Oceania has produced some of heavy metal’s most iconic names, with Australia at the forefront. The most famous export is AC/DC, whose high-voltage hard rock sound influenced generations of metal bands worldwide. Australia also contributed to the global extreme scene with Mortal Sin (thrash), Hobbs’ Angel of Death (proto-death/thrash), and later Psycroptic (technical death metal) and Destroyer 666 (blackened thrash). In the 2000s, Parkway Drive from Byron Bay became one of the biggest modern metalcore bands internationally, proving the country’s continued relevance. Festivals like Soundwave (2004–2015) and Download Festival Australia helped connect Australian fans with the global scene.
New Zealand developed a smaller but passionate scene, with early hard rockers like Knightshade in the 1980s and extreme acts like Dawn of Azazel, Bulletbelt, and sludge/stoner heroes Beastwars building international followings. In recent years, Alien Weaponry has gained global acclaim by combining thrash/groove metal with lyrics in te reo Māori and themes from indigenous history, making them one of the most original voices in modern metal.