So I've decided to do a series of threads over the next month dedicated to what I consider the 25 best active musical acts on the planet.

Note that this list will only include bands that are currently writing, recording and touring. So you won't see legends like Mercyful Fate, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd or Voivod on this list. You also won't see bands that are way past their prime [i.e. Slayer, Metallica, etc.]. Most [though not all] of these bands are fairly underground. And yes, this list is pretty much exclusively rock-oriented, so I don't want hip hop fans complaining.

Bands are ranked pretty arbitrarily, but I did weigh a number of factors, including the strength of each band's most recent output in comparison with their back catalog, the consistency of their discography as a whole, the quality of their live show, their inventiveness and their potential [or realized] impact on the music world in general.

Without further ado...

#25: Melt-Banana
Country of origin: Japan
Genre: Post-punk/noise rock
Years active: 15
Latest release: Bambi's Dilemma, 2007, A-Zap



Quite possibly the most kinetic band ever to exist, Melt-Banana is the pinnacle of evolution for the Japanese noise rock genre pioneered by the likes of The Boredoms and Fushìtsusha in the 1980s. Though they've certainly toned things down from the unfettered noise of their early records and developed a refined sense of groove and quality songwriting in recent years, they've maintained the hyperglycemic edge that once made a friend of mine remark that they "sound like a bunch of meth-fueled Japanese cheerleaders."
Between guitarist Agata's weird, caustic effects-laden riffs, the frantic drumming and Yasuko O's uh... unusual vocals [and often humorous Engrish lyrics], this is a band that is sure to make you bounce off walls.

Links:
All Music Guide profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

Good luck with this. It will take alot of writing.

I like the idea. It's definitely got me interested. Are you going to have a thread for each band or just use this thread as a list for all of them?

Not really...

I predict Blind Guardian, SGM, Deathspell (maybe) and possibly Porcupine Tree to be on this list as well.

#24: Agalloch
Country of origin: U.S.A. [Portland, Oregon]
Genre: Progressive/Folk-metal
Years active: 12
Latest release: Ashes Against the Grain, 2006, The End Records



Agalloch is a band that demonstrates just how much heart heavy metal can have. Since their 1999 debut album, Pale Folklore, the Oregon quartet have been crafting a unique brand of music, drawing as much inspiration from the progressive rock of Pink Floyd and Gentle Giant and the depressive shoegazer of The Cure and The Sisters of Mercy as the abrasive extreme metal of Bathory and early Katatonia. This is a band with a knack for taking the simplest of melodies and building them into expansive, sweeping epics.

Links:
Metal-Archives.com profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

F*ck yeah. Agalloch is definitely one of my favourite bands of all time. Great for when you're in a depressed mood and need some gloomy atmospheric music.

Now we all know The Rolling Stones are still touring...

This is a list of bands that are still in their prime.

The Rolling Stones sucked to begin with.

Agreed. Only song I can really stand by them that I have heard is Paint It Black, and sometimes You Can't Always Get What You Want... even then I try to avoid these songs, lol.

Aww, come on. They do have a bunch of over played pop rock songs, but I can't help but like "Beast of Burden" and "Miss You". If for nothing else, I respect them for the influence they've had on so many other bands I like.

#23: Enslaved
Country of origin: Norway
Genre: Progressive/Viking metal
Years active: 16
Latest release: RUUN, 2006, Candlelight Records



Enslaved is perhaps the last of the old-guard Norwegian elites that had their heyday in the early 1990s to still be putting out quality music. There have been plenty of changes in their approach, of course - having gone from the hypnotic Nordic hymns of Vikingligr Veldi and Frost to the acerbic, supercharged Voivod-style thrash of Mardraum to the more laid-back Pink Floyd-tinged progressive sound of Monumension and RUUN, Enslaved is a band that possesses the uncanny ability to remain consistently strong even as it reinvents itself. The band has endured several lineup changes in recent years, including the notable defections of guitarist Roy Kronheim and drummer Dirge Rep, but the enduring presence of mastermind guitarist Ivar Peersen and vocalist Grutle Kjellson ensures that the band is in no way ready to call it quits, or even slow down.

Links:
Metal-Archives.com profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

@foolmetal alchemist: You think the Stones aren't still in their prime? They may not be making new music, but they are selling out everywhere.

@'Carnal Malefactor & Slashrose1010: I pity you. To only like two of their songs when they are not even their best. Have you ever heard of "Sympathy for the the Devil", "Wild Horses", "Brown Sugar", "Ruby Tuesday", "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", "Satisfaction", "Start Me Up", "Angie", and so many others? This list is full of metal bands and you haven't even put five up yet. And I'm just going to take a guess that over half of them will have some sort of something-metal in their genre description.

