5 2000s Metalcore Bands That Should've Been Bigger

Our list of five 2000s metalcore bands that should've been bigger is by no means exhaustive, but they're all essential listening for fans of the genre.

After taking the underground by storm in the '90s, metalcore exploded in popularity in the 2000s. Bands such as Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red and Underoath enjoyed huge commercial success with albums that blended bludgeoning breakdowns and larynx-shredding screams with soaring melodies and clean singing.

Yet for every metalcore band that pierced the mainstream with Top 10 albums and sold-out tours, several more fell by the wayside.

READ MORE: The Best Album From 11 Legendary Metalcore Bands

It's not a great mystery why some of these metalcore bands flew under the radar. A combination of intraband dysfunction, minimal financial support and, frankly, abrasive and inaccessible music prevented many of these acts from reaching the larger audience they deserved. Just because the 2000s metalcore forerunners cracked the code for brawny-yet-accessible music didn't mean all of their peers were willing to operate out of the same playbook.

As the 2010s approached, some of the bands on this list broke up, some due to creative differences and others frustrated by a lack of success. Others went on extended hiatuses, emerging in recent years to take another shot at glory (or at least to embark on fairly well-attended club tours). Some have largely stayed the course for decades, cultivating a respectable cult fan base even as mainstream success eluded them.

One thing that's consistent among the bands on this list is that they'll always have fans singing their praises, be it in metalcore subreddits or the comment sections of grainy old YouTube videos. They might not have reached dizzying commercial heights, but their music continues to resonate with fans nonetheless.

Read on to see five 2000s metalcore bands that should've been bigger.