100 Best Heavy Metal Bands of the 2000s

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Myriad forms of heavy metal emerged in the 2000s. The traditional heavy metal sound evolved into a diversified modern metal sound augmented by a wide-genre of influences. Although this sophisticated new sound in the realm of heavy metal was criticized by metal purists for leaning towards mainstream, there is no denying the genre post 2000 has reached a wider non-metal audience globally. With bands incorporating new sounds and diverse influences, the metal soundscape has changed considerably. A number of heavy metal bands have found mainstream success with their albums since the year 2000.

Metalcore Scene in the 2000s

Metalcore became one of the most popular heavy metal subgenres in the 2000s. The characteristic breakdowns gave this form of music its signature identity. The heavy guitar riffs along with double bass drumming and occasional use of blast beats in intense passages created a conducive environment for moshing and headbanging at concerts. The metalcore scene in the decade led to the emergence of diversified subgenres such as mathcore, melodic metalcore, progressive metalcore and nu metalcore.

Djent Bands in the 2000s

The 2000s witnessed the Djent movement come alive with a bang. A subgenre of progressive metal, djent showcased a distinctive palm-muted, distorted, high-gain sound that became epic with heavy metal fans. Although the roots of djent emerged in the ‘90s, the movement grew rapidly in the 2000s. Certain djent bands showcased a diverse style characterized by syncopated riffs, polymeters, palm-muted guitar chords and rhythmically complex odd-time structure shifts. A number of guitarists in this genre popularized the use of seven-string, eight-string and nine-string guitars for their dynamic alterations in guitar sound.

Deathcore Bands in the 2000s

A subgenre of extreme metal, deathcore came into its own in the 2000s. This form of music combined diverse forms of death metal with metalcore. Death metal guitar riffs, low growls, shrieked screams blast beats, and tremolo picking infused with metalcore characteristics give unique identity to deathcore. A number of death bands experimented with a fusion of metal styles from different subgenres such as djent, progressive metal and nu metal. While the frequent use of breakdowns in deathcore was criticized by traditional heavy metal fans, the movement did emerge strong in the decade.

Nu Metal Bands in the 2000s

Nu metal continued to grow in popularity in the 2000s. The first wave of nu metal which emerged through the ranks of alternative metal in the ‘90s spawned a heavier sound through the second wave of nu metal in the 2000s. A number of bands with stylistic origins shaped with nu metal emerged in the metal scene. Influences of hardcore punk, groove metal, thrash metal, industrial metal, hip-hop and rap metal defined the nu metal sound with became hugely popular with youth. A number of alternative metal bands and nu metal bands released commercially successful albums through the decade.

Grindcore Bands in the 2000s

Experimental forms of grindcore came into prominence in the 2000s. A number of bands built their musical style with diverse influences of extreme metal, hardcore punk, crust punk, industrial metal and thrashcore. Down tuned guitars set to the backdrop of a noise-filled sound complemented by growls, shrieks, grinding bass, and extreme tempo blast beats gave unique identity to grindcore bands in this decade. While microsongs, a grindcore trait which featured extremely short duration songs (5-10 seconds) was popular with grindcore bands of the ‘90s, post 2000 many bands excluded this trait in their albums.

Post Grunge Scene in the 2000s

The post grunge scene continued to gain prominence in the 2000s. A number of bands associated with the movement achieved a great deal of commercial success in this decade. Although angst and anger were the conventional themes in this form of music, the latter part of the decade witnessed many bands adopt narratives, anthems, and grunge-toned ballads in their style of music. Furthermore, a number for emerging bands in the movement favored a softer sound than their contemporaries.

Death Metal Bands in the 2000s

The 2000s witnessed a new metal movement emerge through death metal of the ‘90s. A number of death bands diversified their sound bringing in influences from a wide range of metal genres. This helped spawn several subgenres that became hugely popular among the heavy metal community. Melodic death metal, technical death metal, deathgrind, blackened death metal, death-doom, brutal death metal, and symphonic death metal emerged in a brand new avatar in the 2000s.

