24-7 Spyz are an American rock band from the South Bronx, New York, formed in 1986, originally consisting of Jimi Hazel (guitars), Rick Skatore (bass), Kindu Phibes (drums), and P. Fluid (vocals). The band plays hard rock, heavy metal, funk metal and rap metal songs which incorporate elements of jazz, R&B, soul, reggae and hardcore punk. The fact that they are African Americans playing variations of heavy metal led critics to compare them to bands such as Living Colour and Bad Brains. After several lineup changes, the band broke up in 1998, but reformed in 2003 before releasing their first new album of original material in over a decade in 2006. As of 2021, the lineup of the band includes Hazel, Skatore, and drummer Tobias Ralph.
Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics are intended to evoke a sense of despair, dread, and impending doom. The genre is strongly influenced by the early work of Black Sabbath, who formed a prototype for doom metal. During the first half of the 1980s, a number of bands such as Witchfinder General and Pagan Altar from England, American bands Pentagram, Saint Vitus, the Obsessed, Trouble, and Cirith Ungol, and Swedish band Candlemass defined doom metal as a distinct genre. Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Trouble and Candlemass have been referred to as "the Big Four of Doom Metal".
Loudness is a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Akira Takasaki and drummer Munetaka Higuchi. They were the first Japanese metal act signed to a major label in the United States. Loudness subsequently released twenty-six studio albums and nine live albums by 2014 and reached the Billboard Top 100 during their heyday as well as charting on Oricon dozens of times. Despite numerous changes in its line-up, leaving Takasaki as the sole constant member, the band continued their activities throughout the 1990s, finally reuniting the original line-up in 2000. This incarnation released a further seven albums until November 30, 2008, when original drummer Munetaka Higuchi died from liver cancer at a hospital in Osaka at age 49. He was replaced with Masayuki Suzuki.
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 2000, the band's lineup of Troy Sanders (bass/vocals), Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor (drums/vocals) has remained unchanged since 2001. Mastodon has released eight studio albums, as well as a number of other releases. The band's 2002 debut album, Remission, garnered significant critical acclaim for its unique sound. Mastodon's second full-length release, Leviathan, is a concept album based on the novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Three magazines awarded the record "Album of the Year" in 2004: Revolver, Kerrang! and Terrorizer.
Ween is an American rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania, formed in 1984 by Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, better known by their respective stage names, Gene and Dean Ween. Generally categorized as an alternative rock band, the band are known for their irreverent, highly eclectic catalog of songs inspired by funk, soul, country, gospel, prog, psychedelia, R&B, heavy metal, and punk rock.
Candiria is an American band from Brooklyn, New York, mixing progressive metal, metalcore, jazz fusion and hip hop. They are part of the precursors of the mathcore genre with bands like Deadguy or Lethargy. Formed in 1992, the band was part of the second wave of New York hardcore, but subsequently expanded its performance to also play jazz, hip hop and progressive rock.
Brian Viglione is an American drummer best known for his work with The Dresden Dolls and Violent Femmes. For a short time, he was also a member of New York City's cabaret punk orchestra The World/Inferno Friendship Society.
Dave Dreiwitz is an American musician and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the bassist for the bands Ween and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.
Moistboyz is an American hard rock band formed in New Hope, Pennsylvania in 1991 by Guy Heller and Mickey Melchiondo. Moistboyz music is typically fast-paced punk/metal, combining stream-of-consciousness lyrics with aggressive rock guitar riffs.
Claude Coleman Jr. is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the alternative rock group Ween. He has also worked with Eagles of Death Metal, Chocolate Genius, the Wooden Soldiers, Elysian Fields and 3 Input Woman. Coleman has also served as a touring member of Mike Dillon's band on multiple occasions.
Sir Lord Baltimore was an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York City, formed in 1968 by lead vocalist and drummer John Garner, guitarist Louis Dambra, and bassist Gary Justin. Some have cited the 1971 review of their debut record, Kingdom Come, in Creem magazine as containing the first documented use of the term "heavy metal" to refer to a style of music. AllMusic described them as "arguably America's first bona fide heavy metal band". Sir Lord Baltimore featured a drumming lead singer, traditionally a rarity in rock and metal music.
