What fast low-level languages can you recommend?

Question

I have become interested in C-like languages for performance computing. Can you recommend some alternative programming languages which have the following attributes:

• must be close to the hardware (bit fiddling, pointers or some alternative safe method like references)
• no managed code (no jvm/.net languages)
• has to be really fast (like C)
• must be above ASM level (and yes I am interested in macro languages on top of ASM)
• can be obscure, not very widespread

I am mainly interested in little-known languages.

Answer 1

How about Assembly language, or the D programming language?