Head below for the top metal songs of the past 20 years that helped define the genre we hear today.

Read more: Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon to present at 2020 Grammy Awards

2000

Disturbed – “Down With The Sickness”

As nü metal reached its peak, Disturbed made their debut and brought one of the most well-known songs of the era to the forefront. Everyone can instantly recall the “ooh-wah-ah-ah-ah” line vocalist David Draiman lays down as soon as the opening drum pounds kick in, and for good reason as it helped define a snippet in time when rap metal was the biggest thing around.

Marilyn Manson – “The Fight Song”

Marilyn Manson became an icon in the ’90s, and he carried his success over in the early 2000s with some of the best albums of his career. Holy Wood continued the dark, abrasive sound of Antichrist Superstar and Mechanical Animals while introducing huge hits for Manson, and nothing captures that album quite as well as “The Fight Song.”

2001

Converge – “Concubine”

Converge defined modern hardcore with their 2001 album Jane Doe. No song is as recognizable from the album as “Concubine.” It may be short and sweet, but its ultra-aggressive, no-frills approach set the bar for countless bands.

Rammstein – “Sonne”

Industrial-metal kings Rammstein have long reigned over the scene, and “Sonne” is a perfect show of how the band capture ominous vibes unlike anyone else. The track’s haunting vocal melodies are unsettling underneath tight, punchy instrumentals. This pushed them to new heights as they became one of the most talked-about acts within and outside of metal. 

Slayer – “Disciple”

Slayer’s heyday may have been over for the most part by the time the 2000s hit. But 2001’s God Hates Us All was a huge comeback for them. “Disciple” stands out as a career-best, marking one of the best thrash metal songs of the last 20 years. 

Read more: 10 metal bands who drastically changed their sound successfully

System Of A Down – “Chop Suey!”

Metal doesn’t often have cross appeal into the mainstream, but System Of A Down are one of the few bands who achieved that. Particularly with Toxicity, they deliver a straight banger from beginning to end. With “Chop Suey!” employing ridiculous lyrics and incredibly catchy melodies and riffs, everyone latched on to it. 

Tool – “Lateralus”

Tool are one of the biggest acts in metal, and their lead over the prog scene can’t be dismissed. They’ve created some of the most complex music throughout their career. Lateralus is arguably their most well-composed record, concisely representing every facet of their music. The title track is a definitive moment of not only their career but also prog as a whole. It will be upheld as a bar for musicians to meet forever. 

2002

Killswitch Engage – “My Last Serenade”

Killswitch Engage are early 2000s metalcore leaders, and Alive Or Just Breathing was where they really hit their stride. Few songs in their catalog are as iconic as “My Last Serenade,” and the track’s mix of soaring melodies and heavy riffs made for a winning formula countless others have tried to imitate. 

2003

Bleeding Through – “On Wings Of Lead”

Bleeding Through brought forth symphonic elements into the metalcore scene in a huge way, setting themselves apart from the pack. “On Wings Of Lead” and This Is Love, This Is Murderous as a whole is a definitive representation of where metalcore was at in the early 2000s, and the song pushed the heights of melody that could be mixed with brutal beatdowns. 

2004

The Dillinger Escape Plan – “Sunshine The Werewolf”

It’s highly unlikely any band will ever touch the chaotic heights the Dillinger Escape Plan hit across their career. And Miss Machine marks the moment an entirely new sound in metal was conceived. By introducing more pop sensibilities with their off-kilter hardcore sound, the band defined mathcore, and “Sunshine The Werewolf” will forever be their anthem. 

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Lamb Of God – “Laid To Rest”

Few metal bands have achieved as much success as a new act in the 2000s as Lamb Of God, and “Laid To Rest” was the moment they really broke big. The song has a perfect mix of melodies, aggression, riffs and traditional thrash elements, ushering a new level of heaviness in metal’s future.  

Mastodon – “Blood And Thunder”

Mastodon shook up the metal world with their sophomore album, Leviathan, as a fairly new band with an album that bested well-established acts in 2004. “Blood And Thunder” was catchy, heavy and complex, offering fans a refreshing new take on sludge and prog, which the band continued to capitalize and refine with each subsequent release. 

