Hardcore punk is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk scenes in San Francisco and Southern California which arose as a reaction against the still predominant hippie cultural climate of the time. It was also inspired by Washington, D.C., and New York punk rock and early proto-punk. Hardcore punk generally disavows commercialism, the established music industry and "anything similar to the characteristics of mainstream rock" and often addresses social and political topics with "confrontational, politically charged lyrics".
Poison the Well is an American metalcore band from Miami, Florida who were last signed to Ferret Music. In 2010, they announced a hiatus to explore other interests. Lead guitarist Ryan Primack and drummer Christopher Hornbrook were the only remaining founding members, although vocalist Jeffrey Moreira featured on all five of their full-length albums. The band has since performed several reunion shows: two in 2015, eleven in 2016 and one in 2020. Their albums have sold a combined total of over 300,000 copies in the United States as of 2012.
Earth Crisis is an American metallic hardcore band from Syracuse, New York, active from 1989 until 2001, reuniting in 2007. Since 1993 the band's longest serving members are vocalist Karl Buechner, lead guitarist Scott Crouse, bassist Ian Edwards, and drummer Dennis Merrick. Their third and current rhythm guitarist Erick Edwards joined the band in 1998.
Metalcore is a fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, that originated in the late 1980s. Metalcore is noted for its use of breakdowns, which are slow, intense passages conducive to moshing, while other defining instrumentation includes heavy guitar riffs often utilizing percussive pedal tones and double bass drumming. Vocalists in the genre typically perform screaming, more popular bands often combine this with the use of standard singing, usually during the bridge or chorus of a song. However, the death growl is also a popular technique within the genre.
Shai Hulud is an American metalcore band formed in Pompano Beach, Florida, in 1995, and later based in Poughkeepsie, New York. The band is named after the giant sandworms in Frank Herbert's novel Dune.
Hatebreed is an American metalcore band from Bridgeport, Connecticut, formed in 1994. The band released its debut album Satisfaction is the Death of Desire in 1997, which gave the band a cult following. The band signed to Universal Records and released Perseverance in 2002, which hit the Billboard 200. Combining elements of hardcore and heavy metal, the band is often described as a metalcore, hardcore punk, and beatdown hardcore band. They have played a major role in the Connecticut hardcore scene.
Atreyu is an American metalcore band from Yorba Linda, California, formed in 1998. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Brandon Saller, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist and unclean vocalist Marc "Porter" McKnight, and drummer Kyle Rosa.
Throwdown is an American hardcore and heavy metal band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1997, the band has endured numerous lineup changes to the point where no original members remain. Throwdown has toured as part of Ozzfest, Sounds of the Underground, Hellfest, and Warped Tour, as well as with bands such as In Flames, Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Korn and Cavalera Conspiracy. The songs "Forever" and "Burn" were staples on MTV2's Headbangers Ball and Revolver Magazine called them part of "The Future of Metal" after hearing the album Vendetta. Initially branded a hardcore punk band, albums like Venom and Tears and Deathless took a sharp turn towards metal, with critics likening the band's sound to that of Pantera and Sepultura. The band are straight edge.
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2000 by vocalist Tim Lambesis, the band's first full lineup was completed in 2001. The band has released seven albums, one split album, and two compilation albums.
The Bled is an American post-hardcore/metalcore band from Tucson, Arizona, formed in 2001. They released four albums before disbanding in 2012.
Eighteen Visions is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California, formed in October 1995. The band broke up in April 2007, less than a year after their major label debut was released through Epic and Trustkill Records. After over a decade of absence, the band reformed in 2017. They announced their sixth album, XVIII, would be released via their new label home at Rise Records.
Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child is the debut studio album by American metalcore band Norma Jean, released on August 13, 2002 by Solid State Records. It is the band's only album to feature bassist Joshua Doolittle and vocalist Josh Scogin, the latter of whom later became the lead vocalist of The Chariot.
Racetraitor is an American hardcore punk and metal band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band attracted controversy in the late 1990s, before any releases, as a result of their radical take on racial politics, which focused on ideas like systemic racism and white privilege before they were widely discussed topics in popular or underground culture. Racetraitor was also a key proto-metalcore act, one of the first few bands to incorporate extreme metal influences, such as death metal, grindcore, and doom metal, into hardcore.
As I Lay Dying/American Tragedy is a split album by the two metalcore bands As I Lay Dying and American Tragedy released in 2002 through Pluto Records. As I Lay Dying has since re-released its half of the album through Metal Blade Records. Their compilation album A Long March: The First Recordings also features the original and re-recorded tracks from the split album. Tracks 1 through 5 are performed by As I Lay Dying, while tracks 6 through 11 are performed by the now defunct American Tragedy.
Pluto Records is a record label started in 1999 by Eric Shirey and Brian Cobbel. Since 2002, it has been owned and operated by Brian Cobbel and based near Dallas, TX. It is primarily known for punk, metal and hardcore releases, although not exclusively. The label has been home and launching pad to such bands as Grammy-nominated metal act As I Lay Dying, HORSE the band, Luti-Kriss, Society's Finest and more. Pluto Records is currently a member of the Warner Music Group division of East West Records.
Twelve Tribes was an American metalcore band, from Dayton, Ohio, United States. Originally established in 1997, the group were signed to the independent record label Ferret Music. They were influenced by a cross cultural array of music such as punk rock, hip hop, classic rock, drum & bass, metal and hardcore.
Melodic metalcore is a fusion genre, incorporating elements of melodic death metal and metalcore; it has a heavy emphasis on melodic instrumentation, distorted guitar tones, palm muting, double bass drumming, blast beats, metalcore-stylized breakdowns, and vocals that range from aggressive screaming and death growls to clean singing. The genre has seen commercial success for employing a more accessible sound at times compared to other forms of extreme music. Many notable melodic metalcore bands have been influenced by At the Gates and In Flames.
Counterparts are a Canadian melodic hardcore/metalcore band formed in 2007 in Hamilton, Ontario, that currently consists of vocalist Brendan Murphy, guitarists Tyler Williams and Jesse Doreen, and drummer Kyle Brownlee. Their two most recent albums, released through Pure Noise Records, have received critical acclaim from Rock Sound and Exclaim! magazines. They are among the most visible bands within contemporary melodic hardcore, while they are also considered one of the major powers of the metalcore revival wave.
Knocked Loose is an American hardcore punk band from Oldham County, Kentucky, formed in 2013 and currently signed to Pure Noise Records. The band released its debut studio album, Laugh Tracks, in September 2016 through Pure Noise Records, which was followed by A Different Shade of Blue in 2019. Their 2021 EP ATear in the Fabric of Life incorporated elements of death metal and was released to widespread critical acclaim. They released their third album, You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To, in 2024.
Malevolence are an English metalcore band formed in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, in 2010. They have released three studio albums and one EP and established their own record label called MLVLTD Music.
