The Best Heavy Metal Bands Of 2023

Jared Baly
Updated August 16, 2023 4.8K votes 611 voters
Over 600 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Heavy Metal Bands Of 2023

From trailblazing German supergroups Rammstein and Scorpions to the legendary metal-heads Lamb of God and Megadeth, 2023's top heavy metal bands are back (and here to stay) with electrifying new music across every metal sub-genre (including nu metal, metalcore, avant-garde metal, doom metal, gothic metal, power metal, Celtic metal, and melodic death metal). Porcupine Tree triumphantly returns to the forefront of the progressive metal scene after their decade-long hiatus, riding high since the release of their powerful eleventh studio album Closure/Continuation; and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ozzy Osbourne maintains both his “Prince of Darkness” nickname and GOAT status in his mid-70s. Zeal & Ardor continue to disrupt the avant-garde metal world while defying industry stereotypes through their innovative fusion of black metal with African-American spirituals; and English hard rock duo the Nova Twins fearlessly shatter glass ceilings as a black female-led metal duo, fiercely fighting for social justice across their latest projects. 

Which trending heavy metal groups are you most excited to see live, and whose records are you currently listening to? Vote below for the best heavy metal bands of 2023, and be sure to also check out this year's top new heavy metal songs afterwards.

Most divisive: Meshuggah
Ranked by
  • Slipknot
    1

    Slipknot

    415 votes
    Slipknot are an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, drummer Joey Jordison and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Jordison, Gray, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Gray died on May 24, 2010, and was replaced during 2011–2014 by guitarist Donnie Steele. Jordison was dismissed from the band on December 12, 2013. Steele left during the recording sessions for .5: The Gray Chapter. The band found replacements in Alessandro Venturella on bass and Jay Weinberg on drums. After the departure of Jordison, as of December 2013 the only founding member in the current lineup is percussionist Crahan. Fehn was also dismissed from the band in March 2019 prior to the writing of We Are Not Your Kind. The band has sold 30 million records worldwide.
  • Gojira
    2

    Gojira

    345 votes
    Gojira are a French heavy metal band from Ondres. Founded as Godzilla in 1996, the band's lineup—brothers Joe (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Mario Duplantier (drums), Christian Andreu (lead guitar), and Jean-Michel Labadie (bass)—has been the same since the band changed its name to Gojira in 2001. Gojira has been known for their progressive and technical death metal styles and their spiritual and environmentally-themed lyrics. The band has gone "from the utmost obscurity during the first half of their career to widespread global recognition in the second". Gojira's first two albums, Terra Incognita (2001) and The Link (2003), and powerful live performances established their reputation as a leading French metal band. Maciste All'Inferno was a silent film score composed and performed for a one-night show in Bordeaux. Their third album, the critically acclaimed From Mars to Sirius (2005) was covered in the British metal press. The band then signed with Prosthetic Records.
  • Korn
    3

    Korn

    310 votes
    Korn (stylized as KoЯn) are an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 by three members of the band L.A.P.D., Korn's current lineup features founding members James "Munky" Shaffer (rhythm guitar), Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu (bass), Brian "Head" Welch (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Jonathan Davis (lead vocals, bagpipes), with the addition of Ray Luzier (drums) in 2007, replacing the band's first drummer, David Silveria. Korn made a demo tape, Neidermayer's Mind, in 1993, which was distributed free to record companies and on request to members of the public. Their debut album, Korn, was released in 1994, followed by Life Is Peachy (1996). The band first experienced mainstream success with Follow the Leader (1998) and Issues (1999), both of which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The band's mainstream success continued with more LPs.
  • Lamb of God
    4

    Lamb of God

    306 votes
    Lamb of God known professionally as Lamb of God, is an American heavy metal band formed in 1994 in Richmond, Virginia. Originally formed as Burn the Priest, the group consists of bassist John Campbell, vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, and drummer Art Cruz. The band is considered a significant member of the new wave of the American heavy metal movement. The band's cumulative sales equal almost two million in the United States, including two albums certified Gold by the RIAA. In 2010 and 2011 the band received Grammy nominations for songs from their 2009 album Wrath. The band's ninth studio album, Omens, was released on October 7, 2022.
  • Rammstein
    5

    Rammstein

    398 votes
    Rammstein are a German Neue Deutsche Härte band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, drummer Christoph Schneider, and keyboardist Christian "Flake" Lorenz—has remained unchanged throughout their history, along with their approach to songwriting, which consists of Lindemann writing and singing the lyrics over instrumental pieces the rest of the band have completed beforehand. Prior to their formation, some members were associated with the punk rock acts Feeling B and First Arsch. After winning a local contest, Rammstein were able to record demos and send them to different record labels, eventually signing with Motor Music. Working with producer Jacob Hellner, they released their debut album Herzeleid in 1995. Though the album initially sold poorly, the band gained popularity through their live performances and the album eventually reached #6 in Germany.
  • Megadeth
    6

    Megadeth

    348 votes
    Megadeth is an American thrash metal band from Los Angeles, California. The group was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine's dismissal from Metallica. A pioneer of the American thrash metal scene, the band is credited as one of the genre's "big four" with Anthrax, Metallica and Slayer, responsible for thrash metal's development and popularization. Megadeth plays in a technical style, featuring fast rhythm sections and complex arrangements; themes of death, war, politics and religion are prominent in the group's lyrics. In 1985, the band released its debut album on the independent label Combat Records. The album's moderate commercial success caught the attention of bigger labels, which led to Megadeth signing with Capitol Records. Their first major-label album, Peace Sells... but Who's Buying?, was released in 1986 and influenced the underground metal scene. Despite its prominence in thrash metal, frequent disputes between its members and substance abuse issues brought Megadeth negative publicity during this period.