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) #216 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #620 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1026
2	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #417 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1038 In Somniphobia (2012) #1500
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #588 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3157 The Butchers Ballroom (2006) #4376
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) #2169 Obscura (1998) #2629
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #267 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2074 Monotheist (2006) #2124
6	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #25 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1468
7	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal	Vadak (2021) #2008 Meta (2016) #4041 Rengeteg (2011)
8	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1942 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5329 Utopia (1999)
9	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #966 Origin (2009) #2754 Woman (2003)
10	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #865 Arche (2014) #1646 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1712
11	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1117 We Care a Lot (1987) [Single] Epic (1990) [Single]
12	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #592 Transcendence (2016) #881 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1714
13	Ulcerate 2000, New Zealand Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal	Stare into Death and Be Still (2020) #456 Cutting the Throat of God (2024) #893 Shrines of Paralysis (2016) #1648
14	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #645 Nightmare (2010) #815 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #1215
15	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #776 Paracletus (2010) #927 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1360
16	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #933 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
17	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #3855 Organasm (2000)
18	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Nostril (2010) Savage Sinusoid (2017) #3222 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3798
19	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #1990 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) #3710 A Umbra Omega (2015) #5021 666 International (1999) #6779
21	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #848 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) #3875 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #4138 Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2004) [Demo]
23	Schammasch 2009, Switzerland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Contradiction (2014) Triangle (2016) #2417 Hearts of No Light (2019)
24	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1446 angL (2008) #2465 After (2010) #3863
25	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2624 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4379 Live in London (2019) [Live]
26	Blut aus Nord 1994, France Atmospheric Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses (2022) #1777 The Work Which Transforms God (2003) #2447 Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With the Stars (2009) #3026
27	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Post-Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #5744 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) #4802
30	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4513 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) #6275 Conspiranoia (2022) [EP] Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #7345
32	Iwrestledabearonce 2007, United States Experimental Grindcore, Metalcore, Experimental Deathcore	It's All Happening (2009) #6040 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) #5244 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
35	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #7820 Those Who Caress the Pale (1997) [EP] Those who Caress the Pale (1994) [Demo]
36	In the Woods... 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	Pure (2016) #2224 Live At the Caledonien Hall (2003) [Live] #2445 Heart of the Ages (1995) #2653
37	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #5412 Miss Machine (2004) #5765 Dissociation (2016) #5845
38	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #7017
39	Portal 1994, Australia Dissonant Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Seepia (2003) #961 Avow (2021) #4058 Vexovoid (2013) #5245
40	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #5876 Meta (2016) #7317 w^w^^w^w (2012)
41	Mr. Bungle 1985, United States Avant-garde Metal, Fusion	The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (2020) #7913 Mr. Bungle (1991) #8801 The Night They Come Home (2021) [Live]
42	Hail Spirit Noir 2010, Greece Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Avant-garde Metal	Pneuma (2012) #550 Fossil Gardens (2024) Mayhem in Blue (2016) #3933
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) #7774 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	Atrox 1990, Norway Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Doom Metal	Orgasm (2003) Mesmerised (1997) Contentum (2000)
47	Oranssi Pazuzu 2007, Finland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Värähtelijä (2016) #802 Kosmonument (2011) Mestarin kynsi (2020)
48	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3752 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5728 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6828
49	Melvins 1983, United States Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock	Houdini (1993) #5616 Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Tarantula Heart (2024) #8225
50	Ulver 1993, Norway Black Metal, Ambient, Electronica, New Wave	Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (1995) #1954 Kveldssanger (1996) #2844 Nattens madrigal: Aatte hymne til ulven i manden (1997) #3014

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