I was like you holding down the old metal fort. I honestly avoided that whole new metal thingy. I was pissed when Machine Head "sold out" with the album "The burning red".... but it's a business and they made a choice... didn't really pay off as they are back to playing heavy shit again.
It was Ole School Metallica, Megadeth, Metal Church, Overkill, Prong, Slayer, Sepultura...etc...
Noticeable exceptions would be D.R.I., Fear Factory, Def Leppard, Poison, Black Flag....Garbage, Red Chill peppers...
Funny story moment....Big John the body guard for Poison and later on Brett was from my area, We knew each other but only in passing as I too, did body guard work. The funny thing is he came up to me and some of my crew he knew and started bullshitting... then he just says" I'm going on tour with poison" We all were like that's awesome... then later laughed at him for bull shitting us.... Then years later I see him on Rock of Love.... and I was like damn, owe him an apology...
When He disappeared on the scene I never put it together. I just figured like many of us in the poorer areas and hardline walking motherfuckers he just moved on.
I always get tickled when people who read magazines or online articles think that is really their "idol".... nope, more times than not it is an assistant with loaded answers. Like if drugs come up some artists will never admit to doing lines of blow with ole' Cowboy and company... I have done lines with at least 20 wel known metal/rock artists that swear they only "smoke a lil weed and drink a lil booze"....lol whatever