First metal and hardcore hybrid I heard was local in '96. I've waded through that genre since then, through it's good and bad, and have landed back at chasing the dragon of the original approach.

Some of the bands mentioned:

It Dies Today - Forever Scorned

Corrin - Plutonian Shores

Overcast - Expectational Dilution 

Bleeding Through - The Truth (fucking catchy chorus; got 3 back to back to back plays last night)

Atreyu - Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (one of my favorite songs from this time period, Someon's Standing on my Chest)

Caliban - A Small Boy and a Grey Heaven

Caliban - Opposite from Within (to show the evolution to the more formulaic structure; still a track I loved, but this was near the end of the road for me)