100 Best Metalcore Bands

In recent years, metalcore has evolved into a distinct global entity. This heavy metal subgenre has played a pivotal role in blending crust punk and grindcore with more traditional metal sounds.

Although metalcore purists are critical of new bands mixing genres to reach a wider audience, there is no denying that the genre's evolution has translated into widespread success.

The list below showcases an epic number of metalcore bands. If you are a fan of this extreme form of music, you'll definitely have a lot to say. Feel free to share your views and opinions in the comments section.

Top 10 Best Metalcore Bands

1. As I Lay Dying
2. Killswitch Engage
3. Parkway Drive
4. Bring Me the Horizon
5. Trivium
6. August Burns Red
7. Bullet for My Valentine
8. All That Remains
9. Underoath
10. Asking Alexandria

What Is Metalcore?

Metalcore, also referred to as metallic hardcore, is a heavy metal subgenre that incorporates diverse elements of hardcore punk and extreme metal. This genre is noteworthy for its use of intense breakdowns (which are slow and conducive for moshing). The instrumentation often features distorted guitar riffs, double bass drumming, stinging lead guitar solos, and the occasional use of blast beats. Vocal techniques used in this form of music range from death growls to clean falsettos. In fact, the vocals might be the most diverse element of the genre.

Best Metalcore Bands #11—20

11. The Devil Wears Prada

12. Architects

13. The Dillinger Escape Plan

14. A Day to Remember

15. Lamb of God

16. Avenged Sevenfold

17. Hatebreed

18. Converge

19. Atreyu

20. Erra

How Did Metalcore Emerge?

While the metalcore scene came into prominence in the ‘90s, the roots of this genre emerged in the ‘80s, when bands started experimenting with a fusion of hardcore and heavy metal. The genre took shape in the ‘90s, reaching global audiences. While the majority of metalcore bands in this decade were influenced by the hardcore scene, later bands were more heavily influenced by melodic death metal.

While metalcore had an underground cult following in the ‘90s, bands associated with the genre achieved a considerable amount of mainstream success in the 2000s. Several independent metal labels started signing recording contracts with metalcore bands in the mid-2000s. Suddenly, metalcore emerged as one of the most popular heavy metal subgenres in the decade.

Best Metalcore Bands #21—40

21. Norma Jean

22. In Flames

23. Silent Planet

24. Every Time I Die

25. Born of Osiris

26. The Ghost Inside

27. Unearth

28. Within the Ruins

29. Fit For A King

30. Emmure

31. Texas in July

32. Knocked Loose

33. Shadows Fall

34. Earth Crisis

35. We Came as Romans

36. Between the Buried and Me

37. Of Mice & Men

38. Volumes

39. Northlane

40. Bleeding Through

Mainstream Success of Metalcore: 2000s and 2010s

In the ‘90s, the early metalcore scene emerged from hardcore punk. Although a large number of bands associated with the genre did not find mainstream success in the decade, they did garner a cult following in the underground movement. It was only after the year 2000 that many metalcore bands gained prominence. The melodic metalcore movement that came to life in the early 2000s became hugely popular with heavy metal fans. A number of metalcore acts released albums that were critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

The mainstream success of this genre continued post 2010. In fact, this form of music has changed drastically, raising the bar for heavy metal music by structuring songs in odd-time signatures with syncopated synthesizers. Certain bands have had tremendous chart success with this method of songwriting. Throughout the 2010s, the diverse soundscape presented in metalcore appealed to a wide variety of audiences.