Slipknot – “Duality”

By the time Slipknot dropped Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), they had already become one of the most talked-about bands through two groundbreaking records and an unmatched live show. “Duality” was primed for success and showed a considerable style shift for the Iowa nine, offering more hooks and melodies while keeping all of the heavy grooves fans had come to expect.

2005

Arch Enemy – “Nemesis”

With Carcass and At The Gates being inactive at the beginning of the 2000s, Arch Enemy were able to step up to the top of the melodic death-metal ranks after recruiting vocalist Angela Gossow. “Nemesis” marked a huge turning point in their career, landing at the forefront of the genre through remarkably technical riffs and a prominent and powerful voice from Gossow. 

Avenged Sevenfold – “Bat Country”

Avenged Sevenfold could have turned out like any other 2000s Orange County metalcore act, but they made a drastic change to include more traditional heavy-metal and hard-rock elements on City Of Evil. “Bat Country” cemented their success with a huge chorus and the perfect melding of old-school metal vibes with new-age approaches. 

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Korn – “Coming Undone”

Korn managed to keep their momentum from the ’90s going strong, and the band masterfully put together one of their best albums with See You On the Other Side. The midtempo stomp on “Coming Undone” alongside Jonathan Davis’ eerie vocals were a match made in heaven for Korn fans, making it an instant classic. 

Trivium – “Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr”

Trivium were a prominent part of heavy metal, particularly in the mid-2000s, and “Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr” is exemplary of how their success came together. They weren’t afraid to try their hand at melodic vocals and displayed a high proficiency to impress any naysayers with a thrash-oriented take on metalcore.  

2006

Light This City – “The Unwelcome Savior”

Melodic death metal had a slew of incredible bands across the past 20 years after getting off the ground in the ’90s, and Light This City were one of the best new acts to emerge. “The Unwelcome Savior” sees the band flexing their chops through blast beats, shredding melodic riffs and vocalist Laura Nichol’s fierce growl. 

2007

Between The Buried And Me – “White Walls”

Between The Buried And Me are one of the most recognizable bands who mixed prog metal with metalcore, and Colors is easily their most highly regarded release. The record’s complex and lengthy structure saw a major shift in them building intensely structured records as opposed to a collection of songs. “White Walls” takes listeners on a journey through the band’s skills, and it’s still regarded to this day as a staple of their discography. 

The Black Dahlia Murder – “What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse”

Few bands are as hard working as the Black Dahlia Murder, and their attitude started to pay off when they saw massive success from Nocturnal. The record has some of the most important songs of their career on it, and nothing from their catalog stands out quite as much as the pummeling chugs on “What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse.”

Read more: QUIZ: Which new metal band should you check out in 2020?

Every Time I Die – “We’rewolf”

Every Time I Die popularized the whole Southern hardcore sound that took off in metal, and The Big Dirty is where you can really hear it shine. The sleazy rock riffs and cowbell kick off on “We’rewolf” were familiar sounding, bringing a classic-rock approach to metal without letting the song fall into corniness. 

Municipal Waste – “Headbanger Face Rip”

Thrash metal seemed to be falling off people’s radar between the nü-metal boom and metalcore takeover, but Municipal Waste turned things around. The band led the massive thrash revival of the mid to late 2000s that saw bands old and new embracing the sound again, and “Headbanger Face Rip” is a perfect snapshot of the speed and aggression bands wanted to achieve all over again. 

Suicide Silence – “No Pity For A Coward”

Deathcore cracked itself wide open to mainstream success after Suicide Silence dropped their debut record, The Cleansing. Meshing together hardcore and death-metal elements into a new sound, the band were one of the first and biggest to break, and nothing quite captures the scene at the time as well as the final breakdown, with late singer Mitch Lucker belting out the line “Pull the trigger, bitch.”

2008

Gojira – “TOXIC GARBAGE ISLAND”

When a band capture the attention of the entire metal scene, there’s clearly a winning formula to their sound, and Gojira pulled that off spectacularly. Whether fans are drawn to more mainstream sounds or underground acts, they have cross appeal for any heavy music fan. Despite “TOXIC GARBAGE ISLAND” not particularly introducing new sounds to the genre, the mix of blazing-fast mosh riffs and slow-burning grooves make for one of the best metal songs of all time.

