t's Y2K, and metal and hard music have come screaming back to life. While last year people were talking about promising '90s acts and a potential '80s revival, the new year is proving to be more bountiful for hard 'n' heavy music.

Kittie	Coal Chamber

From rap-metal mega-sellers to brutal bands clawing their way up from the underground, the American music climate is (reluctantly) becoming friendlier to more extreme forms of rock music. The new school of metal has crashed the mainstream party with bands like Sevendust, Staind, Static-X, System Of A Down, Incubus, Coal Chamber and P.O.D. snaring gold sales and current media faves Slipknot shattering the platinum barrier. And even more bands are invading the mainstream, including Kittie, Disturbed and Mudvayne.