Best Metalcore Bands #41—60

41. Motionless in White

42. Code Orange

43. Memphis May Fire

44. Bury Your Dead

45. Zao

46. The Acacia Strain

47. Poison the Well

48. Beartooth

49. Dayseeker

50. Coalesce

51. The Human Abstract

52. Rorschach

53. After the Burial

54. Blessthefall

55. Integrity

56. Chimaira

57. Overcast

58. Bury Tomorrow

59. Heaven Shall Burn

60. The Amity Affliction

Characteristics of Metalcore

Metalcore is known for its signature breakdowns that eschew a verse-chorus format. Many bands use breakdowns while performing live to get crowds charged up to start moshing (also known as slam dancing). A number of bands use drop tunings to play heavy guitar riffs, which are further emphasized by percussive pedal tones. Although Drop D and A tunings are commonly used by bands, certain bands use lower tunings on seven and eight string guitars. Although a variety of drumming techniques are used in this genre, the double bass technique forms the crux of the overall sound. Blast beats are sometimes used to create a dramatic shift in tempos. Vocalists use varied screaming techniques in this form of music. Many of the later metalcore bands started to incorporate clean singing in their verses and choruses.

Best Metalcore Bands #61—80

61. Issues

62. Fear Before

63. Counterparts

64. Upon a Burning Body

65. Loathe

66. For Today

67. Becoming the Archtype

68. Darkest Hour

69. Abandon All Ships

70. Shai Hulud

71. While She Sleeps

72. Attila

73. The Chariot

74. Protest the Hero

75. Botch

76. Everytime I Die

77. Veil of Maya

78. Sleeping With Sirens

79. Cave In

80. After the Burial

Subgenres of Metalcore

The success of metalcore helped pave the way for a number of metal subgenres. Certain extreme metal bands combined elements of metalcore with death metal to create the deathcore sound. Another subgenre that became immensely popular with experimental musicians is mathcore, which emphasizes fluctuant rhythms and irregular time signatures, along with syncopations, polymeters, and abrupt tempo changes.

In the early 2000s, a number of bands were influenced by Swedish melodic death metal. These bands were categorized as melodic metalcore. Musicians in the 2010s began using electronic instruments to shape what became known as electronicore. Certain bands experimented with djent breakdowns and technical guitar parts. This led to the development of progressive metalcore. Post 2010, many bands started fusing metalcore with varied elements of nu metal. These bands started being identified as nu metalcore.

Best Metalcore Bands #81—100

81. My Ticket Home

82. Vision of Disorder

83. 7 Angels 7 Plagues

84. Woe, Is Me

85. Suicide Silence

86. A Skylit Drive

87. Rise to Remain

88. All Pigs Must Die

89. Rolo Tomassi

90. I Prevail

91. Falling in Reverse

92. Periphery

93. Throwdown

94. Light the Torch

95. Caliban

96. Iwrestledabearonce

97. Amaranthe

98. Miss May I

99. The Word Alive

100. Ice Nine Kills

Other Notable Metalcore Bands

• Glass Cloud
• Disembodied
• Eso-Charis
• The Afterimage
• I, the Breather
• Misery Signals
• Forevermore
• Benea Reach
• Winds of Plague
• Reflections
• Dead to Fall
• Cane Hill
• In Dying Arms
• Attack Attack!
• Bloodlined Calligraphy
• Mutoid Man
• The Agony Scene
• SeeYouSpaceCowboy
• Blood Has Been Shed
• Training for Utopia
• Stick to Your Guns
• Antagonist
• The Number Twelve Looks Like You
• Society’s Finest
• The End
• Aftershock
• Sworn In
• In This Moment
• War From a Harlots Mouth
• Elitist
• In Fear and Faith
• Arsonists Get All the Girls
• Will Haven
• Invent Animate
• Buried in Verona
• Wristmeetrazor
• Antagonist A.D.
• Nora
• Across Five Aprils
• Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!
• Betraying the Martyrs
• Like Moths to Flames
• Versus Me
• Narrows
• Pathways
• Wolves at the Gate
• In Hearts Wake
• Feed Her to the Sharks
• Obey the Brave
• Yashin
• As Blood Runs Black
• The Crimson Armada
• Scarlet
• Axewound
• Interrogate
• Walls of Jericho
• Oh, Sleeper
• Napoleon
• American Me
• xDeathstarx
• The Agonist
• Bleed From Within
• Psyopus
• A Tragedy in Progress
• The Concubine
• Jamie’s Elsewhere
• It Dies Today