Meshuggah – “Bleed”

Meshuggah went from great to incredible as they made their way into the 2000s, and no song captures their sound as well as “Bleed.” The song’s jarring rhythms were so captivating, they inspired the entire djent movement years after, and the tribal-esque drumming is unmatched within extreme metal. 

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Whitechapel – “Possession”

Whitechapel helped build deathcore, and no song captures their sound quite as well as “Possession.” The track’s grooves and dense breakdowns with their three-guitar assault are a snapshot of the late 2000s extreme metal scene, and new deathcore acts would try to push their sound for years to come. 

2009

Agoraphobic Nosebleed – “Agorapocalypse Now”

No one will quite match the sheer speed and violent approach of Agoraphobic Nosebleed, even within the grindcore scene. The mechanical unhuman drum machine sounds coupled with chaotic guitar solos and abrasive riffs and vocals sets them apart from the pack. “Agorapocalypse Now” marks one of the few and first moments where the band sound more structured than they previously did, with the album offering short songs. 

The Devil Wears Prada – “Danger: Wildman”

The shift from Myspace metalcore with goofy synths and nasally clean singing phased itself out right around the time the Devil Wears Prada dropped With Roots Above And Branches Below. The band’s decision to go in a more mature style was followed by countless others, and the heavy riffs on “Danger: Wildman” marked a shift for the band that eventually led to them defining their sound and becoming one of the biggest metalcore bands. 

2010

Deftones – “Rocket Skates”

The future of Deftones seemed questionable after late bassist Chi Cheng’s car accident, but nevertheless, the band came out with Diamond Eyes and entered a new era of success. “Rocket Skates” is a perfect showing of how they evolved their sound to become heavier than ever while still being distinctly themselves, with a dense drop-tuned groove, melodic cleans and loose drumwork. 

Ghost – “Ritual”

It’s undeniable that Ghost have become one of the biggest bands in metal. Their old-school sensibilities and aesthetic struck a chord with audiences in a way that’s growing without an end in sight. “Ritual” displays their skills in creating a catchy track without a ton of frills while dipping into ’70s metal sounds coated in a thick layer of doom and gloom. 

Read more: Ghost ponder unfinished projects: Tobias Forge tells all

High On Fire – “Snakes For The Divine”

Seeing Matt Pike shift from stoner-worship doom metal in Sleep to sludgy thrash metal in High On Fire proved there was a lot more to the musician than droned-out riffing. Over the course of nearly a decade, the band developed and refined their sound until it all came out perfectly on Snakes For The Divine. The title track succinctly packs together elements of so many different subgenres without falling prey to experimental fumbles.  

Periphery – “Icarus Lives”

Periphery introduced the term djent to the world with their Meshuggah-worshipping metalcore sound, and “Icarus Lives” is where they really captured people’s attention. The track’s heavy grooves and tight technicality shaped much of what progressive metal has become since its release, making it one of the most important songs of the past decade. 

2011

Trap Them – “Evictionaries”

The influence of Swedish death-metal act Entombed became extremely far reaching and expanded into both the hardcore and grindcore scenes as the 2010s came along, but before then Trap Them were bringing this feedback-heavy energy hard. Their cross between grindcore and hardcore comes through succinctly on the midtempo crush of “Evictionaries” with a harsh vibe built for the underground. 

2012

Cattle Decapitation – “A Living, Breathing Piece Of Defecating Meat”

By the 2010s, both death metal and grindcore didn’t seem like it had anymore room for innovation, and Cattle Decapitation shocked the scene by proving that notion wrong. Vocalist Travis Ryan delivers a one-of-a-kind vocal that falls somewhere between clean singing and a harsh shriek for the first time on “A Living, Breathing Piece Of Defecating Meat” that has now become a staple of their sound, setting them apart from every other band. 