No crap most are going to be metal related. It is his favourites list, and Bacon does listen to a heck of a lot of metal. I've heard Sympathy for the Devil. And personally, I like the GNR cover more.

If it is just going to be what he likes, why would it have a need to be a sticky topic?

It doesn't. Now stop spamming the topic.

The bands are bands that he likes, obviously, but they are picked out by their technical skill, creativity etc. If you don't like these various styles of music, then just don't listen to any of the bands he suggests are the best 25 current artists

#22: Alchemist
Country of origin: Australia
Genre: Psychedelic Metal
Years active: 20
Latest release: Tripsis, 2007, Relapse Records



Perpetually overlooked and unheralded by North American audiences, this Australian outfit has nonetheless been crafting some of the most unique and thought-provoking music in metal or any other genre for the duration of their career. Beginning with 1993's Jar of Kingdom, which almost resembled Mr. Bungle with its mixture of death metal, art-rock, surf music and various other oddities, through 1997's landmark Spiritech, which set the standard for heavy psychedelia to the new record Tripsis, which promises to expand the band's already impressive repetoire well beyond its earlier boundaries, Alchemist have remained on the cutting edge of their style longer than virtually any other band can claim.

Links:
Metal-Archives.com profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#21: Oxbow
Country of origin: United States [San Francisco, CA]
Genre: Art-rock
Years active: 19
Latest release: The Narcotic Story, 2007, Hydrahead Records



Oxbow makes some of the most visceral music in existence and have been doing so for nearly two decades. Drawing equal inspiration from the manic asylum punk of The Birthday Party and the soulful melodic sensibilities of Mississippi Delta blues, this is a band that seems entirely out of place in the balmy atmosphere of Northern California whence they hail. Between the squalid, claustrophobic sludge generated by guitarist Niko Wenner and bassist Dan Adams and the Possessed Baptist Preacher wails of vocalist Eugene Robinson, this quartet would probably be more at home in the oppressive, evil heat and humidity of a Bayou swamp. And yet for all the filth and despair that seems to drive this band, their music is remarkably tuneful and masterfully arranged - as much so on their frenetic early works [1992's King of the Jews and 1995's Let Me Be A Woman] as on the bloated drone of 2003's An Evil Heat and the more laid-back, Heroin-laced gloom of the recently-released Narcotic Story.

Links:
All Music Guide profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#20: The Lord Weird Slough-Feg
Country of origin: United States [San Francisco, CA]
Genre: Heavy metal
Years active: 16
Latest release: Hardworlder, 2007, Cruz Del Sur



What do you get when you combine a Ph.D in European Literature, a nerdly streak a mile wide and a shameless love for 70s and 80s heavy metal? You get The Lord Weird Slough-Feg. Originally formed by guitarist/vocalist Mike Scalzi in western Pennsylvania, the band soon relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, home to the country's most vibrant underground music scene. Slough-Feg's sound is deeply rooted in the traditional metal style of bands like Manilla Road and Thin Lizzy, as well as the more obscure Celtic rock of bands like Horslips, and yet it's completely unique and unlike anything else you'll hear in 2007.
The band's individualism stems primarily from Mike Scalzi's distinctive voice and his proclivity to write lyrics rife with esoteric literary references [case-in-point, the band's 2003 album Traveller was based entirely on a long-forgotten 1970s pen & paper RPG of the same name] In fact, the band's very name is derived from that of an obscure character in Celtic legend. But even if you can't bring yourself to appreciate the geekery in which Slough-Feg indulge, you're gonna find yourself banging your head to their metal anthems.

Links:
Metal-Archives.com profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

Slough-Feg is freakin krieg.

#19: Secret Chiefs 3
Country of origin: United States [San Francisco, CA]
Genre: Avantgarde
Years active: 13
Latest release: Book of Souls, Folio One, 2007, Mimicry Records



The brainchild of former Mr. Bungle guitarist/mad scientist Trey Spruance, Secret Chiefs 3 is music that often defies description. 95% instrumental and as diverse as the cultures of the world, this outfit draws inspiration from all corners of the globe and translates it into truly unique amalgamations of sound. At any point on any album, SC3 can incorporate surf rock, Occidental/Oriental/Arabic/Persian traditional music, electronica, or even grindcore and make these utterly divergent sounds blend seamlessly into dazzling and provocative soundscapes. This is a band that's as unpredictable as it is ingenious.

