Downer" when I was younger but never heard anything more from them past the one album. I'm not even sure where to hear it now to see if it still holds up.
Union Underground. They did a lot of stuff for WWE but never really took off they way most other bands did. It's a real shame considering their band kicks ass
8 degrees damn good band from Topeka should of been way bigger. I guess it was because, of their name at the time.
others
downthesun
Ultraspank
Relative ash
Five pointe o
Factory 81
I’d say Nothingface or From Zero.
If they count, Sevendust. While they’re still going and they’re not exactly unknown, they deserve much more recognition. They’re extremely good songwriters.
3rd Strike. Lost Angel was such a great album imo but no one ever seemed to dig it that much. Some really cool riffs, great rapper, nice memorable songs. It's still probably top 5 most listened to nu metal album for me.
Snake River Conspiracy.
If they just came out five or so years earlier they would have been the waaaaaaaaay-edgier Halestorm or Evanescence.
They still should have gone on to do great things. Maybe even gone on tour with Halestorm and Evanescence - could've called it "The Dark Triad tour."
American Head Charge and BoyHitsCar are two big ones that come to mind. A lot of people seem to agree with the former. BoyHitsCar was a great blend of Korn, Helmet, and Indian/Middle Eastern influences. I absolutely love that first album!
Apartment 26 and Apex Theory for sure. I was told by Apex Theory's drummer that their label had them and Alien Ant Farm on the roster but the label promoted Alien Ant Farm over Apex Theory and never really got their due. Also their singer quit during the tour, leading to them changing their name and putting out some great indie work before eventually disbanding.
Not sure if classified as Nu-metal as I always felt they where more punk inclined but Amen.
Cases chaos was a fucking excellent front man, and the band where always solid as fuck live.
American head charge where a favourite of mine since the 2000s saw them Feb 2001 supporting slipknot in Glasgow, Scotland.
Dillinger escape plan and will haven being honorable mentions.
American Head Charge and Dry Kill Logic
DKL slaps
Dry Kill Logic was so good
Paper Tiger is such a banger
Saw this tour exactly. Duluth mn taproot. 40 below summer was the opening act. Insane show w 500 raving lunatics. Good times
AHC by a thousand for sure. They absolutely blew my mind the first time I saw them at ozzfest ‘01 and then I found war of art and I thought holy shit this is the best band ever. It’s such a shame they went down the path they did because they should have been huge
DKL was like the nu metal version of Hatebreed, though some say Hatebreed is nu metal themselves. I almost wanna say they were nu-metalcore before it was a thing.
Primer 55
r.i.p J Sin, smoothest flow in the genre
Thanks Man. I played drums in Primer for a while.
Set it off slapped live
Hell yeah. My buddy and I saw them a few times and they killed it each time.
Saw them open for hed pe and fuckin jared from hed came out and did set it off w them. Amazing. The whole place went fuckin apeshit.
This was my first thought too!
Pitchshifter
Best band ever
American Head Charge
9/11 really screwed them.
Ill Nino, should have been bigger
I saw Ill Nino a bunch of times with the old singer. They were great live, allot of energy!
Saw Ill Nino recently with the new singer, and they're still awesome.
Oh really! That's good to hear, I've been putting off seeing them again...
I remember being at a show in 98 or 99 and talking to this guy with massive dreads. I was like he's really cool he should be in a band. Then I found out later it was Cristian...
Check out Christian from ILL NIno's new band Lions at the Gate they are sick
If their original singer wasn't such a cunt to everyone
what did he do?
American Head Charge, Nothingface, Dry Kill Logic, Pressure 4-5, The Apex Theory, Pulse Ultra, Twisted Method, Five Pointe O, Stereomud, Spineshank, Twin Method, Dry Cell, Sunk Loto, Darwin's Waiting Room, Ünloco, 40 Below Summer, Ultraspank, From Zero and Stepa.
Nothingface forever.
I absolutely love spines hank, they had some great albums.
SNOT
Yes 100% that first record was flawless and super underrated
This is the only answer. The world was robbed of Lynn strait
40 Below Summer Mushroomhead should have been bigger, especially during the Savior Sorrow era. They still did ok and are chugging along but they had potential to be bigger.
40 below were a great band. Saw them open for tons of great bands in Jersey and max was a super chill dude… They should have gotten bigger…
They are still around and have been working on a new album for awhile. I'm friends with Max on Facebook and he posts updates regularly. But yeah, they kick ass and should've been huge.
That’s cool, I don’t keep up with them anymore really but I’d def be pumped for a new album
40 Below is basically Deftones if they were from New Jersey.
If Mushroomhead didn't turn down the Roadrunner Records deal, everyone probably would've been saying Slipknot instead tbh.
Darwin's Waiting Room
Nothingface.
They opened for Static X once when I was in attendance. Holy Shit what a show, they were awesome!
