Turisas

You have to see Turisas with your own eyes to really understand what they are all about; black metal war/corpse paint mixed with mythology lyrics, mixed with power metal choruses, mixed with folk music (violin and accordian) mixed with a sensational stage show.  I had the chance to see them last year on Paganfest in a little club and they still made us feel like we were on the plains of Finland fighting for our honor.  Sometimes it's a little cheesy and they are not going to blow you away with their technical guitar skill, although the violin solos are incredible.  Maybe you are feeling a little depressed and need a break from the soul crushing death metal you usually listen too; if so, listen to Turisas!
Hail and Horns

Kreator

German thrash legends Kreator have been at it since the mid '80s and are criminally underrated in my opinion.  I am not really sure why but I suppose it is because they are not American.  They have gotten more melodic over the years and have also maintained their heaviness.  Another band, like Testament, who kept the thrash level high even as the years went by.  Recently Kreator have tried to team up with fellow German bands Destruction and Sodom to create the Teutonic Big 3 but currently they are doing the festival thing in Europe.  Their most recent album Phantom Antichrist is killer but I couldn't resist posting the Violent Revolution video...it's one of my favorites.  If you are a thrash fan and you don't know Kreator, then get on it!

Hail and Horns

http://kreator-terrorzone.de/home

HOLY GRAIL

Power metal is a guilty pleasure of mine.  It probably is for you too.  Manowar in the USA and Helloween in Europe started it and bands like Hammerfall, Firewind, and Blind Guardian have continued the genre.  Holy Grail is out of California and brings some amazing guitar work to a modernized power metal sound.  Huge choruses, stunning vocal work, and lightning guitar make this newcomer a must listen.  You can put them in the power metal genre but they also are very thrashy.  Two albums in, get on this bandwagon now!

Hail and Horns

NIGHTRAGE

You should love Nightrage.  They are the exact blend of thrash, death metal, and melodic metal that makes me love them.  This band has been through many lineup changes which included Gus G. and Tomas Lindberg in the very beginning; the mainstay being founding member and guitar shredder Marios Iliopoulos who has kept them on track.  5 full length albums in, their sixth is due out next year and needless to say, the guitar is the focal point of the music.  I would say that if you are looking for a band that is "more accessible" (as a friend of mine puts it) then you should start with Nightrage.   Other bands that fall into this group would be The Duskfall (defunct), Carnal Forge (a little heavier and making a comeback), Arch Enemy, and Children of Bodom.  The American bands have a little more edginess to them (like Lamb of God or Unearth) but a band like Shadows Fall could be considered close.  Whatever your preference, give Nightrage a chance...you won't be sorry.

Hail and Horns!

DevilDriver

I never listened to Coal Chamber.  In fact I didn't even know that the lead singer of DevilDriver was the same guy from Coal Chamber. And to this day, I still don't really care.  This was the first song I ever heard from DevilDriver and I was instantly hooked.  The drumming was insane, the hooks were all there, and the heaviness was intact.  You can probably tell that I love guitar melodies within my metal and DevilDriver delivers.  There are some hardcore and punk elements as well which when done correctly, really makes for good listening.  Check out ALL of their recordings; they are monsters.
DevilDriver is about to release a brand new album.  I really hope the recent Coal Chamber reunion shows didn't interfere with what has become a great American Heavy Metal band.  As I have said previously, the past 10-15 years have been great for metal in this country, and DevilDriver waves that flag proudly.

King Diamond

I put Mercyful Fate on the Concrete List but not King Diamond.  Why? Well, KD is still active as a band and MF is not.  That is the only reason.  King Diamond, the legendary leader of his eponymous band, really does not need anyone to blog about his greatness.  But who can resist?  The band has been so good for so long.  And now that King has come back from heart surgery and is fully recovered, we can expect great things over his 3 album deal with Metal Blade Records.  The live concerts I have seen from the past year show that King is back and actually better than ever now that he has gotten his health in order.

Skeletonwitch

The past 10-15 years have been really fucking exciting in the world of American metal.  Up from the depths of the 90's (we all know what happened there...don't get me started) bands once again found that the public was coming back to REAL metal.  Such is the case with Ohio based Skeletonwitch.  Not quite death metal, not quite thrash, not quite black metal, they are a glorious combination of all.  Super fast but with great melodic guitar work, and that higher pitched vocal technique, you cannot go wrong with these guys.  Pick up any of their albums and you will be happy.