Downthesun - Downthesun (2002)

   Even though nu metal was definitely the genre that was created to make profit, and many bands did form in hope for collaborating in the new production area of the American music industry, not many have been hired and was put into the front lines. About 9-10 bands total had the highest level of commercial support that was probably needed the most for the complete success, but on the side of them there have been many others whose name was forgotten.
   Downthesun was one of them, and also one of the few nu metal bands who showed heavier influences than most. In lyrics they preferred more serious topics, such as social criticism, the more obscure aspects of life, or serial killers. So even though the band was fitting completely to the new wave, still it wasn't really related to the typical "rap rock for sk8er boiz" thing. They also operated with simple, basic themes, slow downs and the contrast creating switches to soft melodies/clear singing is also there, but in lower amount than at most others. Maybe this determined their fate, because it seemed like (or the big labels thought so) for the main audience a System of a Down was enough for deeper topics, and a Slipknot for heavier musical approach. Downthesun have made it only for one album, but it was one of the heaviest aspects of the once (for a short time) determining nu metal scene.

Otep - Sevas Tra (2002)

   Otep appeared as something special from the mass of nu metal bands. Their debut EP "Jihad" sounded very promising and introduced wider musical diversity during it's 15 mins than most other bands on a full-lenght record.
   But sadly in full-lenght version they didn't seem much different either. For this the extended passively suffering parts are mainly responsible, because compared to "Jihad" these took away a lot from the intensity of the album. The slow downs were needed to illustrate the inner torment caused by personal issues. But unlike at other bands in this style, these problems having a bit more serious ground, like childhood abuse and memories of being raped. But there is a something in common too with the heavier groups: they also had a very sick and nerve-racking song at the end of the album. The main concept of the band and their lyrical/performance style strongly reminded to Crisis, but Otep was a weaker and more generic production of course. And Miss Shamaya couldn't even reach Karyn's voice of range. She made her performance colorful by rapping, screaming, clear singing occasionally, and "growling". It's nice how nu metal and metalcore/deathcore frontmans covering their microphone with their hands to make it easier to growl, but unfortunately it's lame, and that's not what growling is about. Except these smaller "aesthetical issues", the band's full-lenght debut still belongs to the more genuine nu metal albums.

Static-X - Machine (2001)

   While "Wisconsin Death Trip" had an unexpectedly great success that suddenly brought  Static-X on the track, their returning album "Machine" opened the international breakthrough for them. 

   Similar to other nu metal bands, their second record intended not only to exceed their previous success, but also to extend the borders of the style by a heavier tone than before. And since nu metal had it's basic mainstream limitations, it wasn't too difficult achieve that. The "Machine" had a wider perspective of impressions than the debut, and this extension went into a darker direction. Maybe the biggest advantage of Static-X's industrial influenced style was that the mix of metal and electronic music used to be a controversial thing, and even though the '90s industrial wave paved the road before similar bands and projects, this path was only chosen by metal bands. Electronic music projects kept staying on the "happy side", and except a very few dark ambient and industrial bands, others just didn't dare to take directly dark or depressive directions. Static-X used to call their music as "evil disco music" and by involving so wide range of electronic features and elements, this could sound accurate. Even after '90s industrial there have been still many possibilities and aspects to try and to introduce, and even Static-X just took a narrow slice for themselves. But this was enough to determine their own style and become one of the most successful bands of the genre.

Kittie - Oracle (2001)

   Since nu metal was not a so unified style, it had various opportunities to mix different influences. But not many bands lived with the opportunity and they just stucked at some mix of hip-hop and metalcore. Fortunately Kittie was not one of them.
  The appearence of Kittie was also interesting because they sparked attention with their full female line-up. It was nothing new to see women in aggressive bands, in the underground scene there were plenty of examples for that before, but for the mainstream audience it was still new and extraordinary to see women growl, scream, headbanging and to play heavy music. The band never kept in secret that they sympathized with extreme styles, and death metal influences appeared in their music too. In general their song structures kept the simplicity and repetitive style of nu metal, but they often operated with heavier riffings than it was usual. That gave more reason to their heavy sound than bare attention seeking or contrast, unlike at most other nu metal bands. Even though they had plenty of girly moments and clear singing on "Oracle", the screaming vocal style they had in it's contrast was also wilder compared to others and uncommon to hear in mainstream music. It was definitely not the Linkin Park, Korn and Papa Roach-like line, their music was easier to find in the playlists of Slipknot and System of a Down fans. 

Slipknot - Iowa (2001)

   Slipknot was probably the most genuine band of the nu metal wave. They appeared by their self-titled album with far more aggressive and intense music compared to the others in the subgenre, but by "Iowa" they went even further.
   "Iowa" was built up from more exaggerated musical influences and their music lost most of it's typical nu metal features. A strong everlasting pressure haunts through the album, that makes it endlessly sick because of it's unstoppable ongoing. Even the rare calmer moments of the album cannot offer any rest or relief, only merging deeper into the sickness. The album is very raw and it's not easy to keep up with it's intensiveness, but definitely not monotone or repetitive. In the end all the negative energy polarizing into a murder committed because of an unbearable passion for the opposite side that didn't even appear on the album in any form. The perfect ending of a desperate and miserable rampage. The lyrics are hardly interpretable and often sounding like nonsense, but in the depths the same nu metal-like lyric writing ambitions are hiding based on personal issues. "Iowa" was a big hit in it's time, but unfortunately the band later turned into a softer, audience-frendlier direction. The black sheep of the nu metal wave made some compromise at least...

