Any metal bands that actually use a clean amp and pedals?

[some dude]

I've never heard a really high gain modern style amp in person (owned a Dual Recto and it wasn't 'that' high gain IMHO...sounded almost vintage to me even on the diode rectifier) so I really don't know.

When you're used to pedal distortion amp distortion can sound a little mellower. I think it's because the pedals are so compressed there's very little dynamics left, so they get used to only needing to hit the strings a certain way and getting the sound they like. Then, when you step up to something like a Recto... which is an amp that rewards having a heavy pick attack... people are thrown off when the amp actually mirrors their lighter touch on the strings.

To answer your original question, Crowbar used a Boss MetalZone for most of their recordings. It was common in 90s death metal as well. The stoner metal genre is full of pedal distortion, although they're going after a different, more vintage tonality than your typical modern metal band.

 

[ke2]

I've gigged with a ToneBone Hot British and a clean Peavey Classic 100 head. It will do in a pinch.
My ESP straight into the Mesa sounds better. But you can get a pretty good tone from a good pedal. The "problem" is that the pedal usually is priced at a pretty high point. My Solid Metal could also be used like that, but I have to boost it with a TS to get the exact tone