Non-metal bands with some good metal crunch!
 

What are some non-metal, just regular rock/pop bands that you think had enough crunch that they could easily have made the segue into metal? I noticed that a lot of pop and rock bands were flirting with the metal sound during the 80s, when metal started really coming into its own. But the two that come most readily to mind as hovering right on that edge, for a while anyway, are Queen and Journey. A lot of older Queen material - "Stone Cold Crazy," "Ogre Battle," "Sheer Heart Attack," et. - not only crossed firmly into metal territory, but also influenced legions of modern metal bands. And Journey really forayed into that area quite a bit with their Escape and Frontiers albums, songs like "Keep on Runnin'," "Dead or Alive," "Edge of the Blade," "Chain Reaction," and even "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)."

A few other bands that I think could have successfully made that crossover are Styx, Cheap Trick, and Boston.

SHEER TERROR

Sum 41 what you're looking for?

Yeah, they've played around a bit with some traditional metal stylings. I saw them live last year, opening for Motley Crue. Not bad.

old: The Cars and the Smithereens
now: Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age (My favourite band)

Mud Vayne

Mudvayne are awesome. There are actually a good number of "nu-metal" bands (God, I hate that misnomer) that are pretty damn awesome. Spineshank was one of those.

To make a controversial post out of this, my answer is Pantera. :D

please explain the inside Pantera joke...I must've missed it before

No inside joke. :) The controversy lies in the assertion that Pantera isn't metal.

Shocking

REO Speedwagon. Some of their early stuff like "Golden Country" and "Ridin' the Storm Out" was pretty heavy. Instead they went the bubble-gum Top 40 route in the 80's. Night Ranger comes to mind as well.

REO I and II ...after that commercial took over. (Or their $$ contract kicked in)

ROFL

The music may have had SOME metal type qualities, but some 90s type sissy boy crying about his best friend isn't metal - EVER

I think I am going to have to stay out of this one, I am obviously in disagreement with all of you.

Carry on.

How friggin old are you boy? Cheap Trick "Heavy Metal"??
Journey, "Heavy Metal"??

Frankly, I am appalled Reaper gives this his blessing!

ABSURD