Top 10 Bands People Think Aren't Metal that Are

You might think these bands aren't metal but they are regardless.
The Top Ten
1 Five Finger Death Punch Five Finger Death Punch, often shortened to Five Finger or Death Punch, also abbreviated as 5FDP or FFDP, is an American metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Formed in 2005, the band's name comes from the kung fu movie The Five Fingers of Death.
2 Motley Crue Mötley Crüe is an American metal band formed in Los Angeles, California on January 17, 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, lead vocalist Vince Neil and lead guitarist Mick Mars.

Yeah, right, metal is about "Girls, Girls, Girls"... (sarcasm)

3 Rob Zombie Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings) is an American heavy metal musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. His career launched in 1985 when he formed the heavy metal band White Zombie. Following their breakup, he began a successful solo career. Zombie began directing in the early 2000s. His most famous movies are Halloween, Halloween II, and House of 1000 Corpses. Rob Zombie has released 6 solo albums, 4 albums with White Zombie, and has directed 9 films and 2 television episodes. He is also the older brother of Powerman 5000 frontman Spider One.

I've always considered him metal yet he's not in the Metal archives but what ever he is Metal or not he's a good artist and I'm pround to say I have listened to Rob Zombie

4 Slipknot Slipknot is an American metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa in 1996. The band is best known as one of the pioneers of the New Wave of American Alternative Metal during the late 1990s - 2000s and are distinguishable by the band's clothing choices, consisting of black/red jumpsuits and horror inspired masks. ...read more.

To me, a band with about 50% of their material sounding heavy, energetic and agressive enough qualifies as metal, regardless of whatever content or techniques they have. I also hate how fans like to characterize only certain metal genres as metal. If it has metal in the genre name, it is metal, regardless of whether you like it or not.

5 Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English hard rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.
6 System Of A Down System of a Down, formed in 1994, is an Armenian-American alternative metal group from Glendale, California. The band name is sometimes shortened to System or SOAD. They've always been a very political band since their inception. Often being against genocide and war most notably in songs like: Pluck, Holy Mountains, and BYOB (Bring Your Own Bombs). Serj is an active activist who wants to change the world for the better.

The band's current members include Serj Tankian (vocalist, keyboards), Daron Malakian (guitarist, vocalist), Shavo Odadjian (bassist), and John Dolmayan (drummer). ...read more.

Oh dear... 1) screams DON'T define metal; 2) their guitars are punk guitars and not metal guitars; 3) his vocals style isn't metal style. But most importantly, 4) their MUSIC is NOT metal.

7 Korn Korn is an American nu-metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band's current lineup includes founding members Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Brian "Head" Welch, and Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, with the addition of Ray Luzier, who replaced the band's original member, David ...read more.

Didn't they guest in an episode of South Park (one from like 1999)?

8 Godsmack Godsmack is an American alternative metal/hard rock band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin.

Their music is nowhere near metal - progressions aren't metal. And sorry, their guitars are clearly punk-ish. They have screaming? So what. Screaming can be applied to almost all genres, especially punk-related styles. Screamo is a punk subgenre, not a metal subgenre.

9 Alice In Chains Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley.
10 Evanescence Evanescence is an American alternative rock/alternative metal band. It was founded in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody.

Evanescence are NOT metal, they're hard rock and used to be gothic rock. The closest they got to metal was with What You Want, which was described as industrial metal even though I disagree with that.

Even Amy Lee herself says they are rock and not metal.

Amy Lee vocals isn't really metal. But that's not really they are not metal. Their guitar riffs are more likely punk rock guitar riffs.

Metal guitar riffs - Fast+Power. More brutal sound.
Punk Rock Guitar Riffs - Fast+Less Power. More noisy sound.

The Contenders
11 Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band, that was formed 1999 in California. Their longest lineup of members was M. Shadows (Vocals), Synyster Gates (Lead Guitar), Zacky Vengeance (Rhythm Guitar), Johnny Christ (Bass Guitar), and The Rev (Drums).

Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan (Drums), their most notable drummer, passed away in 2009, being temporarily replaced by Mike Portnoy, who was replaced by Arin Ilejay, who was finally replaced with Brooks Wackerman. A common phrase for fans "foREVer" was created after the Rev's death in his remembrance. ...read more.

Hmm, that much I can agree. Their solos are metal solos. I mean any other punk bands don't play solos like them. Even if none of the members in the band are metal musicians but Gates is a metal guitarist.

A lot of these bands here aren't even metal. Avenged Sevenfold and Slipknot are probably the closest to metal. The first two Crue's albums may also be considered metal as well.

12 Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine is a rap metal band formed in Los Angeles, California. The band consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk.

@SwagFlicks, RATM rap in their songs. But that isn't really the thing that makes or doesn't make them metal. You could check their guitar riffs. See how they hold their picks, how they strum their strings. These all takes back to punk rock rather than metal.
But anyway, a non-metal band also could be good.

Sorry, rapping isn't a metal singing style.

13 Red Red is an American Christian alternative metal/alternative rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The band was formed in 2002 by brothers Anthony Armstrong (guitarist) and Randy Armstrong (bassist), along with lead vocalist Michael Barnes.

Well they are Heavy at times but they're more just Alternative and Hard Rock.

14 AC/DC AC/DC are a Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, who continued as members until Malcolm's illness and departure in 2014 . They were fronted by Bon Scott until his untimely death due to alcohol poisoning in 1979, after which they hired Brian Johnson to front the band. Commonly referred to as a hard rock or blues rock band.

AC/DC isn't metal. Metal riffs are usually faster, short range fast strumming. Hard rock has a pause in their riffs, when strumming. Check this, "Rock vs. Metal" by Raz Ben Ari.

15 Bullet for My Valentine Bullet for My Valentine are a Welsh metalcore band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is composed of Matthew Tuck (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Michael Paget (lead guitar, backing vocals), Michael Thomas (drums) and Jamie Mathias (bass guitar). Former members include Nick Crandle and Jason James; ...read more.
16 Primus Primus is an American funk metal band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde and drummer Tim Alexander. Les Claypool is regarded as one of the best bassists of all time for his slap-bass ability in notable songs like "My Name Is Mud", "The Toys Go Winding Down", and "Jerry Was a Racecar Driver".

Is Primus metal? I found most of their songs experimental. But they're a good band even if they aren't metal. They are unique. Especially I like Claypool's slap bass.

They are Funk Metal

17 HIM HIM was a Finnish gothic rock band from Helsinki, Finland. Formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo and bassist Mikko "Mige" Paananen under the name His Infernal Majesty, the band broke up in 1993, before being reformed in 1995 by Valo and guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström.
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