Links:
All Music Guide profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

You may want to postpone this till September. Witchcraft is due for another album >_>

what? Me care? lulz.
no.

Too bad. Witchcraft > Slough Feg more often than not.

Shut up.

#18: Pharaoh
Country of origin: United States [Philadelphia, PA]
Genre: Heavy metal
Years active: 9
Latest release: The Longest Night, 2005, Cruz Del Sur



Much like labelmates Slough-Feg, Pharaoh is a band that seeks to recapture the glory days of traditional heavy metal. Drawing inspiration from the golden age of Iron Maiden, Rage, Dio, Jag Panzer, this quartet is, unlike most of the bands on this list, utterly unconcerned with reinventing the wheel. So for me to put them here, they have to be RRRRRREAAAAALLY good at what they do. And when you hear songs like "Sunrise", "Like A Ghost", "After the Fire" and "Up the Gates", you'll know just how good at it they are. Anachronistic though they are, Pharaoh is entirely sincere and genuine in their songcraft, unlike certain poseur bands that have gained popularity in recent years, who shall go nameless. The members of this band are all veterans of the metal scene who witnessed it in full force in the mid-to-late 80s and suffered its fall to obscurity in the 90s. They've taken that experience and wisdom and parlayed it into some incredible, anthemic tracks that demand attention.

Links:
Metal-Archives.com profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

Pharaoh is pretty kickarse. Fighting and By the Night Sky are great songs as well They have really catchy songs, even though I really do hate 99% of traditional heavy metal. They add a lot of melodic almost power metal elements which makes it even better. Only thing I can really complain about is Tim Aymar's vocals. He can sing, but it's just his voice. They'd sound twice as good with a different voice, imo. Can't wait for their new album, though. It oughtta be tight.

#17: Blackfield
Country of origin: U.K./Israel
Genre: Traditional rock
Years active: 6
Latest release: Blackfield II, 2007, Snapper



It's rare for the side project of two established rock artists, created for the purpose of bringing back the lost art of great rock songwriting turns out to be anything worth writing home about. More often than not, it's complete crap, to be frank. But in the case of Blackfield, the collaboration of Porcupine Tree mainman Steven Wilson and Israeli rock icon Aviv Geffen, the side project not only resulted in quality material, but actually comes off better than the main bands of each man. Blackfield accomplishes this by harnessing the kind of memorable, heartfelt melodies that made rock music take off in the 60s and turning them into youth anthems for the new milennium. This is a band that's both accessible and intelligent - a rare combination in today's world.

Links:
AMG profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

Whoa there... that bolded statement is a lil much don't you think? I am not sure about Aviv, but I'd take PT over Blackfield any day. I thought a few songs off their first album was good, and their second album was great, but PT has some pretty creative music that touches on many styles.

Well... speaking in terms of averages.

I think I left the word 'frequently' out of thats entence. ;;

#16: Negură Bunget
Country of origin: Romania
Genre: Black/Pagan Metal
Years active: 12
Latest release: OM, 2006, Code666



Powerful, dynamic, evocative and inspirational. Adjectives one doesn't often associate with black metal, but with their fourth and latest full-length, OM, Romania's Negură Bunget have managed to capture the indescribable splendor of the Carpathian mountains in musical form, seamlessly blending influence from classic black metal such as early 90s Bathory, Emperor and Enslaved, progressive flourishes and the ancient folk music of their native land into a sound like no other. Even a cursory listen to the opening track "Tesarul De Lumini" is enough to send the listener into a euphoric, trance-like state. But when one truly commits himself to the music, so much more is revealed. With the way the song's simple-yet-majestic lead guitar melodies and folk instrument overlays deftly weave intricately textured soundscapes over the hypnotic rhythmic foundation, listening to it is almost like watching the universe be born anew. And the album doesn't cease to impress with just the one track - it keeps you captivated for all 50+ minutes.
Negură Bunget is truly a band of uncommon artistic vision. Especially in a genre often bereft of it.

Links:
Metal-Archives.com profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#15: Kayo Dot
Country of origin: United States [Boston, MA]
Genre: Avantgarde/Neoclassical rock
Years active: 4
Latest release: Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue, 2006, Robotic Empire



Created from the remnants of fabled progressive metal act Maudlin of the Well, Kayo Dot is a band that exists on a number of artistic fringes. Straddling genres from neoclassical to sludge metal and encompassing all that lies in between, this Boston-based ensemble have carved out a truly unique legacy for themselves with only two albums under their belt and untold upside remaining. Everything about this band, from the Classical-style linear arrangements, to the unconventional instrumentation, to the Jeff-Buckley-on-bad-acid vocals, to the twisted rhythmic structures simply demands attention in a music scene saturated with also-rans.

