Top Ten Best American Metal Bands

The Top Ten
1 Metallica Metallica is an American Heavy/Thrash Metal band formed in 1981. The original lineup was James Hetfield (Vocalist and Rhythm guitarist), Dave Mustaine (Lead Guitar), Lars Ulrich (Drums), Ron McGovney (Bassist). The group came into mainstream from their Self-Titled album and the hit single "Enter Sandman"... read more

They may all be good, but compared to Metallica all of these bands are armatures: fact. If it wasn't for Metallica none of them would exists. Hands down best band, metal or not. They really know how to write music, especially for today's standards. And there doing the best they can for how old they are now, considering some of there songs are played faster than the recorded version. Metallica, keep writing awesome tasteful music! Love you guys!

"Not What They Used To Be" would only be accurate before Death Magnetic came out. That album is total thrash metal like their old stuff and its an extremly underrated album. Just listen to All Nightmare Long, it's so awesome!

2 Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. Megadeth was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine was fired from Metallica. They have released 15 studio albums to date, and have gone through many lineup changes, with Dave... read more

Just voted to get them above korn. Korn is good but not above great bands like pantera, megadeth, slayer, anthrax, dio, etc.

This band is just awesome. I just love them... Can't believe their so down in the list!

How are posers like Avenged Sevenfold and slipknot above megadeth?

3 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)... read more

M. Shadows is one of a kind vocalist and I love his higher vocal range, falsetto and he can growl like any other metal band which in my opinion better than james hedfield and corey taylor. That is just make a7x better than Metallica but I am agree Metallica nust be topple them out since Metallica is one of my favourite metal band ever and dream theatre shoild be in second place

I love A7X but how in the world are they above Testament? Testament has god AKA Alex SKolnick but A7X did have Jimmy, and have Syn, Matt, Zacky, and Johnny but Testament should have been at least number 1 and A7X should number 2, and Metallica sucks, Megadeth should be above Metallica

4 Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. They rose to fame with their 1986 album Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the big four of thrash metal bands, the others being Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax... read more

Why is not Slayer number one? They are definitely the best thrash metal band and both Megadeth and Metallica are thrash. Slayer has realeased the best thrash metal album (Reign in Blood) and definitely deserve to be number one.
My list
1. Slayer
2. Megadeth
3. Dio

Avenged Sevenfold above Slayer? There is no hope for the Metal community

Every member is incredibly influential and brought something to metal

5 Pantera Pantera was an American heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul. The band started out as a glam metal act in the 1980s with little success. After discarding their original lead vocalist and enlisting Phil Anselmo, the band signed a major record deal with... read more

Pantera is the best. Rex is a bad ass bassist. Vinnie Paul can wail on the drums and has an amazing sound. You know his drumming. Phil is the greatest front man hands down. Just saw the PHA and the illegals. Awesome... but Dimebag is metal. He's the best. Period. Notice metal fell off after that idiot ruined metal. I saw Pantera. Along with most of this list. No one can come close to Pantera. The connection between the fans and the band may never be duplicated. Slayer is close in that category but they lack the ferocious vocals of Phil and the amazing guitar of Dime. Pantera influences all new metal and set the bar when Far beyond Driven debuted at #1.

6 Dio Dio was an American heavy metal band formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice.

Do I even have to explain why Dio is the greatest American metal band? Dio's voice is overwhelmingly powerful, the riffs are cool as hell and the songs have great lyrics. No doubt, the greatest American metal band ever.

Slipknot AND Avenged Sevenfold above the legendary Dio? I have lost faith in the metal community.

With vocals like that Dio is the Boss. Plus he was in Black Sabbath and I love them

7 Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band from Boston, Massachusetts. The band was formed in 1985 under the name of "Majesty", only to change its name to Dream Theater later... read more

Their music is beautifully complex, and yet heavy at the same time. They also have a variety of songs with different styles - all of which are amazing. Surely they should take first place

The hell is going on in this list!
It's a disgrace to all the legendary bands on this list that A7X, Slipknot and Korn arerated above them. Shame on you.

Why only the fifth place, I mean like the others all pretty cool but DT gives us chillings, gives us masterpieces and makes us believe they're gods. Yay

8 Iced Earth Iced Earth is an American heavy metal band from Tampa, Florida. It was formed in 1984 under the name Rose, then Purgatory, by guitarist and main songwriter Jon Schaffer, and original drummer Greg Seymour. The band's music has also been described as thrash metal and power metal... read more
9 Death Death was an American death metal band formed in 1983 by Chuck Schuldiner. Death is considered to be one of the most influential bands in heavy metal and a pioneering force in death metal. Its debut album, Scream Bloody Gore, has been widely regarded as the first death metal record, while the band's... read more

