1. He Is Legend
He Is Legend is the best band you've never heard of. The Wilmington, North Carolina rockers have been kicking out their unique blend of blues-based metallic rock since 2003. After a short hiatus in 2009, the outfit returned with a revamped lineup, including rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist Denis Deloge, for 2014’s Heavy Fruit.
2. Mastodon
Mastodon is the most popular Southern metal band out there right now. The progressive metal heads from Atlanta have gained considerable popularity over the years with performances on late-night shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live. The outfit recently broke into pop culture with an appearance on Game of Thrones and by wearing wacky outfits on the red carpet at the Grammys. Glam aside, Mastodon is a music-making machine. It does heavy well (Remission, Leviathan, Blood Mountain, Crack the Skye); it does prog well (The Hunter, Once More ’Round the Sun). And songs from the band’s upcoming album, Emperor of Sand (March 31), sound just as catchy and Mastodon-like as anything else — particularly “Show Yourself,” a radio-ready hit. This act can do it all, basically — plus it's weird as hell. Just watch "The Motherload" music video.
The band has called the U.S. Top 200 Billboard chart home since 2006’s Blood Mountain, and the latest album, 2014's Once More ‘Round the Sun, reached number one. Drummer Brann Dailor and bassist Troy Saunders handle the bulk of the singing duties, each showcasing distinct sounds, while guitarist Brent Hinds provides backup vocals. The combination of the three, with rhythm guitarist Bill Kelliher, makes this one of the most original bands of this century.
Another Georgia band, Savannah's Baroness, plays music as haunting as it is poignant, with lyrics like “One more glass of milk and gasoline,” and “I will bury your bones inside my garden.” Original bandmembers formed in 2003 in Lexington, Virginia, but relocated farther south before the group's debut, Red Album, in 2007, which put Baroness on the map as purveyors of some of the newest, most interesting prog-rock. Baroness’s next three full-lengths, Blue Album (2009), Yellow & Green Album (2012) and Purple Album (2015) all charted.
Lead singer and guitarist John Baizley is the only original member left, but he is Baroness. His creativity flows through every aspect of the band. He’s produced all of the album artwork for the band through the years, often sexual images of beautiful women and nature. A typical Baroness song consists of Baizley’s hypnotic, clean vocals and sludgy guitar tones, sometimes mixed with synthesizers.
4. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster is the lovechild of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Motörhead. The Birmingham, Alabama, band includes three guitarists — Jasin Todd, Jake Duncan and Steve Savis — who play at breakneck speeds, blending straight-up Southern-rock riffs with groove metal. The band hasn’t put out an album since 2011’s IV, but II (2007) and III (2009) are classic Maylene, with songs like “Darkest of Kin” and “Dry the River.”
The band name is taken from Maylene of the Ma Baker gang. Currently, the act is on hiatus after frontman Dallas Taylor (ex-Underoath) suffered serious injuries in an ATV accident in August 2016, though fill-in vocalists have played shows recently, including benefit concerts for Taylor.
5. Norma Jean
Norma Jean of Douglasville, Georgia, started out as a nu-metal band called Luti-Kriss in the late 1990s, but has since evolved into the top Southern Christian metalcore outfit out there. The lineup has completely changed since the band’s 1997 inception, but the act’s sound since 2005’s O God, the Aftermath has been loaded with chunky riffs and messages of faith.
Since that 2005 album, the band’s next four records, Redeemer (2006), The Anti Mother (2008), Meridional (2010) and Wrongdoers (2013), have placed at number one or number two on the charts. The most recent offering, Polar Similar (2016), is classic Norma Jean, with songs like “1,000,000 Watts” and “I. The Planet”
Norma Jean and He Is Legend will play the Marquis Theatre Wednesday, March 22, at 6 p.m. Capsize and Comrades will open. Tickets are $18-$20.