Although majority of death metal bands did not have much to brag about in terms of record sales, certain bands released critically acclaimed albums noteworthy of their technical prowess. Many melodic death metal bands and technical death metal bands garnered a cult following among extreme metal fans.

Gothic Metal Bands in the 2000s

Gothic metal evolved significantly in the 2000s. A number of bands incorporated new forms of metal to come up with a diversely atmospheric sound. The beauty and the beast style of singing which featured aggressive male vocals and clean female vocals became a signature style with many goth bands. A number of bands associated with the genre further diversified their sound to form a variant, symphonic metal which became hugely popular with metal fans. While gothic metal was often associated with non-mainstream, post 2000 a significant number of bands in this genre had considerable mainstream success.

Other Metal Subgenres in the 2000s

A number of metal subgenres such as symphonic black metal, pagan metal, drone metal, goregrind, industrial death metal, industrial black metal, doom metal, groove metal, melodic metalcore, mathcore, and nu metalcore gained a cult following among sections of traditional heavy metal and non-traditional heavy metal fans. While many heavy metal subgenres have failed to achieve mainstream success, a number of bands in non-mainstream have had a colossal impact on the modern heavy metal. Extreme forms of music reached a new level in the 2000s and opened doors for new sounds in heavy metal.

The list below showcases a diverse collection of 2000s heavy metal bands from different subgenres. If you are a metal buff, you will want to have your say. Feel free with your views and opinions in the comments section.

Top 10 Best Heavy Metal Bands of the 2000s

1. Slipknot
2. System of a Down
3. Lamb of God
4. Avenged Sevenfold
5. Mastodon
6. Killswitch Engage
7. The Dillinger Escape Plan
8. Korn
9. As I Lay Dying
10. Opeth