Napalm Death – “The Wolf I Feed”

Since the turn of the century, Napalm Death have had a near-perfect streak of death-grind albums, but no song stands out quite as much as “The Wolf I Feed.” Abrasive as always, the band bring their usual punk ethos together in a totally different way than the rest of their discography on this song, adding some insanely harsh shrieks in the verses and surprising clean vocals coupled with their typical sound. 

Read more: Brendon Urie brings Pete Wentz, Josh Dun on Twitch, drops metal song

2013

Black Sabbath – “God Is Dead?”

The godfathers of metal finally returned to the original lineup with Ozzy Osbourne after decades apart for 13, and the album was everything you could want from them. The riffs felt fresh but simultaneously like throwbacks to their classic songs, and “God Is Dead?” stands above the rest as not only the greatest Black Sabbath track on that album but also the best since their ’80s Dio days. 

Carcass – “The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills”

Comeback records can be hit or miss, but Carcass had one of the best comebacks in metal of all time. Surgical Steel felt like the record fans had been waiting for after some strange style changes on Swansong and almost two decades between releases. “The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills” is classic Carcass with some melodic death-metal elements mixed with grind, but the band really shine with modern production and a rejuvenated energy following their return.  

Deafheaven – “Dream House”

Metal and shoegaze seemed like a strange pairing before Deafheaven, but the band managed to package black metal and indie rock in such a way that it became normalized. “Dream House” is a career-defining moment for the band and will continue to be an introduction to metal for outsiders for years to come. 

2014

Code Orange – “My World”

With I Am King, Code Orange dropped “Kids” from their name and shifted their sound into jarring, industrial-tinged beatdown hardcore. No longer were the band tearing through speedy powerviolence but rather crafting breakdowns built for fights, and “My World” has become an anthem for the self-professed Thinners Of The Herd. 

Youth Code – “For I Am Cursed”

Bringing together punk and metal sensibilities through hard and heavy electronics, Youth Code have become the next big thing to watch in electronic-based metal. Their sound calls back to Nine Inch Nails and Skinny Puppy, but their vocals are far more extreme, and “For I Am Cursed” is the kick in the ass the metal world needed again from the electronic world. 

Read more: Jason Momoa taps Vancouver death metal band for roles in his show ‘See’

2015

Cult Leader – “Sympathetic”

Cult Leader are a newer band, but they managed to put out one of the most talked-about records in the crust and hardcore scenes with Lightless Walk. The entire record was a visceral show of how extreme a band can go with their sound, and “Sympathetic” comes out like a wrecking ball, relentlessly destroying everything in its wake. 

iwrestledabearonce – “Green Eyes”

Blurring genre lines became increasingly prevalent as the 2000s wore on, and no one went quite as far into doing so than iwrestledabearonce. The band had some of the furthest-reaching sounds across their early releases before bringing it all back to tightly formed mathcore on their last record with “Green Eyes,” showing their strength in capturing a highly technical deathcore approach. 

2016

BABYMETAL – “KARATE”

The ever-confusing subgenre known as kawaii metal was birthed by BABYMETAL. Though it’s strange to many, it’s undeniable that it’s both popular and paying respects to metal. “KARATE” is heavy and brutal, mixed alongside the cutesy vocals of the band’s two (formerly three) teenage vocalists who unexpectedly brought Japanese idol culture to the forefront of metal. 

Jinjer – “Captain Clock”

Despite their slow-burning rise to recognition, Jinjer have become a prominent part of metal in the past few years. Their sound is far reaching in tapping into groove metal, prog, death metal, djent and more. “Captain Clock” shows their ability to meld influences into one cohesive sound while navigating a spectrum of tones and moods. 

Metallica – “Hardwired”

Metallica went through a lot of growing pains after releasing their self-titled album. From the Load and Reload era to the awful mess that was St. Anger, they dipped into an all-time low, but Hardwired…To Self Destruct saw them embracing their thrash-metal past again and offering fans what they’ve really wanted for decades. 

