re: Metal bands that did not get their due.

this isn't as much a "pure" metal pick as what's been listed already, but UFO seemingly always flew under the radar (so to speak) over the years & never got their proper due. most of the albums with michael schenker are solid, and even the paul chapman albums are mostly good IMO. like most older bands, the later stuff can be hit-or-miss, but they had a great run of albums when they were in their musical prime....

and i guess an obvious answer (at least in the US) would be motorhead. sure, everyone knows who lemmy is by now...but at the end of the day, he became more "fascinating character study" than "frontman of successful band"...