00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the greatest
00:11new metal groups that either formed in or saw some of their greatest commercial success
00:17during the 2000s. So genre originators like Korn and Deftones will have to be saved for another day.
00:2310. Papa Roach
00:38The heyday of new metal may be associated with the 90s, but many of the genre's most popular artists
00:44continue to deliver throughout the subsequent decade. Chief among them are Papa Roach, who
00:49expanded the 90s new metal sound that brought them initial acclaim.
01:01Make no mistake, the Papa Roach of 2022 isn't just resting upon the laurels of last resort from their
01:082000 breakout, Infest. Instead, the band has become more melodic and diverse, incorporating influences
01:16from metallic hardcore, punk, and pop into their unique and catchy formula.
01:279. Kamara
01:34This Ohio-based band may have formed during the rise of the new metal craze, but they quickly progressed
01:39past early influences to become one of the genre's heaviest prospects. It's actually not unfair to
01:45say that Kamara possessed creative feet in two worlds, as the band were also a noteworthy name
01:51amongst the new wave of American metal bands that flourished in the 2000s and 2010s.
02:03If anything, they have more musically in common with artists like Lamb of God or Unearthed than with
02:09Korn or Deftones. And that is definitely a compliment. Kamara's complex arrangements, heavy riffs,
02:15and dedication to a more old-school way of metallic creativity definitely made them stand out from
02:20the new metal pack.
02:288. Limp Bizkit
02:38Limp Bizkit earned early success in the late 90s, thanks to their novelty cover of George Michael's
02:43faith. But this controversial group definitely earned their stripes as a new metal leader around the
02:49turn of the new millennium. This is thanks largely to the commercial success of their significant other
02:54LP, as well as the naff titled Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water. The former, released
03:01at the tail end of 1999, showcased Limp's most popular material to date. Break Stuff, in particular,
03:08would help the band ride a giant wave of success in the 2000s.
03:19The bloom may have fallen off the rose relatively quickly after that, but it's important to remember
03:24how huge this band was around this time.
03:32Number 7. Soulfly
03:41Soulfly was another new metal act that became progressively heavier year after year. It's due
03:46primarily to the band's pedigree as a creative offshoot of Sepultura, specifically from that band's
03:52founder, Max Cavallaro. His death and thrash metal heritage couldn't be denied, with Soulfly's sound
04:03getting harder and more dynamic with albums like Dark Ages, Conker, and Omen. This was the sound of
04:09world music, filtered through the heaviest of grooves and an electric riff assault. Soulfly were the real
04:16deal, and they wanted metal fans all around the globe to hear their creative voice.
04:27Number 6. Evanescence
04:37The worlds of nu metal and goth collided with Evanescence's diamond-selling album,
04:42Fallen. The LP released back in 2003 was a creative collaboration between session guitarist Ben Moody
04:48and singer-songwriter Amy Lee, but it was the latter's vocals that truly led the charge.
04:54This was an emotionally bare and memorable selection of songs,
04:58a break from the aggro vibe that often permeated nu metal at the time.
05:02Evanescence comparatively felt like a breath of fresh air, with singles like Bring Me to Life and My
05:16Immortal sitting nicely alongside deep-cut album tracks like Tourniquet. This one has held up remarkably well.
05:23Crying, trying to get my suicide.
05:28Number 5. Kitty
05:35The aforementioned aggro of nu metal has been blamed for, among other things, the cultural zeitgeist
05:42that allowed tragedies like Woodstock 99 and Big Day Out 2001. To the points, we offer Kitty as a
05:49counterpoint, an example of female-empowered nu metal that has also offered up some of the genre's
05:55strongest songwriting. Kitty leader Morgan Lander has never compromised on her vision of releasing
06:01powerfully driven and heavy music with melodic vocals that hook the listener.
06:11This was done particularly well on the band's second album, Oracle, and was polished on each
06:16subsequent Kitty LP. Some nu metal bands have aged like moldy bread, but Kitty are not one of those bands.
06:32Number 4. Disturbed
06:39If there's been one constant theme running through this list, it's the habit of so many nu metal bands
06:45to expand their formula beyond the genre. Disturbed did do this, but they also had a
06:50secret weapon in David Draymond. The frontman just possesses one of the most powerful and dynamic
06:56voices in nu metal. One that feels indebted to the rich gothic vibes of a Depeche Mode,
07:02while also commanding stadiums the world over.
07:05Disturbed songs are processed and synthesized into an industrial riff army, a balance of anthemic melody
07:19and extended solos that serve as the orchestra for Draymond's soaring vocal conduction. There
07:25simply isn't a note out of place.
07:34Number 3. System of a Down
07:43System of a Down may be the quirkiest and most idiosyncratic band on this list, but this ultimately
07:50serves as one of their greatest strengths. There's a wealth of influences that go into the band's
07:55stew, an amalgam of extreme metal, folk, and prog that shouldn't go together. But somehow, the band
08:02makes it all work. Jazzy licks? Check. Harsh, yet catchy riffs? Double-check. All the while, System of a
08:17Down pepper their songs with fiery political content that makes them stand out from their
08:22contemporaries. Their mesmerized LP might serve as a creative highlight, but truth be told, it's all
08:28just so awesome.
08:36Number 2. Slipknot
08:38In the world of Nu Metal, there's Heavy and then there's Slipknot Heavy. The band probably blew
08:50collective minds back when they appeared on network TV with Late Night with Conan O'Brien,
08:54bringing an all-out assault to the home audience's unsuspecting senses. And it just got more extreme
09:00from there. As each Slipknot album incorporated more and more from the worlds of extreme metal,
09:13this was a band that was determined to challenge their fanbase at every step,
09:17in the hopes that they would come along for the wild journey. And you know what? They succeeded.
09:22Think and try. Put your life into your death now. Let this thing until you die.
09:30Before we name our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
09:34Seven Dust. Started in 97, but still going strong today.
09:38What makes us human becomes a ghost.
09:44Static X. Life after the loss of Wayne Static.
09:48You're trying to make me. This is the only. Give me the only thing.
09:55Mudvayne. New with a progressive edge.
09:58I can't bury me. What's the name of the thing that I am?
10:05P.O.D. Spiritual Nu Metal for the masses.
10:08We are, we are. The youth of the nation. We are, we are.
10:15Trapped. Headstrong. And proud of it.
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10:401. Linkin Park
10:53Chester Bennington may be gone, but his legacy with Linkin Park will never be forgotten. Not by the
10:59band's legions of fans, nor the Nu Metal landscape that received a unique jolt with the band's creative
11:04outputs. This was a group unafraid of melody and hip-hop, incorporating heavy doses of both
11:10into an electronically based sound that wasn't your daddy's Nu Metal. Does the term Nu Nu Metal fit?
11:24Linkin Park wrote songs for everyone, not just the mosh pit. There was sensitivity to balance
11:30out the aggression and catchy hooks to offset the heaviest of heavy parts. Linkin Park was very
11:36successful at what they set out to do, and for that, their fans are eternally grateful.
11:41In the end, it doesn't even matter. What's your favorite Nu Metal band?
11:49Let us know in the comments.
11:51I can see through you, see in the real you.
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