Read more: Jinjer beat the reaper on tour, thanks to a ton of mud

2017

Full Of Hell – “Crawling Back To God”

The introduction of noise elements into grindcore was pushed into popularity through the rising success of Full Of Hell, but the band also managed to put out one of the greatest straight-forward grindcore albums of the past 20 years with Trumpeting Ecstasy. “Crawling Back To God” stands out as a masterpiece within their strong catalog. Mixing elements of multiple extreme-metal subgenres without shoehorning anything, it delivers a tightly packed punch of harsh sounds. 

Power Trip – “Executioner’s Tax (Swing Of The Axe)”

Straddling the line between hardcore and thrash metal, Power Trip captured the best of both scenes and quickly rose to prominence. Every aspect of their band was brought to new heights on Nightmare Logic, and the swinging grooves found on “Executioner’s Tax (Swing Of The Axe)” coupled with the band’s signature raspy vocals caught the attention of self-respecting metalheads who can appreciate the genre’s classic elements. 

Suffocation – “Clarity Through Deprivation”

Suffocation’s …Of The Dark Light marked their final album with legendary vocalist Frank Mullen, and they couldn’t have had a better sendoff for their legacy. “Clarity Through Deprivation” has all of the complexity of their early material with just as much passion as they had when they were a young scrappy band. The vibe pushed them back into the limelight before their major vocal shakeup. 

2018

Rolo Tomassi – “Rituals”

After getting their start as teenagers, Rolo Tomassi developed and matured their sound from goofy mathcore to serious genre-blending masterpieces. Their experimental nature ended up bringing their most diverse piece yet. With “Rituals” seeing a mix of everything from jazz to black metal and hardcore, it culminates in one concise sound. 

2019

Venom Prison – “Uterine Industrialisation”

Death metal as a whole has been stepping back from the violent fantasy lyrics of its early days, and Venom Prison are showing there are plenty of real-life horrors to write about in this day and age. The band have been making waves with their explosive take on grind and traditional death-metal elements. “Uterine Industrialisation” specifically shows off their capabilities in leading the future of the genre. 

While performing at Bloodshed Fest in Eindhoven on Oct. 16, Trap Them vocalist Ryan McKenney took a leap into the crowd and probably suffered a worst-case scenario. Just 10 minutes into their 45-minute set, he took off from a speaker cab and fell around 15 feet, leaving him with two broken heels and a broken ankle, according to the band’s Facebook post after the incident.

“When I go and do this stuff, I don't want a plan and I don't want a preconceived notion of how I do it. Obviously sometimes that's a… poor choice,” McKenney told Noisey in an extensive interview during the band’s European Tour.

Read the band's statement and see a video of the events below.

Read More: 12 metal albums you’re going to need in the second half of 2016

McKenney also suffered a black left eye a few lacerations on his face, including a split eyebrow. Speaking further on the incident, he told Noisey, “The thing is, I've played shows dumb like this since I started playing shows. I think being stuck for the rest of my life doing this type of music—I'm not going to do anything else but this music—means maybe it escalates without me even realizing it. It gets more and more punishing.”

The remarkable part of it all is that McKenney went on to finish the set, with a completely mangled body, and he plans to finish the entirety of Trap Them’s European stint.

Read More: Dave Grohl performs with broken leg from ‘Game Of Thrones’ inspired throne

The show where he sustained his injury was just the second night of the tour, and some of his upcoming sets will last about an hour, so you could certainly say he's being a trooper in the whole situation. He will likely be performing in a wheelchair for the remainder of the dates. A video of his agonizing performance has even surfaced on the internet, which really makes you feel bad for the guy:

You can read Noisey’s full interview with Ryan McKenney right here, where he discusses his injury, Trap Them’s new album Crown Feral, and what his life is like outside of the band.

Trap Them is currently touring overseas with Okkultokrati and Venom Prison. The remaining dates, and their upcoming U.S. tour dates can be seen in the statement:

“It's true. Ryan fucked himself up a few nights ago, mid set at Bloodshed Fest. (And finished the set on broken heels and one broken ankle btw) He was treated and released that night from the local hospital. Thanks to the staff at Dynamo, our tour manager Patrik, and our tour mates Okkultokrati & Venom Prison for all the help. Needless to say he won't be standing up for a while, but we want to let everyone know we are still playing every show we have booked throughout the rest of the year. Nothing will be cancelled. All tour dates are listed below. Thanks for the support.