Breakdown is an American hardcore band formed in Yonkers, New York, in late 1986. The band emerged from the mid-1980s New York hardcore scene, where they helped to pioneer the sound of beatdown hardcore.
The Sound of Urchin is a musically diverse "outsider arena-rock" band from Brooklyn, New York and New Hope, Pennsylvania. SOU is known for their eclectic songs, for energetic, spontaneous live shows, and for their heavy touring schedule.
Ronald Jay Blumenthal, better known by his stage name Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal or simply Bumblefoot, is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. He adopted his nickname from the bacterial infection of the same name, which he learned about while helping his wife study for her veterinary exams. The name went from being just the name of an album, to the name of a record label, to a band name, to eventually his name as a solo artist. He was one of two lead guitarists in Guns N' Roses from 2006 until 2014 and performed on their sixth studio album Chinese Democracy. He was the guitarist for the supergroup Sons of Apollo and currently with supergroup Whom Gods Destroy; and served as the guitarist and vocalist for the band Asia from 2019 to 2022.
Deafheaven is an American post-metal band formed in 2010. Originally based in San Francisco, the group began as a two-piece with singer George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy, who recorded and self-released a demo album together. Following its release, Deafheaven recruited three new members and began to tour. Before the end of 2010, the band signed to Deathwish Inc. and later released their debut album Roads to Judah, in April 2011. They popularized a unique style blending black metal, shoegaze, and post-rock, among other influences, later called "blackgaze" by reviewers.
Such Gold is an American punk rock band from Rochester, New York, United States, currently consisting of Ben Kotin on guitar and vocals, Nate Derby on guitar, Jon Markson on bass and vocals and Matt Covey on drums.
Aaron A. Brooks, also known as, Aaron Kinsley-Brooks is an American rock musician, drummer, producer and composer. He co-founded The Little Death with Moby, Laura Dawn and Daron Murphy. He is a founding member of the American alternative rock band, The Mars Bonfire. Aaron also plays or has played drums for the electronic pop band Leisure Cruise; Grammy nominated electro-pop chanteuse Angela McCluskey ; Grammy award-winning producer/songwriter Mark Hudson; Emmy award-winning actress and singer Jackie Cruz; Grammy award-winning artist Moby; Singer/songwriter and progressive political activist Laura Dawn; Grammy award-winning bassist/songwriter and rock musician Duff McKagen of Guns N' Roses; Circle of Soul; Erin Evermore; Grammy award-winning pianist and songwriter A.J. Croce; Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Lana Del Rey; Writer, radio host, progressive political comic and guitarist/singer Jamie Kilstein and his band The Agenda.
Man's Gin is a dark folk rock band, led by multi-instrumentalist Erik Wunder of the black metal band Cobalt. Wunder is the vocalist, lyricist, guitarist, drummer, and composer of the band. Man’s Gin began in 2005 as a two-man project in Fort Collins, Colorado, consisting of Erik Wunder and guitarist friend Clint Kamerzell. The two focused on the interaction of voice and guitars and building expansive epic songs on simplistic platforms. ‘The Rum Demos’ was recorded in the winter months of 2006, receiving praise and recognition in many circles of the local Colorado underground scene.
Joe Russo's Almost Dead is an American rock band formed in 2013 that mainly covers the music of the Grateful Dead. Formed by Furthur and Benevento/Russo Duo drummer Joe Russo, the band played their first show on January 26, 2013 at the Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to drummer Joe Russo, the band also includes Ween's bassist Dave Dreiwitz, keyboardist Marco Benevento, Scott Metzger on guitar and vocals, and Tom Hamilton of Brothers Past and American Babies on guitar and vocals.
Straight Ahead was an American straight edge hardcore punk band formed in Queens, New York City in 1984 by drummer and vocalist Tommy Carroll, guitarist Gordon Ancis and bassist Tony Marc Shimkin.
