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South Wales is home to a scene containing a number of influential bands within the Hardcore, Post Hardcore Metalcore, Alternative Metal, Punk and Emo musical genres. The towns and cities that these bands originated from are generally Cardiff, Pontypridd, Swansea, Newport, Merthyr Tydfil and the valleys to the north and west of a focal point of the scene based in Bridgend.

The appearance of the scene has naturally, changed over time. Cowboy Killers, Rectify, Novocaine, Flyscreen, Doctor Bison & Dub War built the scene that today's bands now follow.

The South Wales hardcore and alternative scene started breaking through during the late nineties. One of the first widely-successful members of the scene during the period was Skindred (formed from members of the successful Dub War), fusing ragga, metal and Punk. The band's sound was extremely unique at the time and garnered much success.

During this period, lostprophets was formed in Pontypridd in 1997 built upon previous hardcore and alternative metal acts. The band's debut album The Fake Sound of Progress in 2000 would strike the interest of the international alternative community and open up other possibilities for the local scene. They went to become one the biggest metal bands in Britain, however their most recent material can not really be called hardcore or metal, but is more pop.

Just a few years after this success, the band Funeral for a Friend of Maesteg, Bridgend, originally formed as January Thirst released their sophomore EP Four Ways to Scream Your Name in 2003 and earned the aclaim of the international alternative community.

In 2004, the metalcore band Bullet for My Valentine (formerly Jeff Killed John) of Bridgend released their debut EP Hand of Blood to some success before releasing their debut album The Poison in 2005 to rave reviews and widespread success.

• Skindred
• This System Kills
• Rectify
• Homo And The Sexuals
• Novocaine
• Flyscreen
• Cowboy Killers
• 60 FT Dolls
• Lostprophets
• Funeral for a Friend
• Bullet for My Valentine
• Hondo Maclean
• The Blackout (band)
• This Is Ridiculous
• Bluntside

• Bridgend and South Wales Music Site and Forum

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