Spineshank - The Height of Callousness (2000)

   Spineshank was probably the heaviest nu metal band after early Slipknot, but unlike them, they were one of the underrated bands / lesser known names of the genre. It's kinda strange, cause they have been around since the first steps of the style, debuted with "Strictly Diesel" in 1998 and they had a contract with Roadrunner Records, so the marketing and commercial background also couldn't have been called negligible. 
  Their music also showed ongoing changes and determined development. While "Strictly Diesel" wasn't very extraordinary, but still a decent debut from a young, experimenting band of a newborn style; their return by "The Height of Callousness" was something way more serious. The album had great sound and production, the band's style was unified, their music heavier, but still easy to go into. Compared to other nu metal bands, instead of the involvement of hip-hop or alternative rock, their music had strong industrial / electronic music influences. After Static-X probably they have been the most industrial nu metal bands, and this mix worked out perfectly. The experimenting intentions didn't disappear completely, only could be found in a softer form, to not mess up the unity of the album. These occur mainly by trying rougher sound possibilities, and a few songs of the album turned out to be impressingly wild of a nu metal album (for instance "Play God" or "Seamless"). The album's main lyrical concept and message also turned the record to one of the darker ones of the style. 

Static-X - Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)

   A fun fact and a returning feature was among nu metal bands whose style was more characteristic than most others of their coetaneouses, that neither their fans or themselves described their music as nu metal. It was the same about Slipknot, System of A Down, and Static-X too. But unfortunately for them, nu metal wasn't a too unified style, that might made a bit difficult to determine rules or certain features that could have been returning at all bands who played this style. Since hip-hop, alternative rock, death metal or like in case of Static-X, industrial style features could have been responsible for the diversity of the genre, the common ground should be looked for from a bit different (an less specific) perspective. Nu metal had to be: 

1. easy to go into, therefore 

2. simplicity had to be it's most determining feature both in themes and song structures,

3. must have been able to show something new and unusual for the genre, but since it wasn't possible anymore, they had to mix up metal with other styles, 

4. it should have been able to address young audience, so simpler topics and everyday's life problems were in focus instead of horror, gore, fantasy or complex, philosophical topics, and last but not least

5. it should have been ready to compromise to be able to build up a brand.. since the style was business oriented from the very beginning. 

   By this approach not even Static-X could slip out from the nu metal stigma, though their style was definitely stronger influenced by industrial, than any other nu metal bands. On their debut the features of '90s industrial waving back, but their music was on a different level already. At one hand it was audience friendlier, but still more diverse than most '90s industrial projects. For this diversity the wider scale of metal elements have been responsible on the side of the more diverse vocal performances. This quality had refreshing effect not only for the incredible amount of new fans who have been gathered by nu metal, but also in industrial music. This combination immediately emerged Static-X to the most successful bands of the genre.

System of a Down - System of a Down 1998)

   Nu metal was not even accepted as a metal subgenre by the fans of the old school styles because of it's mixing tendencies with different music genres which had nothing to do with metal. This style had some very useful effort though, to gain and lead back a huge audience into metal music.
   System of a Down was one of the best selling and most successful nu metal bands by their genuine style that was easy to distinguish from the tons of other newbies. Their message was more intersting and serious too, but also weird the same time. Political, societal topics appeared commonly on the side of drug abuse related and nonsense lyrics. Common and sudden speed and theme changes were resposnible for the intensiveness of their music, and the very large vocal range of Serj Tankian only increased it's effectiveness. It's hard to shoo off the thought after every listening that Acid Bath may had a strong influence on their musical concept. "Toxicity" brought the real success for them, but the raw basics of their concept are more showy on the debut album. The band just didn't fit into the line of the ordinary nu metal bands, and that was exactly the thing that made a band successful that time in this already dead genre.

Coal Chamber - Coal Chamber (1997)

   A new style was forming in the mid '90s in America to refresh the metal scene, instigated mainly by Korn and producer Ross Robinson (ex-Détente). Soon others joined to the newly found Nu Metal wave, such as Coal Chamber did too.
   Since almost everything was done in metal already that could be made, the newbies involved various different musical styles into metal. Hip-hop, alternative rock and industrial influences appeared, and that wasn't much different at Coal Chamber either. While most nu metal musicians tried to seem more chilled than others and went to the stage in tracksuit and skate shoes to rap and scream about their misty private life issues, Coal Chamber took the grotesque look of Marilyn Manson and completed that with extreme hair styles, significant amount of piercings and painted nails. To shock visually was almost same important feature of the genre like the music itself. Harsh vocal style, screaming and clear singing were same usual at them, while musically very simple, repetitive guitar themes was their main feature. Basicly it was the same like in industrial metal projects. The distorted effects on guitars may result a heavier impression, especially with the assistane of visuals, but in general their music is way softer than how it first seems like. The common appearence of probably fun-boredom inspired ideas also decreasing the heaviness and seriousness of the album. Coal Chamber took it's piece from the uprising nu metal scene as one of it's darker-wannabe bands.