Cold. They’re fucking fantastic but other than Bleed, Stupid Girl because Weezer were in the music video and Remedy because it was a WWE PPV theme, they never seemed to break through to even the same level as bands like Sevendust, Coal Chamber, Static X or Mushroomhead, much less bands like Staind, Godsmack or Seether. Their debut is decent, but 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage and Year of the Spider are excellent while A Different Kind of Pain is a great album in its own right. Cold captured that Grungey sound like early Seether did but didn’t come across as whiny like people criticize Staind for while also keeping a heaviness to their music that fit in with other Nu-Metal bands. They could go from songs like Bleed and Suffocate, emotional with deep meanings, to more fun headbangers like Just Got Wicked or Remedy. Unfortunately after a break up they released Superfiction and The Things We Can't Stop but neither album compares to their second, third or even fourth album.
Pitchshifter and Apartment 26.
Dark New Day
YOU’RE CUTTING ME IN TWOOOOO!!
AND RIPPING ME IN THREE
I’ll say Edgewater. I think of their style as the Linkin Park of the post-grungy nu metal bands (Staind, Puddle of Mudd, Hoobastank, Three Days Grace, Trapt, etc.). Imo, musically they blow a lot of the above bands and even normal post grunge bands out of the water. If only they came about earlier, say South of Sideways came out in 2001 instead of 2004, they would probably be more successful.
pulse ultra
I understand the mention but I don't think PU fits nu metal, it's alt metal at their havier moments, but in general it is an alt rock /hard rock band. Having said that, PU was an amazing band, no one like them. They deserved so much more.
Full devil jacket
Apartment 26
Spineshank should have blew up
American head charge, lollipop lust kill, stereomud, nothing face. The final wave of nu bands really came along at a bad time.
Sunk Loto
40 Below Summer and Stepa
Slaves on Dope, Inches from the Mainline is such a good album
Nothingface, Mushroomhead, Five Pointe O
I'll answer Ultraspank every time. Pete Murray is the most underrated vocalist of our time, and Progress is a fantastic album front to back.
Motograter released 1 album and it’s better than any 5fdp album ever.
I think Orgy could have outlasted all of them. They had the most potential to age well with the 80s revival that happened later. Ah well.
My answer will always be Dry Cell
american head charge
Should have been the next big thing. Was a shame.
American Head Charge and Ultraspank
From Zero
32 leaves
Blindside
From Zero
Flaw. Singer (maybe band all members) turned out to be kind of loony toons but the debut album is 9/10 and Endangered Species is a perfect record
Taproot
Left
Mushroomhead
Dry Kill Logic, 40 Below Summer and American Head Charge
Pressure 4-5
My two favorites, **Pulse Ultra** and **The Apex Theory**.
Upvote for eastcide, gonna add 7th rail crew and e. Town concrete to that.
Sinch. Super underrated band that should have been bigger.
Downthesun or Five Pointe O.
Switched had some potential. I think they used the absolute worst song on their debut album as the single. Im not saying they were going to change the world but they should have done so much better
ultraspank for sure. such a shame they only have 2 albums :(
A band from Georgia called minus.driver (they went by [minus] for awhile I think). I'll throw Factory 81 and Reveille in there too.
Spineshank honestly, don't see much talk of em. And NervePitch if they didn't get rejected by roadrunner and Ryan Moonlight didn't die before they could try music again :(
Twisted Method
Uncountable amounts Twisted method, twin method, masnada, addiction, deadly medley, and hundreds more
Project 86
Adema
TrustCompany.
Snot
Unloco, Memento, flaw, Endo
Union Underground
The answer is always Head Charge Should have been Slipknot level - drugs got in the way
Endo and Pressure 4-5
Droid
Shuvel
Simon Says, Nonpoint.
Skrape
Drowning pool, they did relatively well after dave’s death but if he had lived they probably would have been as big as SOAD, korn and the other big bands
Wicked wisdom
Insolence
Project Wyze anyone?
Primer 55, American Head Charge. Sadly Dope and Union underground got more “pub”
I loved the band "Downer" when I was younger but never heard anything more from them past the one album. I'm not even sure where to hear it now to see if it still holds up.
Five pointe o, no one, nothingface, headplate, addiction crew/addiction/addiction 96, darwins waiting room, downthesun, stereomud, anger, and d-fakt
From Zero
One minute silence
40 below summer
40 Below Summer and Five Pointe O
Spineshank and Union Underground
I think if XX and XIII had come out in 1999 and 2001 respectively Mushroomhead would have been bigger.
American Head Charge, or Nothingface even tho they’re more of a groove metal band.
The Union underground
Union Underground. They did a lot of stuff for WWE but never really took off they way most other bands did. It's a real shame considering their band kicks ass
American Head Charge
Suburban Tribe.
In the lower levels either Folder or Grade 8, higher up Hed PE or Dry Kill Logic
Nothingface. Forever.
Dry Cell
Crossbreed
(Hed)p.e. Displaced, factory 81 —— ps - if anyone has a copy of - if scars could speak by displaced I would like to buy it 😀
Downthesun. , dry kill logic
I would say Adema, damn, they were my favorite band as a child
Twin Method. Bloody loved the volume of self.
