Skeletonwitch

When somebody asks you "What country has the best black metal bands?" What do you think? USA? No. Russia? No. You think about Norway or Finland, any country in the nordic region of the world.  While black metal did spawn and breed in that area, the US has some bands that have made interesting combinations of black metal and other genres like thrash or death metal.  One of my favorites is an Ohio band by the name of Skeletonwitch.  Skeletonwitch's unique blend of black/thrash is mesmerizing, to say the least.  The power and energy they put into every one of their songs is amazing and it will definitely get your adrenaline pumping.  I discovered them through their 2011 release "Forever Abomination" and was hooked ever since.  The opening acoustic lick of The Horrifying Force is reminiscent of something Opeth might do, but the soft acoustics don't stick along for too long.  Once the song gets electrified, Skeletonwitch really rises to power and shows that even after releasing 3 previous albums, they can still pack a punch and release one of the best records of their career!