Sure, sure, people claim to be fans of Heavy Metal, because it is soooo popular, but how far from the dozen or so easily recognizable bands have you ventured? Can you name any that are NOT on the Billboard top 100?
This in NO WAY is a complete listing of all metal bands ( there is actually an online encyclopedia for that: www.metal-archives.com ). This is just a sampling of some various REALLY heavy music groups; some are more commonly known, and some are very obscure, and some fall in the middle. If your favorite group isn't here, sorry, make your own list.
There are some classic bands, some obscure bands, and some newer bands on this list. See how diverse your musical experience has been.
