Since the countercultural movement of the 1960s, the San Francisco Bay Area has been known as a historic musical hub. Home to countless acts in rock music ranging from Credence Clearwater Revival and Jefferson Airplane to more modern names like Destroy Boys and Sunami, the Bay Area has long been the stomping grounds of numerous rock, punk, folk, and metal artists.
A retrospective look at San Francisco often brings to mind certain countercultural eras -- such as hippie culture, Flower Power, and the anti-Vietnam War movement -- all of which have been epitomized in classic songs like Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)."
However, in the decades that followed this prominent time period, the city continued to cultivate additional rock subcultures. In the 1970s, the city fostered a strong hardcore punk scene, and in the late '70s into the 1980s, the new wave of British heavy metal from across the pond inspired many groups that soon made up the Bay Area's historic thrash metal scene.
The best Bay Area punk and metal artists
Some of punk and metal's most influential outfits arose from the Bay Area, with many of them serving as an exciting and explosive response to the classic rock and folk-inspired names that dominated the city's music scene in the '60s.
From thrash metal and black metal to horror punk and pop-punk, here are the best punk and metal groups to come out of San Francisco.
10. Death Angel
When it comes to thrash metal, the "Big 4" are considered to be Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax. However, several other bands are often included to make up the "Big 8." One of these groups, Death Angel, was among the most popular bands in the 1980s thrash metal circuit, and grew to fame after opening for the likes of Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, D.R.I., Mercyful Fate, and more.
Like many other Bay Area metal bands at the time, Death Angel were greatly inspired by the new wave of British heavy metal. As they continued to play live shows relentlessly throughout the Bay Area and share their music through the underground tape trading that was prominent at the time, Death Angel rose to become one of the most well-known bands to come from the San Francisco Bay Area.
9. AFI
Founded in 1991, goth rock group AFI initially emerged from the East Bay Area hardcore punk circuit. Over the years, their sound has evolved and explored many different genres, including horror punk, goth, and emo.
Both their sound and their cinematic visuals played a huge role in inspiring other rock bands that emerged at the turn of the century, and hits like "Miss Murder" and "Girl's Not Grey" cemented AFI as one of the most musically diverse and talented Bay Area groups to rise to prominence in more recent years.
8. Metal Church
One of the earliest pioneers of the thrash metal genre, Metal Church formed in San Francisco in 1980 before actually relocating to Aberdeen, Washington, the following year. However, their role in the Bay Area metal scene and the genre as a whole is undeniable, and their deep lyrical content and high-speed compositions set the tone of what '80s heavy metal would soon become.
After releasing their first two albums, Metal Church (1984) and The Dark (1986), Metal Church became highly successful, touring alongside Metallica, King Diamond, Overkill, and more. In the years that followed, Metal Church obtained a legacy as one of the thrash metal genre's most defining groups.
7. Possessed
Said to be the first death metal band, Possessed were prolific within the Bay Area thrash metal scene. They were a major influence on subsequent groups like Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, and Death, and are even said to be a big inspiration for international death metal groups.
Their debut album, Seven Churches (1985), showed how Possessed stood out from other thrash bands that were also rising at the time. Through their death growl vocals and intricate playing style among band members, Possessed are one of the most innovative groups within heavy metal.
6. Testament
Many critics, metal fans, and even Metallica frontman James Hetfield himself, have said that Testament is one of the best thrash metal groups not included in the genre's "Big 4." Of all the thrash metal bands to rise from the Bay Area, Testament is considered to be one of the genre's most influential, inspiring names, like Pantera, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Cannibal Corpse, and many more.
Testament was signed to the renowned metal record label Megaforce Records, founded by Jon and Marsha Zazula, which was home to other metal bands like Anthrax, Metallica, Overkill, and Raven. Right after the release of their debut album, The Legacy, in 1987, Testament became instantly popular and was responsible for spearheading the second wave of thrash metal in the late '80s.
5. Dead Kennedys
Hailing from San Francisco, Dead Kennedys are one of the most definitive bands of America's 70's punk scene. Known for their controversial imagery, satirical delivery, and political messages in their music, Dead Kennedys became synonymous with shock, sensation, and an unforgettable artistry.
While regarded as one of the first true hardcore punk bands, Dead Kennedys were known for their frequent musical experimentation and fearlessness when it came to calling out harmful behavior from those both in and out of the hardcore scene. Though their final album was released in 1986, the legacy and impact of Dead Kennedys lives on.
4. Romeo Void
Formed in 1979, Romeo Void were one of the most exciting groups to emerge from the new wave/post-punk scene. Through hits like "Never Say Never" and "A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)," the band became known for their thrilling sonic explorations of feminism, sexuality, and identity.
Their 1981 debut album, It's a Condition, is said to be a post-punk masterpiece, and lead singer Debora Iyall's desire to both embrace and exude the unconventional seeps through every track. While their time together as a band was brief, the impact and uniqueness of Romeo Void have continued to thrive.
3. Exodus
Not only is Exodus one of the most prominent of the Bay Area thrash metal bands, but they're also said to be the first. Not only were they active alongside some of the scene's other highlight groups (i.e., Metallica, Testament, etc.), but they also inspired the likes of Megadeth, Sepultura, Power Trip, Slayer, Anthrax, and Death Angel.
Their 1985 debut album, Bonded By Blood, is one of the most iconic thrash metal records, and Exodus helped to keep thrash metal alive and well in later decades. Not only are Exodus regarded as one of the greatest thrash metal groups, but they are also frequently listed as one of the greatest metal bands overall.
2. Green Day
Emerging from the Bay Area punk scene of the late '80s and early '90s, punk rock trio Green Day now stands today as one of the most popular punk groups of all time. When they came onto the scene, Green Day were later credited with revitalizing the punk rock movement in the U.S., and albums like Dookie (1994) and American Idiot (2004) are said to be some of the greatest rock albums of all time.
One of the highest-selling and most influential groups out there, Green Day is known for its unapologetic political commentary and distinctly hard-hitting sonic identity. Through countless hits, including but not limited to "Holiday," "21 Guns," "Brain Stew," and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," Green Day have singlehandedly created the soundtrack to countless lives across generations.
1. Metallica
While many bands in this list may have arrived before or around the same time as Metallica in the Bay Area scene, nobody ever brought the metal genre to the next level as they did. While initially based in Los Angeles, Metallica moved to the Bay Area in 1983, and their role in popular music went far beyond the San Francisco city limits.
Albums like Kill Em All (1983), Ride the Lightning (1984), Master of Puppets (1985), and ...And Justice For All (1988) both defined and changed heavy metal. Through their balance of unbridled musical compositions and deeply intricate convections of rage, Metallica became synonymous with extremely complex songwriting.
Often regarded as the metal band that all other metal bands aspire to be, Metallica brought deep emotions and even deeper lyrical content to their artistry, further reimagining what heavy metal could be capable of. Labelled by many as the greatest metal band of all time, Metallica earned that title by always doing things their way and never adhering to the status quo.