Artists like Failure

Champaign, IL space-rockers — heavy chords, huge distances.

Local H is an American rock band co-founded in 1990 in Zion, Illinois by guitarist and vocalist Scott Lucas, who has remained the band's sole consistent member. Following the departures of the early line-up's bassist and lead guitarist, Lucas and co-founding drummer Joe Daniels continued as an unorthodox two-piece setup.

Oxford motorik shoegaze — fast, greasy, road-movie loud.

Texas quartet — Deftones-heavy shoegaze with grunge marrow.

Toadies are an American rock band formed in 1989 in Fort Worth, Texas, best known for the song "Possum Kingdom". The band's classic lineup consisted of Vaden Todd Lewis, Lisa Umbarger, Darrel Herbert, and Mark Reznicek (drums). The band released two studio albums before disbanding in 2001 after Umbarger left the group. The band reformed in 2006 and released their third album No Deliverance two years later. In 2010, they re-released the album Feeler with Kirtland Records. The band's most recent album, The Charmer, was released in May 2026.

Filter is an American rock band formed in 1993 in Cleveland, Ohio, by singer Richard Patrick, along with guitarist and programmer Brian Liesegang. The band was formed when Patrick desired to start his own band after leaving Nine Inch Nails as their touring guitarist. Their debut album, Short Bus (1995) received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), supported by the single "Hey Man Nice Shot". After the album, the band would go through the first of many lineup changes, leaving Patrick as the only consistent member across all releases.

Team Sleep is an American rock supergroup led by singer/guitarist Chino Moreno. Moreno is better known for fronting the Sacramento-based alternative metal band Deftones. Other recent members include guitarist Todd Wilkinson, keyboardist and turntablist CrookOne, bass guitarist and keyboardist Rick Verrett, drummer Gil Sharone, and bassist Chuck Doom, with past members Zach Hill, Rob Crow, Mary Timony, and Dan Elkan contributing significantly to the band’s debut album.

Sparta is an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of Jim Ward, Matt Miller (bass), and drummer Neil Hennessy. Founding members Ward, Paul Hinojos, and Tony Hajjar were members of post-hardcore group At the Drive-In, forming Sparta in 2001 after the break-up of their former band. The band went on hiatus in 2008 for Ward to focus on his solo career and side projects, reuniting from 2011 to 2013 for a series of shows and permanently reuniting in 2017. The band has released six studio albums to date; their fourth, Trust the River, was released in 2020 after a 14-year break between releases. Their most recent album, Cut a Silhouette, was released in May 2026.

Catherine Wheel were an English alternative rock band from Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. The band was active from 1990 to 2000, releasing five full-length albums in their career, embarking on many lengthy tours and experiencing fluctuating levels of commercial success. Their early music was associated with the shoegazing scene, but gradually evolved to a more aggressive style influenced by hard rock and metal. Initially receiving attention and success after releasing their debut album Ferment in 1992, the band achieved peak success with the release of "Crank" and their album Chrome in 1993. The band also achieved minor success with other albums, including Happy Days, which featured a popular song "Judy Staring at the Sun" as a collaboration with Tanya Donelly. Catherine Wheel also scored heavy rotation on MTV and performed there several times. Despite never having any albums or songs that achieved major success in their homeland, Catherine Wheel continue to be popular among alternative rock and shoegaze fans and critics.

The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001, reformed briefly in 2006 and again from 2011 to present.

My Vitriol are a British alternative rock band, formed in 1998 in London. The band currently comprises singer and guitarist Som Wardner, drummer Ravi Kesavaram, guitarist Seth Taylor and bassist Tatia Starkey. The band had success with their debut album Finelines in 2001, which spawned three top-40 hit singles on the UK Singles Chart, before announcing a hiatus in 2002. The band were credited as spearheading a new shoegazing movement, dubbed nu gaze. They released new material in 2007, and released limited fanbase album The Secret Sessions in October 2016. The band name is taken from the Graham Greene novel Brighton Rock.

Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead singer, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to international fame in the early 1990s during Seattle's grunge movement and is known for its distinctive vocal style which includes the harmonized vocals between Cantrell and Layne Staley.

Heatmiser was an American rock band, formed in Portland, Oregon, in October 1991. Consisting of Elliott Smith, Neil Gust, Brandt Peterson and Tony Lash (drums), they were known for their well-crafted lyrics and songs often featuring the juxtaposition of melancholic and cheery words and melodies. Elliott Smith's pop-oriented songs provided a contrast to Neil Gust's darker compositions, yet both songwriters explored themes such as anger, alienation, loneliness and despair.