10 Bands From the Nu-Metal/Post-Grunge Era That Didn't Suck.

The late 90's and early 00's were a dark time for modern rock. The Strokes were still a few years away from ushering shaggy haircuts, skinny ties and tight pants back into style. Alternative rock became a haven for dudes in footbal jersey yelling things over muddy, thudding guitar riffs.
However, things weren't all bad. As with any musical trend, a few good acts do emerge from the crud. So, here's a list of 10 bands who came to prominence during the nu-metal era who actually didn't suck. I'm also including a little update about the current status of these bands.

10. Orgy

Orgy earned their nu-metal tag by touring with bands like Korn. However, they really had more in common with Nine Inch Nails and Marylin Manson. Their debut album "Candyass" had plenty of crunchy riffs with vocals that were more groaned and shouted than sung. But Orgy had a distinct pop sensibility that would come out in their far superior second album "Vapor Transmission". For a while it seemed Orgy was going to take over the world. But the bubble burst when they released their third album "Punk Statick Paranoia". Feeling pressure to compete with the multi-platinum success of bands like Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock, Orgy tooled around with rapped vocals and other nu-metal trappings. It wasn't a good fit for the band, and they subsequently went on a seemingly permanent hiatus.

Where are they now?:
Guitarists Ryan Shuck and Amir Dekah formed Julien-K, who released their debut album, "Death to Analog" in 2009. It's more or less a continuation of Orgy's "death-pop" sound, but with even more emphasis on electronics and pop hooks. Singer Jay Gordon has been largely absent from the music world, although he briefly surfaced to perform Orgy's cover of "Blue Monday" with Shuck and Dekah at a Julien-K show. There have been rumblings about a reunion of the band, but nothing has been announced.

9. A Perfect Circle

Formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan, APC was a more melodic and dynamic alternative to the sometimes dirge-like sound of Tool. The band's debut "Mer De Noms" was highly praised and sold like hotcakes. Unfortunately, several member shakeups and Maynard's much-talked-about distaste for fame and recognition may have held the band back from the powerhouse they could have been. The band went on hiatus in 2004.

Where are they now?:
A new album is in the works as we speak. Tool has been on a long hiatus and Keenan's Puscifer project seems to be on the back burner, so another great album may be coming soon.

8. Papa Roach

Papa Roach pulled off something very few bands ever succeed at: A stylistic 180. In 2000 Papa Roach debuted as rap-metal thugs with a pop sensibility. They began to pull away from their parent genre on "loveHateTragedy", their second album, but it wasn't until 2003's "Getting Away With Murder" that the band truly transformed. Adopting the look of the burgeoning goth-pop-punk scene, Papa Roach was reborn as a pop-metal band.

Where are they now?
The band is still making albums and touring. They've retained their popularity despite their dramatic makeover. And their music continues to be catchy and FUN, which is almost never something you'd associate with nu-metal bands.

7. Korn


Korn more or less invented nu-metal. And in their early years, they were one of the more innovative and strange groups in the genre. Much of their strangeness came from frontman Jonathan Davis, who while not really a great singer, was able to do some bizarre things with his voice that made his singing instantly recognizable. The band enjoyed commercial success for many years, but eventually, changing tastes pushed them out of favor and an increasingly dangerous amount of drug consumption nearly destroyed the band.

Where are they now?
Still making music for some reason, despite dismal sales and the loss of bassist Brian "Head" Welsh to Christianity.

6. Powerman 5000

PM5K was one of the earliest nu-metal bands and one of several influenced by industrial rock. Helmed by Spider One, also known as Rob Zombie's little brother, Powerman 5000 made big, dumb electro-metal that was always more silly than sinister. This wasn't a problem for the band, who never took themselves very seriously, as evidenced by their space-suit costumes and goofy B-movie inspired videos. The band's popularity waned, and they eventually dialed back the electronics in favor of a more radio-rock sound. Sadly, rock radio had moved on.

Where are they now?
The band is still making new music and touring. They've gone back to their electro-rock roots and seem due for a comeback.

5. Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie had been pretty famous for a while when nu-metal first reared it's head. His band, White Zombie is often sited as one of the founding fathers of the genre. Still, when Zombie struck out on his own in 1998 With "Hellbilly Deluxe", few could have predicted the blockbuster success it would become. Rob Zombie became the music of choice for angry jocks and alienated goth-metal kids alike. With a mix of southern rock swagger, industrial beats and pure, concentrated evil, Zombie was everywhere for a while.

Where is he now?
Zombie has had a fairly successful foray into film-making with "House of 1,000 Corpses" and "The Devils Rejects". Less successful? His recent albums. Still, there are many devoted fans awaiting his next release, and many new fans awaiting his next film.

4. System of a Down

SOAD never really fit in with the nu-metal scene. They had far more progressive structures, they were political, they were Armenian. Nevertheless, they were embraced by nu-metal mooks with open arms, and sales of their landmark album "ToxiCity" pushed them into rock-stardom and allowed them to do whatever they wanted. The band matured and grew into a truly unique act that transcended it's origins as mosh-pit fodder. Fusing elements of Goth, Punk, Thrash, Prog and traditional Armenian music the band created a sound that has yet to be duplicated.


Where are they now?
After releasing the critically lauded double album "Mesmerize/Hypnotize" in 2006, the band went on indefinite hiatus. Singer Serge Tankian released a solo album in 2007.

3. Marilyn Manson


Although technically a forerunner to nu-metal, Manson CD's were prominently featured in most mooks' collections. A protege of NIN's Trent Reznor, Manson became a huge success with a shocking image and songs that sounded like they were written by Satan's scrawny kid brother. His landmark album, "Antichrist Superstar" is a bona-fide post-grunge classic.


Where is he now?
Manson continues to release albums, most of which perform reasonably well. However, these days he has become a caricature of himself, and his increasingly desperate attempts at remaining relevant have been embarrassing. Fans still hold out hope for another "Superstar", but I wouldn't hold my breath.

2. Rage Against The Machine

Another forerunner of rap-metal, Rage was one of the few groups to truly pull off the combination. It helped that frontman Zach De la Rocha was a gifted wordsmith and a talented MC. Also helpful was guitarist Tom Morello, who's inimitable guitar work provided Rage Against the Machine with a slew of memorably off-kilter guitar riffs. The band released hit album after hit album, gaining a huge following and making boatloads of cash, all while railing against capitalism and corporations. Their politics may have been questionable, but none doubted their ability to ROCK!


Where are they now?
The band reformed to play a protest show during the Republican National Convention in 2007 after a 7 year hiatus. However, no plans have been made for a new album or tour. Morello and De La Rochaha both have side projects putting out material.

1. Deftones

If there is a more artistically credible and long-lived band to emerge from the nu-metal movement than the Deftones, I've never heard of them. The band struck a chord with Chino Moreno's strange lyrics and dreamy singing, which stood in stark contrast to the heavy yet melodic music created by the band. The band survived the nu-metal scene and quickly found acceptance among punk and metalcore bands and fans alike. "White Pony", the band's third album is still seen as one of the most artful and innovative albums of the 00 decade.

Where are they now?
Bassist Chi-Cheng was injured in a car accident in 2007, that has left him in a minimally conscious state for the last 3 years, with possible permanent damage to his brain. The band has continued on without him, recently releasing "Diamond Eyes", which I highly recommend picking up a copy of. Seriosuly, get on iTunes right now.