Have you ever met someone who listens to pop but has an unexpected infatuation with heavy metal, too? It’s a plot twist that proves that “range” in music consumption is possible in a world full of gatekeepers and genre boundaries. This range extends beyond music fans. Underneath the guise of mainstream music stardom, some of our favorite pop artists have underground projects to experiment within the depths of metal breakdowns, screams, and unrelenting riffage. True artistry knows no bounds and sometimes even pop artists need a break from their typical musical formulas. Here are three beloved mainstream household names who have dappled in the dark side.
1. Aaron Bruno
Claim to Fame: AWOLNATION
Side Project: The Barbarians Of California
Aaron Bruno‘s claim to fame is AWOLNATION. The rock band is plastered on the Billboard charts. Their discography boasts a certified Diamon song (meaning it has sold over 10,000,000 copies), “Sail.”
One thing few people know about Bruno is that his origins lie in the California punk and hardcore scenes. Before AWOLNATION, he played in several bands during his teenage years in Los Angeles, including Home Town Hero, who went on to tour with Stone Temple Pilots and Linkin Park. Two decades later, he is reclaiming his roots with his newest project, The Barbarians Of California, alongside long-time collaborator Eric Stenman of Tinfed.
Despite their success in the mainstream, they first collided in the California hardcore scene of the early ’90s where Stenman cut his teeth in the same Sacramento community as Bruno. The pair created The Barbarians Of California with the spirit of the underground and the personal catharsis of metallic hardcore in mind. Together, they crafted a batch of throwback bangers combining impassioned angst with modern sensibilities. The debut album, And Now I’m Just Gnashing My Teeth, comes out this week on October 4, 2024.
2. Jesse Rutherford
Claim to Fame: The Neighbourhood
Side Project: Valley Girl
Jesse Rutherford of The Neighbourhood is known for his crooning vocals, ambient and atmospheric alt-rock, and Tumblr-worthy aesthetics. On the other hand, his heavily tattooed image always hinted at the possibility of a heavier side.
The speculation was confirmed when he launched his hardcore band Valley Girl, which sent the heavy scene into a confused and excited frenzy. Some listeners questioned Rutherford’s ability to delve into hardcore while others embraced his versatility.
The polarizing project garnered immediate credibility from working with producer/musician Taylor Young (Nails, Twitching Tongues, God’s Hate) and his brother Colin Young (Twitching Tongues, God’s Hate, and the HardLore podcast). Revolver Magazine compared the project to Turnstile‘s GLOW ON era, which was on-trend given that album’s mega success.
Although the project had an initial catapult of buzz when it launched, they have been hush since their debut show in Sacramento Valley at the beloved hardcore haven, The Midnight Hour, in January 2024. The demos are not on any streaming platforms but they can be found on YouTube.
3. Dave Grohl
Claim to Fame: Foo Fighters, Nirvana
Side Project: Probot
Probot is a blast from the past, having only released one record two decades ago. Despite their inactivity, this is a supergroup project that withstands the test of time in music history. Dave Grohl is a staple name in the alternative rock scene, known for his role as Nirvana‘s drummer and Foo Fighters frontman. However, underneath his origins in mainstream rock and grunge, he has a long-standing love for heavy metal and used Probot as his vessel for self-expression in the genre.
Grohl wrote all of the music and performed most of the instrumentation for Probot’s album, then recruited an all-star lineup of his favorite metal vocalists to perform the tracks alongside him. Features on the tracklist included Lemmy of Motörhead, Max Cavalera of Sepultura and Soulfly, King Diamond of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate, Jack Black of Tenacious D, and more. In an interview captured by Billboard in 2004, Grohl said, “They were my favorite bands in the 80s, so the sequence of the album kind of runs like a compilation tape that I would have made as a kid.”
It’s an exciting venture to watch beloved artists showcase their range of sonic abilities and embrace every side of their musical repertoire. These are just a few examples out of thousands of genre-bending projects for you to explore. If heavy music is your haven, listen to Rock The Walls on idobi Howl for more.