And on a personal note, this band holds a special place in my heart, not only because they're one of less than a handful of Boston bands that I can truly be proud of, but also because former guitarist Greg Massi recently joined my band Zealotry.

Links:
All Music Guide profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#14: Root
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Genre: Black Metal
Years active: 20
Latest release: Daemon Viam Invenient, 2007, Shindy Productions



Though nominally a black metal band, Root truly belong in a genre of their own. Formed in 1987, the band has made a gradual departure from the traditional bm sound of their early days a style entirely their own, combining a progressive yet catchy approach to riffing, varied song structures and the truly unique vocals of Big Boss, who is almost an antimatter twin to the legendary King Diamond. Big Boss' massive baritone singing lends an atmosphere to the band that does justice to their occultic proclivities in a way vere few of their peers can claim.

Links:
Metal-Archives.com profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#13: Nevermore
Country of origin: U.S.A. [Seattle, WA]
Genre: Heavy metal
Years active: 15
Latest release: This Godless Endeavor, 2005, Century Media



One of the more well-known acts on this list, Nevermore is a band that's often been credited with putting the 'heavy' back in heavy metal. And it's easy to hear why. With the kind of punishing, downtuned riffs guitarist Jeff Loomis routinely cranks out, it would be easy to mistake Nevermore for a death metal band... if it weren't for the brilliant, unique vocal stylings of Warrel Dane [formerly of Sanctuary]. Dane's emotive singing is what truly puts Nevermore above virtually all of their contemporaries, allowing them to run the gamut of sentiment - from unrestrained anger to sorrowful introspection. And with their 6th album, This Godless Endeavor having been their deepest, most varied record yet, these veterans show no signs of slowing down

Links:
Metal-Archives.com profile
Official Site
unOfficial MySpace page

Heavy metal? That is a little loose... anyway, I think this is definitely one of the best currently active bands as well. Nevermore has great range in style which is one of their strong points. Not only do they have great metal songs, their rock ballads are superb.

#12: Red Sparowes
Country of origin: U.S.A. [Los Angeles, CA]
Genre: Instrumental/Post-rock
Years active: 4
Latest release: Every Red Heart Shines Towards The Red Sun, 2006, Neurot Recordings



Red Sparowes, featuring current and former members of Neurosis, Isis and Halifax Pier, is a band that embodies the essence of musical artistry. Expression without words; emotion without clichés. This quintet has thus far released two full-length albums, both conceptual in nature, comprised of lengthy instrumental tracks, rife with elaborate harmonic textures, beautifully composed and arranged. The sound is fantastically expressive - practically cinematic in its scope and depth. Each track is remarkably ambitious and for some may seem inaccessible at first listen, but once you come to understand not only what notes this band plays but why it plays them, you can't help but become enthralled.

Links:
All Music Guide profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#11: Primordial
Country of origin: Ireland
Genre: Celtic Metal
Years active: 20
Latest release: The Gathering Wilderness, 2005, Metal Blade



There may not be a band in the world as attuned to its native culture as Primordial. The Dublin-based quintet has, for two decades now, been crafting a trademark brand of dark metal infused with the spirit of old-world Hibernia, which presents itself in both the band's Folk-laden riffage and A.A. Nemtheanga's absolutely brilliant lyrics. Songs like "The Coffin Ships" [a tribute to the victims of the great Potato Famine], "A Journey's End", "Fallen To Ruin" and "The Burning Season" exemplify the band's sincerity and devotion to both metal and Eire, which are punctuated by Nemtheanga's powerful and dynamic singing. This is a band that can single-handedly obliterate whatever stereotypes one may believe about their genre.

Links:
Metal-Archives profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#10: Tool
Country of origin: United States [Los Angeles, CA]
Genre: Progressive/psychedelic rock
Years active: 17
Latest release: 10,000 Days, 2006, Volcano



No introduction necessary here. Tool have, for a decade and a half, been one of the very few purveyors of genuinely intriguing music in mainstream rock. Today, they remain perhaps the only band that routinely goes platinum while maintaining serious artistic license and challenging musical convention.