EUROPEAN TOUR DATES w/ Okkultokrati & Venom Prison

10/19 Birmingham, UK – Mama Roux’s 
10/20 Paris, FR – Gibus 
10/21 Solothurn, CH – Kofmehl
10/22 Karlsruhe, DE – Stadtmitte 
10/23 Berlin, DE – Cassiopeia 
10/24 Hamburg, DE – Hafenklang 
10/25 Gothenburg, SE – Skjul Fyra Sex
10/26 Oslo, NO – Bla

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES w/ Yautja

11/10 Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
11/11 Baltimore, MD – Windup
11/12 Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus
11/13 Binghamton, NY – Fitzies Irish Pub
11/14 Cleveland, OH – The Foundry 
11/15 Chicago, IL – Subterranean
11/16 Detroit, MI – El Club 
11/17 Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground
11/18 Montreal, QC – Turbo Haus
11/19 Boston, MA – Great Scott”

16 — Lifespan Of A Moth
July 15 via Relapse

Struggling is nothing new for the members of 16. They’ve seen and done it all: drugs, dysfunction and failed relationships. On their best record since Zoloft Smile in 2003 they show they aren’t just a metal band but, rather, street poets of the highest order. Guitarist Bobby Ferry is in especially fine form here. (JN)

Dark Tranquillity — TBA
TBD via Century Media

Say what you will about Dark Tranquillity, but the band haven’t made a single bad album in their 25-year career. These Swedes have shifted style here and there, but they have always put out ridiculously good melodic death metal. The new stuff sounds like it’ll be a throwback. Head over to the band’s Facebook to see some videos and you’ll get the idea— the new Dark Tranquillity sounds like it’ll be in the vein of Fiction. (GK)

Hammers Of Misfortune — Dead Revolution
July 22 via Metal Blade

The Bay Area band cobbled together by John Cobbett contains some of the finest musicians working in any genre of music. Dead Revolution is ostensibly about the displacement of artists and families by the tech economy. This album is compelling, wonderfully orchestrated from beginning to end and heartbreakingly human.  (JN)

Meshuggah —TBA
TBD via Nuclear Blast

Meshuggah only come out with an album every four years or so, presumably because each record is so devastating that everyone needs a little time to recover after having heard it. The band’s 2012 release, Koloss, was a major step up in production for the band, and we’re really hoping the new one stays that course. Koloss was just massive, naturally heavy and pretty much unjust to anyone else looking to release an album that year.

I guess we’ll know when the album is coming when the Earth starts to shake. (GK)

Metallica —TBA
TBD

It’s been a good chunk of a decade since Death Magnetic, but when you are the biggest rock band in the world, you can do whatever you want. We don’t have too many clues about what to expect from the thrash progenitors in 2016, but we do know a record could be coming as early as this fall. At any rate, it’s likely to be better than Load and St. Anger—if it does arrive this year.  (JN)

Neurosis — Fires Within Fires
Sept. 23 via Neurot

Neurosis have been endlessly creative and relevant for every stage of their now three-decade career. Although the band dusted off a series of early classics for a recent set of shows celebrating their 30-year anniversary, they will no doubt mine new creative paths as they always do with new music. Every part of their discography is essential, and this will be another welcome chapter in their story. (JN)

First up, we get gory with artists who’ve made their album covers nightmare-inspiring.

WARNING: Some of these images are NSFW and possibly disturbing.

ATREYU – The Curse

So, this album cover might not exactly make your skin crawl. In fact, you might be like, “Wow, she looks great,” but therein lies the creepy factor. While Atreyu’s cover model might be beautiful, she is also a hungry undead monster, and you, silly mortal, fell right into her trap. —Cassie Whitt

THE BEATLES – Yesterday And Today

The scariest thing about the the raw meat and decapitated doll scene on the cover of the Beatles' infamous LP Yesterday And Today (often called the “butcher cover”) isn't the photo itself; we've seen plenty of more gruesome and edgy art in modern times. It's the context. In 1966,the Beatles were as much a boy band as they were a rock band, maintaining a mostly clean-cut and radio-friendly image. So, when this cover arrived out of nowhere and with no official explanation, it was especially disturbing and ahead of its time in the shock department (so much so that it was quickly banned). —Philip Obenschain

