Staind

Formed by two like-minded nu metal buds in Springfield, Mass., in 1995, Staind grabbed the attention of Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst and the rest -- as they say -- is history. Prior to signing to a major label, the band was ignored by the Boston scene. They ended up playing lower-profile but frequent gigs in Western Mass, their dark sound benefiting from edgy, melodic vocals (somewhat like Alice In Chains) that ride over heavy, groove-oriented metal. Their frequent touring strategy paid off: after seeing the Staind open up a show for him, Durst took them under his wing. They released Dysfunction on Elektra in 1999, but their big breakthrough was Break the Cycle, which came out in 2002 and yielded the mega-mega seller "It's Been Awhile." In 2005, the band set its sights on the commercial alternative charts with Chapter V.