“Other groups tell everyone they’re the ‘proper’ metal band on the bill, but they’re all using 8-string guitars”: Tailgunner are flying the flag for old-school metal (with a little help from K.K. Downing)

Tailgunner's Rhea Thompson and Zach Salvini pose in heavily postered backstage area with Jackson and Framus guitars.

Heavy metal has evolved a great deal since four young musicians in Birmingham, England, saw a crowd gather across the street from their rehearsal room, lining up for an opportunity to get terrified by 1963 Italian horror film Black Sabbath.

Since then, the movement has expanded into countless sub-genres, each offering its own unique take on the sound. And while it feels like recent years have seen the pendulum swing toward more futuristic and progressive interpretations of sonic heaviness, there are still bands that look firmly to the past for inspiration.