[Question] Recommend a premium guitar for wannabe chugger

I'm getting back into guitar after almost 10 years away. Musical interests range from Weezer to August Burns Red. Never been able to shred, but I like to make chuggy sounds and yell about my angst.

So far l've picked up a Peavy 6505mh to run through the Bogner 212 l had from my younger days.

I don't like player signature models, and I don't want to deal with a Floyd Rose.

Again leftover from an earlier life l've got custom shop es-335 and an HH Tele deluxe reissue.

Budget wise, let's say anything under $5k but ideally under $3k.

A Les Paul seems like a good first stop, but I’m wary of the weight in the long run. Are the Modern models worthy?

I’ve also seen recommendations on here for Charvel and EBMM but I don’t love buying a guitar online without any reference point of how it plays, and not sure I could find any in stores around here.

Where would you start (besides the obviously good advice of going to a shop and trying out what they've got)?