Halestorm

Siblings Elizabeth and Arejay Hale, the core members of the hard rock band Halestorm, began the group in late 1997 near York, PA, with Arejay on drums and Elizabeth on vocals and keyboard. Wanting to expand their sound, the duo invited their father, Roger, to play bass for Halestorm. Soon after their first professional gig in 1998, at the Blue Mountain Coffee House in Hershey, PA, the band added various guitar players and released an album, 2000's (Don't Mess with The) Time Man. More lineup changes occurred, but Halestorm finally solidified with Elizabeth (who was by then going by Lzzy) on vocals and guitar, Josh Smith on bass, Arejay on drums, and Joe Hottinger on guitar. The band caught the attention of producer David Ivory as well as Atlantic Records, both of whom were involved in the band's major-label debut, One and Done, the five-song EP recorded live at a show in Philadelphia.

Madina Lake

Fusing the forceful guitars of heavy metal with crisp harmonies, electronic accents, and the melodic conceits of indie rock, Madina Lake is a conceptually ambitious group whose songs tell the stories of the imaginary community of Madina Lake, a secluded hamlet in the woods where life is much as it was in the 1950s. However, beneath the town's peaceful façade lurks a disturbing undertow that reflects the most destructive aspects of American culture, which manifest themselves in strange and unexpected ways.

Kopek

An aggressive hard rock trio from Dublin, Kopek formed in 2002 and began touring later that year. Drummer Shane Cooney and bassist Brad Kinsella had grown up next to each other in Ireland, eventually crossing paths with vocalist Daniel Jordan when he answered their ad in a musician's magazine. With their lineup cemented, Kopek began taking part in several local “battle of the bands” contests, often taking top honors and reaping the benefits. Such benefits included new equipment, studio time, and tour money, the combination of which allowed Kopek to spend the better part of a decade on the road. In 2009, Kopek signed a multi-album deal with Religion, a Dublin-based record company. The band’s first album for the label, White Collar Lies, was released one year later.

Black Label Society

After falling out with mentor Ozzy Osbourne following the recording sessions for 1995's Ozzmosis, guitarist Zakk Wylde struck out on his own with his first solo album, Book of Shadows, in 1996. When it failed to score any mainstream success, the six-stringer took an extended break before resurfacing with a new album and band called Black Label Society in 1999, featuring Wylde on vocals, guitar, and bass and drummer Phil Ondich.

Switchfoot

Originally called Chin Up, the alternative pop/rock outfit Switchfoot was formed in 1996 in San Diego, CA. Singer/guitarist Jonathan Foreman, bassist Tim Foreman, and drummer Chad Butler had only played several shows before adopting the Switchfoot moniker (taken from a surfing term) and partnering themselves with Charlie Peacock, an influential label executive who sought to promote Christian music to mainstream pop markets. After signing with Peacock's own label (re:think) in 1997, Switchfoot recorded and released their debut LP, The Legend of Chin.

Quietdrive

The Minneapolis, MN-based quintet Quietdrive formed in 2003 when friends Brandon Lanier (drums), Droo Hastings (bass), and Justin Bonhiver (guitar) heard some MP3s posted online by singer Kevin Truckenmiller and contacted him about starting a band. Truckenmiller agreed, bringing in college friend Matt Kirby (guitar, vocals) to complete the group. Quietdrive then spent the next year and a half touring around the Midwest, gaining attention both from their live show and their MySpace site. Shortly after signing to Epic in late 2004, Quietdrive changed their name to "Sneaker 2 Bomb," but recanted the decision before their debut album, When All That's Left Is You, was released in 2006.

Joshua Radin

Though Joshua Radin enjoyed singing during his childhood, the Cleveland native never intended to be a professional musician. Instead, he studied drawing and painting at Northwestern University, following his college years with stints as an art teacher, screenwriter, and art gallery employee. Eventually, Radin took a stab at songwriting and played one of his earliest compositions, "Winter," for his friend Zach Braff.

Shihad

The origins of the New Zealand-based speed metal band Shihad date back to 1985, when guitarist Jon Toogood and drummer Tom Larkin formed their first group, Exit, while attending high school in the Wellington area. Various other aspiring musicians came and went, but by the middle of 1988, with the addition of guitarist Phil Knight and bassist Geoff Duncan and a change to the name Shihad, the group was ready to begin playing live.