BRAND NEW – The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me

Chess pieces? Not very cool. A floating astronaut? Let's be honest: That thing looks pretty dumb. But two adults wearing monster masks (and fuzzy slippers!) hiding around the corner from an unsuspecting four-year-old? Holy fucking shit is that scary, and also the best cover art Brand New have ever affixed their name to (via sticker, at least). This photo has always been a stunning example of the power of a simple photograph, because it leaves so much up to the imagination, and what is freakier than the inside of our brainmeats? —Scott Heisel

THE BRONX – The Bronx

Before the Bronx's debut album came out, there was a near-inescapable buzz about the band, who notoriously got caught in a major-label bidding war before ever playing a show (or something; we're too lazy to factcheck this), eventually signed with Island then were shuttled down to Ferret to make this record, produced by onetime Guns N' Roses axeman Gilby Clarke. But the advance press materials never made any mention that the band miiiight be vampires, as displayed by the cover art to their self-titled debut as well as their preceding EP, Bats!. This artwork always gives me the heebie-jeebies in the best way, as it sums up the Bronx's music perfectly: dangerous, sexy and with just a little bit of blood. —Scott Heisel

CATTLE DECAPITATION – Humanure

You could be forgiven for laughing at the cover of the 2004 release by gore/grind specialists Cattle Decapitation. Sure, Slipknot once sang “People = Shit,” but CatDecap put the whole thing in perspective with this charming rendering of a cow defecating pieces of a human. But that joke isn't funny anymore: If vocalist Travis Ryan's roofing nails-and-molasses vocal prowess doesn't make you want to poop your prolapsed entrails down your pant leg, consider that the first case of ebola has now been documented in our country. Scared shitless yet? —Jason Pettigrew

CURSED – II

Thanks to a sticker on the front of Scott Heisel’s desk, I get the absolute delight of being creeped out by this humanoid goat/Satan thing on an almost daily basis. One day, I’m going to sneak in and cover it with a sticker featuring something floral and soft from a Tumblrcore band. —Cassie Whitt

EVERY GRINDCORE BAND EVER
We get it. You like gore.

GWEN STACY – The Life I Know

The now-defunct Indianapolis Christian metal outfit Gwen Stacy came out swinging in 2008 with their debut LP, The Life I Know. Everything from the effort’s pristine breed of metal influenced -core (that still holds up against genre leaders today), to its somewhat controversial artwork, The Like I Know is simply fantastic. Featuring what looks to be a female trapped in a buried coffin, the cover art is not exactly something you would bring to your average youth group gathering. Not only does the art capture essences of both claustrophobia and absolute panic, but sheer terror as well. Can you imagine what it feels like to be buried alive, six feet underground in a space where you essentially can’t move? —Tyler Sharp

HATEBREED – Under The Knife

The cover art to Hatebreed's first 7-inch release is as terrifying as the recordings are unbearable. It immortalizes a monkey being held down with a pin stuck into its hand. A disturbing, but eye-opening approach to raising animal testing awareness within hardcore. —Brian Kraus

KORN – Korn

Before rising with the nü-metal tides of the late '90s, Korn spent their early years helping lay the foundation of the genre, employing aggressive songwriting with themes of addiction and abuse, and, of course, using shocking imagery to help attract an audience. The cover of their '94 eponymous debut is, perhaps, their creepiest, depicting a young girl on a swing against the shadow of a large man holding some sort of blunt object. How much we read into that is certainly reflective of the state of our world 20 years later, but, nonetheless, it's unsettling in a way that gory or explicitly scary album covers can't touch. —Philip Obenschain