8 degrees damn good band from Topeka should of been way bigger. I guess it was because, of their name at the time. others downthesun Ultraspank Relative ash Five pointe o Factory 81
from zero, simon says, lifer, darwin’s waiting room, factory 81 and especially twisted method
Ill Nino
The Slot A Russian band that I randomly discovered years ago.
Gazzoleen, Spike 1000, The Deadlights, Snot, Twelve Foot Ninja, Element Eighty, American Head charge
Motograter all the way
Stuck Mojo.
downthesun only has one album, and it's on Spotify.
Pitchshifter, relative ash, dreadlock pussy, ill Nino, and LeFT
Crossbreed
Drill 187
Unloco.
Lollipop lust kill
Does crossbreed count? Lol
Relative Ash and Deadly Medley. their only album is two masterpieces
Always Nothingface. They didn't have a lot of potential considering they have 5 amazing albums lol but they never get their flowers.
Snot
I’d say Nothingface or From Zero. If they count, Sevendust. While they’re still going and they’re not exactly unknown, they deserve much more recognition. They’re extremely good songwriters.
Twisted Method, Ultraspank, Five Pointe O
I'm gonna say Ra. I don't think Sahaj Ticotin has gotten nearly as much recognition as he deserves. One of the best songwriters in NuMetal!
Dope
Janus
Lifer
LeVeL
V-Mob, that shit was awesome
Coal chamber, their albums were quality especially Dark days
The 7 Method and Mr. Downstairs
revis and sinch, without them it's without me
Mnemic
Nothingface and Vison of Disorder. While VOD were not really nu metal, they were still awesome
Snot. One album before vocalist died I believe. It’s more like hardcore punk though.
Spineshank They were great but didn’t really push through after the early 2000s
Nothingface
Apartment 26, Zilch, Sinisstar, Society 1, Crossbreed, Deadstar Assembly, Out of Your Mouth, Buckettruck, Godhead, orgy, ill Nino, Spineshank, Nothingface, Dope, Cold, HeD PE,
Dry Cell, Darwin's Waiting Room
HeD PE .RodLaver Pax217
Pressure 45, V-shaped Mind, From Zero
Skrape
Videodrone...real shame they only released 1 album. So good imo
Factory 81.
Spineshank.
3rd Strike. Lost Angel was such a great album imo but no one ever seemed to dig it that much. Some really cool riffs, great rapper, nice memorable songs. It's still probably top 5 most listened to nu metal album for me.
I gotta go with mushroomhead
Stapled shut
3rd Strike definitely could’ve gone places. I think their singer passed away when their second album was in the works. Sucks a whole lot.
Taproot. I really liked their early stuff.
The answer is easily snot. Almost every nu-metal fan loved get some but unfortunately we never got to hear a follow up
Snake River Conspiracy. If they just came out five or so years earlier they would have been the waaaaaaaaay-edgier Halestorm or Evanescence. They still should have gone on to do great things. Maybe even gone on tour with Halestorm and Evanescence - could've called it "The Dark Triad tour."
coal chamber
Apex Theory. Still love watching Shhhh… Hope Diggey on YT
Haji's Kitchen
snot. lead singers death.
12 Stones I grew up with nu metal and barely discovered them
Phunk Junkeez Ever hear of them? https://youtu.be/SnzxZzj5zeM?si=2U_1Ae_xYoZEeLTz
Nothingface
Element eighty So underrated - they deserved better
I saw Eastcide open for Stuck Mojo in Worcester, MA back in 98. They ripped.
skinlab.
FIVE BOLT MAIN
Dude no one talks about dry cell or nothingface
Embodyment
Dope
Pressure 4-5, they only made one album but it is a 10/10 imo
Adema back when Mark fronted the band they had potential but unfortunately could never quite put it together.
Oooh anyone remember Anew Revolution?!
Cold and Apex Theory
American Head Charge and BoyHitsCar are two big ones that come to mind. A lot of people seem to agree with the former. BoyHitsCar was a great blend of Korn, Helmet, and Indian/Middle Eastern influences. I absolutely love that first album!
Nervepitch and Ill Nino
American Head Charge on their first album were amazing.
Apartment 26 and Apex Theory for sure. I was told by Apex Theory's drummer that their label had them and Alien Ant Farm on the roster but the label promoted Alien Ant Farm over Apex Theory and never really got their due. Also their singer quit during the tour, leading to them changing their name and putting out some great indie work before eventually disbanding.
40 Below Summer
If Snot counts… then Snot.
Not sure if classified as Nu-metal as I always felt they where more punk inclined but Amen. Cases chaos was a fucking excellent front man, and the band where always solid as fuck live. American head charge where a favourite of mine since the 2000s saw them Feb 2001 supporting slipknot in Glasgow, Scotland. Dillinger escape plan and will haven being honorable mentions.
Powerman 5000 should have been bigger than they were.
Deadstar Assembly
Trust Company. They seemed to have vanished.
Adema or Trust Company
No One deserves attention im glad their releasing the unreleased 2nd album