Death made 7 decent albums (many of them much more than decent) and Metallica only made 3.5 decent albums. Come on, I can't believe how extremely overrated that band is. Death on the other hand made true, good quality Metal.
Ridiculously good riffs, extreme heaviness, overall musical profficiency, very good lyrics (towards the end of their career), and no sell outs.
Chuck Schuldiner was always true to Metal, making brilliant music and giving Metal a new meaning, and for that I thank him
Recommended songs: Crystl mountain, Misanthrope, Zombie Ritual, Pull the Plug, Spirit Crusher, the Philosopher, Cosmic Sea, Flesh and the Power it holds

10 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... read more

Slipknot is one of the best bands I have ever heard. I'm a big country music fan but Slipknot and Misfits have pulled me into this whole world of music. I love Slipknot!

Slipknot is so amazing. the best song in my opinion is Eyeless, My Plague, or Wait and bleed. The best album is slipknot. If you like Nu-Metal go on to iTunes and check them out.

Slipknot rocks no matter what. Stay (sic) everyone! R.I.P. Paul Gray.. Slipknot is the best band! And Limp Bizkit sucks!

The Contenders
11 Anthrax Anthrax is an American thrash metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker.

They should easily be top 10. Joey Belladonna and Scott Ian are legendary together

12 Savatage Savatage is an American heavy metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
13 Lamb Of God Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 1994, the group consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler.

Ok this pisses me off. Besides Metallica, which is debatable, the next four bands are a7x, slipknot, disturbed and korn. Where is pantera, slayer, lamb of god? In my opinion those should be the top 3 not crappy emo/nu metal hard rock like the stuff that's listed

Lamb of God over A7X. Seriously, who is voting here? Little 8th graders? Do you not realize the talent that Lamb of God possess? Randy is probably ten times the vocalist M. Shadows is.

LOG Is the most talented on the list. Obviously people think its little 8th graders voting but I'm in year 9. I know good music when I. Hear it

14 Theocracy Theocracy is a Christian progressive power metal band founded in 2002 by Matt Smith of Athens, Georgia.
15 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

As much as I want to give this to Disturbed... I have to give it to Korn. Metallica copied off of other metal bands such as Juda Priest and black sabbath, in reality bringing nothing new to the table of metal. Bands such as cannibal corpse and Death were just too heavy for non metalhead. So when Korn came around they introduced something heavy enough for for REAL metal heads and something soft enough for non metal heads the perfect combination. And it is true if Korn never came around Slipknot would never have made it maybe not even disturbed. I love disturbed and Slipknot but THIS IS JUST THE COLD HARD TRUTH. And avenged sevenfold DEFINITELY would not have made it without KORN. Why are they even on this list they are closer to emo than ACTUAL metal.

16 Living Sacrifice Living Sacrifice is an American Christian metal band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1989. Over the years, their music has evolved to encompass various styles, including thrash metal, death metal, and metalcore. They are considered pioneers in the Christian metal genre, known for their unflinching... read more
17 Exodus Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1979 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of 37 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members.
18 Overkill Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D.

Overkill #56?... After dozens of mediocre bands, some of them not even metal? Shame on this list.

19 Staind Staind was a post-grunge/alternative metal band formed in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1995.

Staind is Aaron Lewis (vocalist and guitarist), Jon Wysocki (drummer, left in 2011), Johnny April (bassist), and Mike Mushok (guitarist). After Jon's departure Sal Giancarelli filled in as drummer until... read more
20 Manowar Manowar is an American power metal band from New York City, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy and mythology.

They have been a significant influence in the history of metal, especially in genres such as power metal, symphonic metal, Viking metal, war metal,... read more

Know what metal means. They made metal kid!

21 Tool Tool is an American alternative metal/progressive metal band, that was formed in 1990.

The band is set together between Maynard James Keenan (Vocals), Danny Carey (Drums), Adam Jones (Guitar) and since 1995 Justin Chancellor (Bass).

The band is known for their influences from electronic... read more

One of the most unique and influential acts of recent metal.

22 Corrosion of Conformity Corrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean, drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm guitarist Pepper Keenan.
23 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.

Their songs have emotion and meaning and they deliver it through their music.

Come on this should be in the top 5!

24 Cannibal Corpse Cannibal Corpse is a American death metal band from Buffalo, New York, formed in 1988. The band is known for their graphic album covers, explicitly violent lyrics and song titles like "I C** Blood" The group got into mainstream after performing the song "Hammer Smashed Face" in the 1994 film Ace Ventura:... read more

This should be in the top ten, this shows true American brutal death metal band

25 Dark Angel Dark Angel is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1981. Their over-the-top style (extremely fast, heavy and lengthy songs with lots of tempo changes, lyrics and extended instrumental parts) earned them the nickname "the L.A. Caffeine Machine". Although Dark Angel had... read more
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