• Nine Shrines
• The Showdown
• Carajo
• Broken Teeth
• Mutiny Within
• Some Girls
• Years Since the Storm
• The Browning
• Odd Project
• Vassline
• The White Noise
• Bad Omens
• Asunto
• Stigmata
• Eternal Lord
• Chasing the Rise
• Oceans Ate Alaska
• Straight Line Stitch
• Annisokay
• God Forbid
• A Bullet for a Pretty Boy
• To Speak of Wolves
• Racetraitor
• 50 Lions
• Arma Angelus
• Carpathian
• Wovenwar
• Innocent Victim
• Stray From the Path
• Alpha Wolf
• Maroon
• Creation is Crucifixion
• Sonic Syndicate
• The Bled
• Burgerkill
• Elysia
• Your Demise
• Alesana
• Last Chance to Reason
• Burnt By the Sun
• On Broken Wings
• The Autumn Offering
• Sleeping by the Riverside
• Knut
• Threat Signal
• Sylar
• Bleed the Sky
• Times of Grace
• Make Them Suffer
• Coldrain
• Affiance
• I Killed the Prom Queen
• Twelve Tribes
• Scars of Tomorrow
• Rafflesia
• Breather Resist
• Kublai Khan
• Soulless
• Once Nothing
• Still Remains
• Varials
• Escape the Day
• Cult Leader
• ANeurisma
• Silent Civilian
• Catherine
• Senses Fail

• Amatory
• Burden of a Day
• This or the Apocalypse
• Mortal Treason
• Palisades
• Sympathy for Nothing
• Beloved
• 100 Demons
• Haste the Day
• Lye By Mistake
• Sleeping Giant
• Called to Arms
• AWS
• Burst
• Eskimo Callboy
• The Sorrow
• House vs. Hurricane
• Candiria
• One Morning Left
• Blind Myself
• Lay It on the Line
• Those Who Fear
• City of the Afflicted
• Adept
• Trenches
• Cataract
• Wage War
• Blessed By a Broken Heart
• Life in Your Way
• 36 Crazyfists
• Ravenface
• Greeley Estates
• The Hope Conspiracy
• Leaders
• Century
• Your Memorial
• Crown the Empire
• Madball
• Corpus Christi
• His Statue Falls
• The Ongoing Concept
• Vanna
• A Breach of Silence
• Conquer Divide
• Sky Eats Airplane
• Phinehas
• We Butter the Bread with Butter
• Horse the Band
• Sea of Treachery
• Make Me Famous
• This Day Forward
• Frontside
• Cancer Bats
• Hundredth
• A Life Once Lost
• Sirens and Sailors
• Butcher Babies
• War of Ages
• The Plot in You
• Crystal Lake
• Our Last Night
• All Out War
• Spitfire
• Letlive
• Raunchy
• Mendeed
• From Autumn to Ashes

• A Plea for Purging
• Changer
• Pinehas
• Morning Again
• Skycamefalling
• Ligeia
• Hopes Die Last
• Textures
• Betzefer
• Shaped By Fate
• Hoods
• Overcome
• Keelhaul
• Confide
• The Red Chord
• Callejon
• Polaris
• Upon this Drawing
• Merauder
• Rise and Fall
• American Standards
• Johnny Truant
• Streetweather
• The Handshake Murders
• Kingdom of Sorrow
• Crossfaith
• Liferuiner
• Shattered Sun
• I Set My Friends On Fire
• Blind Witness
• Most Precious Blood
• Unashamed
• It Prevails
• Heavy Heavy Low Low
• The Color Morale
• American Sin
• Point of No Return
• Glass Casket
• Confession
• The Overseer
• Black Veil Brides
• The Killing Tree
• Gwen Stacy
• Ringworm
• The Divided
• Heart in Hand
• Jinjer
• Inhale Exhale
• Cable
• Prayer for Cleansing
• Secrets
• Demise of Eros
• I See Stars
• More Than a Thousand
• We are Defiance
• Silent Screams
• Himsa
• Advent
• Tear Out the Heart
• Capture
• MyChildren MyBride
• Righteous Vendetta
• Cover Your Tracks
• The Ascendicate
• Snowbread
• Myka Relocate
• Born from Pain