MAYLENE AND THE SONS OF DISASTER – II

Anyone familiar with Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster is also most likely aware of the anecdote behind their name, which is based on the legend of Ma Barker (born Arizona Donnie Barker), her sons and the crimes they committed. MATSOD’s lyrical content and overall theme summarizes that lifestyles of malicious intent will ultimately be met with divine justice. The cover of the band’s sophomore album, aptly titled II, depicts the members of the band’s bodies (portrayed as Barker’s sons) being dragged away after they had ultimately met their demise in a surprise shootout (while the song “The Day Hell Broke Loose At Sicard Hollow” itself is instrumental, the fatal altercation is described along with the track in the album’s lyric booklet). An excerpt from the depiction reads, “For the first time in my life that I could remember, it had come time for us to pay… and that we did. It was like shooting fish in a barrel, and we sure didn’t hear any angels singing.” Barker’s sons may have met their demise that one fateful day at Sicard Hollow, but rest unassured, they’re far from dead. —Tyler Sharp

MAYHEM – Dawn Of The Black Hearts (live bootleg)

This is the album that features a post-suicide photo of the band's singer, Dead, taken by guitarist Euronymous when he discovered the body. Euronymous, of course, was later murdered by Varg “Count Grishnackh” Vikernes, aka Burzum. —Ryan J. Downey

NORMA JEAN – O’ God, The Aftermath (Deluxe Edition)

I was in sixth grade when I first came across the re-release of Norma Jean’s sophomore album, O’ God, The Aftermath; I was immediately drawn in by its reclusively frightening cover art. What sixth grade boy wouldn’t be intrigued by a man with a tree trunk protruding from his neck, holding his head in his hand? My mother, on the other hand, was beyond hesitant to let her 13-year-old child indulge in what looked to be anything but a positive influence. To some, a first glance at the artwork will pique their attention, while others can be immediately turned off by its hauntingly simplistic, yet seemingly demonic essence. No matter your personal opinion, it’s hard to dispute how this cover seamlessly intertwines with the record’s eerily ground-shattering material. —Tyler Sharp

NORMA JEAN – The Anti Mother

I remember seeing Norma Jean at Warped during the touring cycle for this album. When they put a blown-up image of this album art onstage, my friend—who was not really into metal—tapped me on the shoulder, pointed to the picture and asked, “Hey, Matt, I have a question for you. What the fuck is that?” He seemed genuinely disturbed. I laughed. I guess the idea of bees making a hive inside a human heart is pretty terrifying, isn’t it? —Matt Crane

SLIPKNOT – Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)

Something about this cover has always been truly terrifying. First off, it looks like a burned human face. Secondly, it looks like a burned human face that has been surgically altered. To make it worse, the burned, surgically altered human face has a zipper for a mouth—and it may or may not be giving a crooked smile. The cover is presented in a way, however, that it could just be the zipper pocket of a really old leather jacket. —Matt Crane

TRAP THEM – Darker Handcraft

Trap Them’s Darker Handcraft album cover illustrated by Justin Bartlett was my first introduction to the band, and with that came a whole extra connotation for their band name. It was as if the eyeless, fanged, rotting face on the cover was whispering that command to legions of monsters in the dark while I slept. Not cool, Trap Them. The expanded version of the cover is pretty unsettling, as well. —Cassie Whitt

This article is sponsored by Hot Topic.

The lineup for the fest has not been announced yet, but, according to Lambgoat, it will be announced later today.

UPDATE: The lineup for the festival has been announced and includes such bands as Converge, Trap Them, Modern Life Is War and more. Check out a statement from the label and the full list of bands below.

“We are proud to announce a two night Deathwish event July 22nd and 23rd at The Sinclair in Cambridge MA, featuring exclusively Deathwish affiliated artists. 
This is the first in a series of Deathwish Events that will happen in the future worldwide.

Converge and Trap Them will headline both nights of the event. It will be both bands only Boston area appearances this year. It will also be the only area appearance for Modern Life Is War, Harm Wulf (G. of Blacklisted), and YAITW who are all making the journey exclusively for these shows. It will also serve as the New England stop for the Oathbreaker and Cult Leader U.S. Tour (more details on that tour soon). Add the monstrous Doomriders, Code Orange Kids, Self Defense Family, New Lows, and Chrome Over Brass (Al of American Nightmare, etc) and you have a truly diverse and powerful lineup.”

Tickets go on sale April 11 at sinclaircambridge.com.