Cavo

Cavo's four members -- frontman Casey Walker, guitarist Chris Hobbs, drummer Chad La Roy, and bassist Brian Smith -- champion a mix of hard rock muscle and alt-pop melodies. The latter three members formed the group in March 2001, and a series of setbacks (including one bandmate's disintegrating marriage and another's alcohol problem) helped fuel The Painful Art of Letting Go. The album marked Cavo's independent debut upon its release in 2006; moreover, it led to shows alongside the likes of Staind, and the mounting buzz helped bring Cavo to the attention of Reprise Records. After signing a contract with the label in 2008, the band retreated to the studio to record Bright Nights Dark Days, which was released the following year.

Eve 6

Eve 6 was a youthful punk-pop trio that scored three Top 40 singles (as well as eight modern rock hits) during the late '90s and early 2000s. The band's two founders, guitarist Jon Siebels and bassist/vocalist Max Collins, signed a contract with RCA Records while still attending high school in La Crescenta, a neighborhood in northern Los Angeles. Originally called Eleventeen, the bandmates took three long years -- during which time they added a new drummer, Tony Fagenson -- to prep their debut album. The delay was intentional, as RCA Records had demanded the boys graduate from high school before releasing any material.

Atom Smash

Florida-post grunge outfit Atom Smash play emotionally charged hard rock centered around the lead vocals of Sergio Sanchez. In 2006, Sanchez and songwriter/producer Paul Trust began working together on material. Two years later, they had added Austrian-born guitarist Alex "Z" Zilinksi and drummer Mark "Taco" Annino. Bassist Arnold Nese and guitarist Luke Rice followed suit and Atom Smash spent the better part of 2009 touring and playing over 200 live shows. The band eventually signed with Jive and released its debut album, Love Is in the Missile in August of 2010.

A Day to Remember

A Day to Remember were formed in 2003 and mix emo, hardcore, and metal into a blend affectionately referred to by their fans as "pop mosh." Hailing from Ocala, FL, vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, guitarists Neil Westfall and Tom Denney, bassist Joshua Woodard, and drummer Bobby Scruggs financed their first EP themselves, then signed with Indianola Records for the release of their full-length And Their Name Was Treason in spring 2005. The record went on to sell over 8,000 copies through word of mouth alone, and a year later the guys were signed to Chicago powerhouse Victory Records. Work quickly began on their label debut; For Those Who Have Heart appeared in January 2007, featuring new drummer Alex Shelnutt. Homesick, the band's sophomore release, arrived in October 2009. After Homesick, Tom Denney left the band (although he remained a part of the writing process) while Kevin Skaff (from Four Letter Lie) assumed the guitar duties. The group's fourth studio album, What Separates Me from You, was released the following year.

My Chemical Romance

With their emo-punk songwriting, theatrical vocals, and neo-goth appearance, My Chemical Romance rose from the East coast underground to the forefront of modern rock during the early 2000s. In keeping with the tragic element of the group's best-known singles -- including "Helena," "I'm Not OK (I Promise)," and "Welcome to the Black Parade" -- My Chemical Romance has roots in catastrophe, as frontman Gerard Way decided to form the band after watching the World Trade Center collapse on September 11, 2001. Drummer Matt Pelissier joined one week later, guitarist Ray Toro climbed aboard soon after, and the quintet's ranks solidified with the addition of bassist Mikey Way (Gerard's younger brother) and guitarist Frank Iero. With their lineup in place, the bandmates began touring and making plans for an album. My Chemical Romance's debut, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, appeared in 2002 courtesy of New York's Eyeball Records.

Sick Puppies

With a name like Sick Puppies, you wouldn't think hugs would play a major role in the gutsy indie crew's rise to fame, but they do, along with malls and the video-sharing site YouTube. When they met in 1997, singer/lead guitarist Shimon Moore and bassist Emma Anzai were both fans of Silverchair and the Living End plus many of the other angst rock/punk rock bands from their native Australia. Soon Chris Mileski joined on drums and a series of live gigs led to some local recognition and the 1999 EP Dog's Breakfast. Two years later, their song "Nothing Really Matters" won the Unearthed competition, which Australia's Triple J radio network held to find homegrown and undiscovered talent. Tours across the country followed and an unreleased and aggressive cover version of Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" was soon burning up P2P networks, but when the bandmembers set their sights on America they took a break to plan.