#11—20

11. Rammstein

12. Disturbed

13. Metallica

14. Trivium

15. Judas Priest

16. Motorhead

17. Underoath

18. Meshuggah

19. Nightwish

20. Megadeth

#21—40

21. The Black Dahlia Murder

22. Amon Amarth

23. Slayer

24. Mudvayne

25. Dream Theater

26. Behemoth

27. Within Temptation

28. Suicide Silence

29. Napalm Death

30. Bring Me the Horizon

31. Iron Maiden

32. Soulfly

33. Machine Head

34. Gojira

35. Evanescence

36. Converge

37. Deftones

38. High on Fire

39. Tool

40. Dimmu Borgir

#41—60

41. Nine Inch Nails

42. Children of Bodom

43. Sepultura

44. Queensryche

45. Sikth

46. Pantera

47. Rhapsody of Fire

48. Between the Buried and Me

49. Limp Bizkit

50. In Flames

51. Therion

52. Paradise Lost

53. All That Remains

54. Type O Negative

55. Fear Factory

56. Bullet for My Valentine

57. Cradle of Filth

58. Architects

59. Mayhem

60. Shadows Fall

#61—80

61. Lacuna Coil

62. Papa Roach

63. Job for a Cowboy

64. August Burns Red

65. Carnifex

66. Parkway Drive

67. Arch Enemy

68. Unearth

69. Symphony X

70. Marilyn Manson

71. Dark Tranquility

72. Atreyu

73. The Red Chord

74. Bleeding Through

75. All Shall Perish

76. Veil of Maya

77. Static-X

78. Heaven Shall Burn

79. The Devil Wears Prada

80. Godsmack

#81—100

81. Deicide

82. Whitechapel

83. Hatebreed

84. Epica

85. Angra

86. Suffocation

87. Theatre of Tragedy

88. Five Finger Death Punch

89. Edenbridge

90. Darkest Hour

91. Cannibal Corpse

92. Tristania

93. Sevendust

94. Ion Dissonance

95. Norma Jean

96. Baroness

97. Strapping Young Lad

98. Nile

99. Immortal

100. Evile

Other Notable Heavy Metal Bands of the 2000s

• Born of Osiris
• Textures
• After the Burial
• The Acacia Strain
• Emmure
• Despised Icon
• Within the Ruins
• Attila
• Obituary
• The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza
• Impending Doom
• Draconian
• The Faceless
• Vader
• Decapitated
• Pig Destroyer
• Moonspell
• Testament
• Entombed
• Drowning Pool
• As Blood Runs Black
• Every Time I Die
• Trial of Tears
• Dismember
• Manowar
• Gorgoroth
• The Vision Bleak
• Dio
• Morbid Angel
• Ice Nine Kills
• Entwine
• Anaal Nathrakh
• Darkthrone
• Sirenia
• Obscura
• Katatonia
• Mushroomhead
• Belphegor
• Through the Eyes of the Dead
• Demon Hunter
• Lacrimas Profundere
• Extreme Noise Terror
• Cryptopsy
• Acid King
• After Forever
• Ministry
• Deathstars
• Ill Nino
• Bloodbath
• Swallow the Sun

• My Dying Bride
• Exhumed
• Watian
• DragonForce
• Cephalic Carnage
• Spawn of Possession
• Anthrax
• The Human Abstract
• Dark Funeral
• 36 Crazyfists
• Soilwork
• Theatres des Vampires
• P.O.D.
• With Blood Comes Cleansing
• Satyricon
• DevilDriver
• Kittie
• Bolt Thrower
• Nasum
• Deadlock
• Zao
• Theocracy
• Candlemass
• Alchemist
• Sybreed
• Godflesh
• Helloween
• Royal Hunt
• Naglfar
• Marduk
• Sunn)))
• Deathspell Omega
• Creamatory
• Amorphis
• Red Harvest
• Down
• Winds of Plague
• Exodus
• Nevermore
• Superjoint Ritual
• Grave Digger
• Divine Heresy
• Overkill
• Dying Fetus
• Poisonblack
• Lake of Tears
• Kamelot
• Psyclon Nine
• Becoming the Archtype
• Nifelheim

• Spineshank
• Wolves in the Throne Room
• Iced Earth
• Darkane
• The Haunted
• Poison the Well
• Xandria
• Arsis
• Flaw
• Regurgitate
• Elis
• Stratovarius
• Prong
• HammerFall
• Toxic Holocaust
• Venom
• Crowbar
• Graveland
• Sodom
• Dark Moor
• Kalmah
• Protest the Hero
• Cult of Luna
• Adema
• Reverend Bizzare
• Coal Chamber
• Turmion Katilot
• Primordial
• Extol
• Damageplan
• Kataklysm
• Enslaved
• Heloween
• 10 Years
• Sabaton
• Tyr
• Avatar
• Black Label Society
• Havoc Unit
• Mnemic
• Neurosis
• Circus Maximus
• Aftercocke
• Soilent Green
• Cathedral
• Pelican
• Septicflesh
• Death Angel
• Shape of Despair
• Flowing Tears

• Arkona
• Kreator
• Chimaira
• Tankard
• Misrey Index
• Agalloch
• The Chariot
• Skepticism
• Catamenia
• Windir
• Stone Sour
• Leaves’ Eyes
• Falconer
• Ahab
• Blut Aus Nord
• Waltari
• Cattle Decapitation
• The Berzerker
• Evoken
• Clawfinger
• Yob
• Skeletonwitch
• Necrophagist
• Crimson Moonlight
• Sonata Arctica
• Tiamat
• Nothingface
• Immolation
• The Fall of Troy
• Virgin Black
• Darkseed
• Blind Guardian
• Snot
• Muncipal Waste
• For My Pain…
• Sentenced
• Electric Wizard
• Dry Kill Logic
• Brutal Truth
• Visions of Atlantis
• Equilibrium
• Aborted
• Negura Bunget
• Delain
• American Head Charge
• Stream of Passion
• Warmen
• Novembers Doom
• Hypocrisy
• Mortal Love

© 2020 Ansel Pereira