How has nobody said Avenged Sevenfold yet? Their guitarist Synyster Gates was voted by multiple polls to be the best guitarist for an active metal-core band out right now. Anyway, check out A7X's album City of Evil. Perfection.

b-u-m-p

My ears are begging for more, guys.
Please!

KAT – good old heavy metal band from Poland Unlucky for you - you will miss some of songs' atmosphere because you will not understand lyrics (they are pretty unconventional :-D)
Just a link to one song from 'Oddech wymarłych światów' - it's their best album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbls9j-1Z1s&feature=related

Blind Guardian
FängörN
Hedningarna
Van Canto
Therion
Folkearth
Folkodia
Heidevolk
Sabaton
Ensiferum
Samael

Just a few metal and rock bands I like (all melodic), the definitions might be a bit subjective:

Moonsorrow - pagan metal. Great mix of metal and some old/folkish music.

Firehouse - nice hard rock/glam metal from the late eighties and onwards. Classy, however I'm not a big fan of their ballads. Examples of good songs: Reach For The Sky, You're Too Bad, Hold Your Fire, Rock On The Radio.

Cinderella

Mötley Crüe

Puddle of Mudd

Audioslave

Sentenced

Children of Bodom

Ensiferum

Dimmu Borgir

Meshuggah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A_tSyJBsRQ&feature=relmfu

Melvins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oolwsWexSzQ

Russian Circles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2-hJtJrXxc

Mastodon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11eis4XVfVE&feature=related

Eh here I band I like; pretty sure it is rock but not sure what sub-category it would go under.

Poets of the Fall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jwzDEEpfX0&feature=related