Hesher was another term for the heavy metal scene in little towns like for example Aberdeen, Washington where the redneck types wore long raggedy hair and tended to look very grunge-like. The hesher culture has in its earlier years, has become a kind of grunge culture because of all its raggedness. The music has a heavy metal sound but the only difference is, is that it is dirtier and its lyrics stay with the old-school rule which means they talk a lot about sex and "hotties."

The term can also be applied to any "hardcore metalhead", characterized by long hair in both sexes, acid washed jeans, leather or denim jackets with band names placed randomly, and listening to heavy metal and/or thrash. The term originates from Hessian, a vicious group of German mercenaries best known for their employment by the British during the revolutionary war.