Links:
AMG profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#9: Sigh
Country of origin: Japan
Genre: Symphonic/Thrash metal
Years active: 17
Latest release: Hangman's Hymn, 2007, The End Records



Hailing from the land of the Rising Sun, where old-world tradition can be found in full force, side-by-side with some of the most unusual elements of post-modern society, Sigh is a band that embodies this harmony of contrast by merging the conventional with the bizarre and often reaching across centuries to do so. At its core, Sigh is firmly rooted in the thrash metal that dominated the 80s - the riffing style of guitarist Shinichi Ishikawa is very much inspired by the likes of Slayer, Kreator and Venom - simple, but effective, and remarkably catchy. But Sigh is definitely not your run-of-the-mill thrash band. They have as much in common Beethoven as they are Bathory, overlaying their metal foundation with a whirlwind of symphonic instrumentation and incorporating complex melodies and arrangements into their sound seamlessly, as well as a wide variety of other styles - from jazz, psychedelica, to traditional Japanese music, to bluegrass[!]. And it never sounds contrived.

Links:
Metal-Archives profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

It's a sticky topic because it wouldn't stand on its own otherwise. basically it would dissappear into the void of the forum if Bacon didn't keep posting to it himself and sticky it

...moving on...

#8: The Angels of Light
Country of origin: United States [New York, NY]
Genre: Neo-folk
Years active: 9
Latest release: We Are Him, 2007, Young God



Few venerated artists have aged as gracefully as Michael Gira. Even fewer have managed to do so while reinventing themselves entirely. Formed immediately following the dissolution of iconic post-punk act SWANS in 1998, The Angels of Light tread a wholly different path, crafting songs built on a foundation of mellifluous acoustics that are just as apt to be soothing and hypnotic as brooding and disturbing. Gira's lyrics and voice are like Johnny Cash for a world that's fully aware of its own mortality and insanity - grim and psychosexual, but not without an understated sense of humor and an intriguing spiritual candor. The Angels of Light is what happens when one decides to rebel against the insipidness of sex, drugs and Rock 'n' Roll.

Links:
AMG profile
Official Site [@ Young God Records]
Official MySpace page

#7: ANATA
Country of origin: Sweden
Genre: Death Metal
Years active: 14
Latest release: The Conductor's Departure, 2006, Wicked World



Anata is a true rarity - a death metal band whose foremost concern is writing songs, rather than writing death metal songs. Since their 1998 debut album, The Infernal Depths of Hatred, the Varberg quartet has been at the forefront of creativity in their genre, refusing to confine themselves to one formula and one stylistic niche in order to win over a stoic fan base reluctant to accept change. The band instead takes every opportunity to explore different paths that their style can take in the process of creating an individual song. In doing so, they have earned a reputation for not only innovation, but also mastery. No matter what approach they take with a specific song - be it the straightforward crunch of "Released When You're Dead", the crushing bulldozer doom of "I Would Dream Of Blood", the indie-laced abrasiveness of "The Great Juggler", the epic riff-o-rama of "Better Grieved Than Fooled", or the mind-bending harmonic polyphony of "Under the Debris", Anata does it with remarkable proficiency and an exuberance that a majority of their contemporaries seem to lack.

Links:
Metal-Archives profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

#6: Opeth
Country of origin: Sweden
Genre: Progressive
Years active: 17
Latest release: Ghost Reveries, 2005, Roadrunner Records



Easily one of the most controversial metal bands of the last two decades, Opeth is a band that's despised by almost as many people as they are worshipped. But nobody can argue that they're not unique and groundbreaking, blending 70s progressive rock with extreme metal is hardly an easy task, but this Swedish band has been doing it for a long time and doing it well with remarkable consistency. Their lengthy, multi-faceted compositions are full of memorable melodies and heavily layered harmonics that push the envelope of metallic ingenuity.

Links:
Metal-Archives profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

I don't see how people can dislike this band so much. Their music is so atmospheric and unique. Great stuff.

#5: Hammers of Misfortune
Country of origin: United States [San Francisco, CA]
Genre: Heavy Metal/anthemic rock
Years active: 7
Latest release: The Locust Years, 2006, Cruz Del Sur Music



Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area - the hotbed of American metal talent in the 1980s - epic metal quintet Hammers of Misfortune does a phenomenal job of recapturing that same power, personality and enthusiasm that characterized the speed metal scene of that now-bygone era, without resorting to any sort of cheap nostalgia.

Links:
Metal-Archives profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page
interview

#4: Porcupine Tree
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Genre: Art-rock/Post-rock
Years active: 16
Latest release: Fear of a Blank Planet, 2007, Atlantic



In their own words: Frontman Steven Wilson on the genesis and evolution of Porcupine Tree


Links:
AMG profile
Official Site
Official MySpace page

W00t! I love Steve Wilson XP