Apocalyptica

The Helsinki, Finland quartet Apocalyptica were initially comprised of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Max Lilja, Antero Manninen, and Paavo Lotjonen; formed in 1993, the group made waves internationally in 1996 with Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, which combined their formal background with their love of heavy metal. The album found favor with both classical buffs and metalheads alike, and two years later Apocalyptica resurfaced with Inquisition Symphony, which featured covers of material by Faith No More and Pantera. Manninen soon left the band and was replaced by Perttu Kivilaanso. They added double bass and percussion to the mix for 2001's Cult, a collection of all-original material, and again on 2003's Reflections, which featured guest drummer Dave Lombardo from Slayer.

Finger Eleven

The members of alternative metal outfit Finger Eleven grew up in Burlington, Ontario, and came together in high school as a funk-styled band named Rainbow Butt Monkeys. Originally comprised of vocalist Scott Anderson, bassist Sean Anderson, drummer Rob Gommerman, and James Black and Rick Jackett on guitars, they won a rock band search contest on local radio and used the prize money to record their first album, 1995's Letters from Chutney. Gommerman left the band soon after, making way for drummer Rich Beddoe. Now named Finger Eleven, the quintet released Tip on Mercury Records in Canada, which marked the band's turn to a heavier sound. It was re-released by the New York City-based label Wind-Up Records in September 1998.

Cake

Best-known for their ubiquitous hit "The Distance," Cake epitomized the postmodern, irony-drenched aesthetic of ‘90s geek-rock. Their sound freely mixed and matched pastiches of widely varying genres -- white-boy funk, hip-hop, country, new wave pop, jazz, college rock, and guitar rock -- with a particular delight in the clashes that resulted. Their songs were filled with lyrical non sequiturs, pop-culture references, and smirky satire, all delivered with bone-dry detachment by speak-singing frontman John McCrea. Cake's music most frequently earned comparisons to Soul Coughing and King Missile, but lacked the downtown New York artiness of those two predecessors; instead, Cake cultivated an image of average guys with no illusions or pretensions about their role as entertainers.

10 Years

Knoxville, TN's 10 Years formed in 2002 around vocalist Jesse Hasek, drummer Brian Vodinh, guitarists Matt Wantland and Tater, and bassist Lewis Cosby. The band released the Killing All That Holds You EP themselves a year later, and started to develop a local following for its Tool- and Deftones-influenced alt-metal. Killing All That Holds You was eventually expanded with four additional studio tracks and some live acoustic material. 10 Years signed with Republic/Universal, and in August 2005 their major-label debut appeared. Autumn Effect was produced by Josh Abraham (Staind, Static-X), and led to a 10 Years tour with Disturbed that ran through the fall. The album made some impact thanks to the single "Wasteland," setting up their next album, 2008's Division, which peaked at 12 on the Billboard charts with the first single, "Beautiful," reaching number six on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. For their next album, 10 Years hired producer Howard Benson, who helmed Feeding the Wolves, which appeared in the summer of 2010.

Saving Abel

Formed in 2004 by vocalist Jared Weeks and guitarist Jason Null, Saving Abel combine riff-heavy hard rock with sexually charged lyrics and Southern rock influences. The quintet took root in Corinth, MS, where Weeks and Null cut their teeth in different bands before merging their songwriting talents. In early 2005, the duo attracted attention from producer Skidd Mills, who invited Weeks and Null to record in his Memphis studio. Juggling day jobs and regional gigs, the two began driving back and forth between Corinth and Memphis, sporadically recording their self-titled EP with Mills while putting together a full lineup consisting of guitarist Scott Bartlett, bassist Eric Taylor, and drummer Blake Dixon. Within a year, the EP had earned Saving Abel a contract with Virgin Records, and Mills returned to produce the group's full-length debut. Combining new material with the EP's best songs, the self-titled album was issued in March 2008. It went gold within a year, with the lead single "Addicted" cracking the Top 40 and nearly topping the modern rock charts. While touring the country in support of the album, Saving Abel began playing new material, most of which appeared on the sophomore album Miss America in 2010.

Three Days Grace

The members of Three Days Grace began bashing punk chords when they were in their teens, carving a derivative yet energetic sound that fueled their live performances. Three Days Grace was formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada, in 1997 by Adam Gontier (vocals, guitar), Brad Walst (bass), and Neil Sanderson (drums). The group was originally called Groundswell, a five-piece that lasted from 1992 until transforming to a trio five years later. Gontier and Walst were raised in Norwood, and many of their songs were inspired by living in a place with a population of around 1,500. The bandmembers were still in high school when they had their first gig, and they performed anywhere that would accept them -- including opening for a movie.