Best Avant-garde Metal Bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #215 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #566 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1027
2	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #419 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1041 In Somniphobia (2012) #1500
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #592 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3152 The Butchers Ballroom (2006) #4362
4	Gorguts 1989, Canada Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	The Erosion of Sanity (1993) #1911 From Wisdom to Hate (2001) #2158 Obscura (1998) #2620
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #265 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2067 Monotheist (2006) #2116
6	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #24 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1469
7	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal	Vadak (2021) #2005 Meta (2016) #4037 Rengeteg (2011)
8	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1943 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5312 Utopia (1999)
9	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #967 Origin (2009) #2740 Woman (2003)
10	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #865 Arche (2014) #1646 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1713
11	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1120 We Care a Lot (1987) [Single] Epic (1990) [Single]
12	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #596 Transcendence (2016) #878 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1715
13	Ulcerate 2000, New Zealand Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal	Stare into Death and Be Still (2020) #457 Cutting the Throat of God (2024) #695 Shrines of Paralysis (2016) #1648
14	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #678 Nightmare (2010) #817 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #1223
15	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #779 Paracletus (2010) #928 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1358
16	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #934 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
17	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #3850 Organasm (2000)
18	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Nostril (2010) Savage Sinusoid (2017) #3217 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3793
19	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #1988 Be All End All (2014) Slow Motion Death Sequence (2018)
20	Dødheimsgard 1994, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Industrial Metal	Black Medium Current (2023) #3702 A Umbra Omega (2015) #5008 666 International (1999) #6745
21	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #849 In Harmonia Universali (2003) Red for Fire : an Icelandic Odyssey Part l (2005)
22	Akphaezya 2002, France Avant-garde Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal	Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2008) #3869 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #4131 Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2004) [Demo]
23	Schammasch 2009, Switzerland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Contradiction (2014) Triangle (2016) #2410 Hearts of No Light (2019)
24	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1447 angL (2008) #2461 After (2010) #3857
25	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2615 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4365 Live in London (2019) [Live]
26	Blut aus Nord 1994, France Atmospheric Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses (2022) #1778 The Work Which Transforms God (2003) #2441 Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With the Stars (2009) #3019
27	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Post-Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #5723 Coffins on Io (2014)
28	Lunatic Gods 1995, Slovakia Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Doom Metal, Black Metal	Vlnobytie (2012) Sitting by the Fire (1998) Mythus (2004)
29	Ex Eye 2016, United States Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Ex Eye (2017) #4789
30	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4495 One One One (2013) Where the Ragged People Go (2001)
31	Primus 1984, United States Experimental Rock, Funk Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal	Pork Soda (1993) #6243 Conspiranoia (2022) [EP] Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #7316
32	Iwrestledabearonce 2007, United States Experimental Grindcore, Metalcore, Experimental Deathcore	It's All Happening (2009) #6018 Iwrestledabearonce EP (2007) [EP] Late for Nothing (2013)
33	Imperial Triumphant 2005, United States Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	Spirit of Ecstasy (2022) Vile Luxury (2018) Abyssal Gods (2015)
34	Au Revoir Michelle 2009, Korea Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Folk Metal	Les Cris De La Nuit (2012) #5232 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
35	In the Woods... 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	Pure (2016) #2214 Live At the Caledonien Hall (2003) [Live] #2439 Heart of the Ages (1995) #2641
36	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #5396 Miss Machine (2004) #5744 Dissociation (2016) #5825
37	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #6990
38	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #8464 Those Who Caress the Pale (1997) [EP] Those who Caress the Pale (1994) [Demo]
39	Portal 1994, Australia Dissonant Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Seepia (2003) #962 Avow (2021) #4054 Vexovoid (2013) #5233
40	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #5856 Meta (2016) #7286 w^w^^w^w (2012)
41	Mr. Bungle 1985, United States Avant-garde Metal, Fusion	The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (2020) #7871 Mr. Bungle (1991) #8750 The Night They Come Home (2021) [Live]
42	Hail Spirit Noir 2010, Greece Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Avant-garde Metal	Pneuma (2012) #552 Fossil Gardens (2024) Mayhem in Blue (2016) #3928
43	Fantômas 1998, United States Avant-garde Metal	The Director's Cut (2001) Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Delirium Cordia (2004)
44	Madder Mortem 1997, Norway Progressive Metal, Atmospheric Doom Metal	Old Eyes, New Heart (2024) #7736 Red in Tooth and Claw (2016) Marrow (2018)
45	Windham Hell United States Neoclassical Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Reflective Depths Imbibe (1999) Window of Souls (1996) South Facing Epitaph (1994)
46	Oranssi Pazuzu 2007, Finland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Värähtelijä (2016) #804 Kosmonument (2011) Mestarin kynsi (2020)
47	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3749 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5707 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6795
48	Melvins 1983, United States Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock	Houdini (1993) #5596 Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Tarantula Heart (2024) #8178
49	Ulver 1993, Norway Black Metal, Ambient, Electronica, New Wave	Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (1995) #1955 Kveldssanger (1996) #2831 Nattens madrigal: Aatte hymne til ulven i manden (1997) #3007
50	Krallice 2007, United States Avant-garde Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	Years Past Matter (2012) Krallice (2008) Psychagogue (2022)

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