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) #217 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #559 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1017
2	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #414 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1029 In Somniphobia (2012) #1486
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #587 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3132 The Butchers Ballroom (2006) #4319
4	Gorguts 1989, Canada Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	The Erosion of Sanity (1993) #1895 From Wisdom to Hate (2001) #2443 Obscura (1998) #2807
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #259 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2053 Into the Pandemonium (1987) #2428
6	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Vadak (2021) #1988 Meta (2016) #4002 Rengeteg (2011)
7	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #24 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1457
8	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1925 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5244 Utopia (1999)
9	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #962 Origin (2009) #2724 Woman (2003)
10	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #860 Arche (2014) #1632 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1703
11	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1112 We Care a Lot (1987) [Single] Epic (1990) [Single]
12	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #591 Transcendence (2016) #875 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1705
13	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #673 Nightmare (2010) #814 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #1218
14	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #778 Paracletus (2010) #961 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1349
15	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #927 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
16	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #3813 Organasm (2000)
17	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Nostril (2010) Savage Sinusoid (2017) #3194 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3753
18	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #1971 Be All End All (2014) Slow Motion Death Sequence (2018)
19	Dødheimsgard 1994, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Industrial Metal	Black Medium Current (2023) #4610 A Umbra Omega (2015) #4948 666 International (1999) #6676
20	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #844 In Harmonia Universali (2003) Red for Fire : an Icelandic Odyssey Part l (2005)
21	Akphaezya 2002, France Avant-garde Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal	Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2008) #3832 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #4097 Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2004) [Demo]
22	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1434 angL (2008) #2440 After (2010) #3820
23	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2599 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4322 Live in London (2019) [Live]
24	Blut aus Nord 1994, France Atmospheric Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses (2022) #1766 The Work Which Transforms God (2003) #2422 Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With the Stars (2009) #3003
25	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Post-Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #5664 Coffins on Io (2014)
26	Lunatic Gods 1995, Slovakia Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Doom Metal, Black Metal	Vlnobytie (2012) Sitting by the Fire (1998) Mythus (2004)
27	Ex Eye 2016, United States Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Ex Eye (2017) #4733
28	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4444 One One One (2013) Where the Ragged People Go (2001)
29	Primus 1984, United States Experimental Rock, Funk Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal	Pork Soda (1993) #6181 Conspiranoia (2022) [EP] Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #7527
30	Iwrestledabearonce 2007, United States Experimental Grindcore, Metalcore, Experimental Deathcore	It's All Happening (2009) #5963 Iwrestledabearonce EP (2007) [EP] Late for Nothing (2013)
31	Imperial Triumphant 2005, United States Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	Spirit of Ecstasy (2022) Vile Luxury (2018) Abyssal Gods (2015)
32	Au Revoir Michelle 2009, Korea Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Folk Metal	Les Cris De La Nuit (2012) #5162 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
33	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #5329 Miss Machine (2004) #5684 Calculating Infinity (1999) #6176
34	Schammasch 2009, Switzerland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Contradiction (2014) Triangle (2016) Hearts of No Light (2019)
35	In the Woods... 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	Pure (2016) #2197 Live At the Caledonien Hall (2003) [Live] #2420 Heart of the Ages (1995) #3005
36	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #6922
37	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #8391 Those Who Caress the Pale (1997) [EP] Those who Caress the Pale (1994) [Demo]
38	Portal 1994, Australia Dissonant Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Seepia (2003) #956 Avow (2021) #4019 Vexovoid (2013) #5163
39	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #5796 Meta (2016) #7213 w^w^^w^w (2012)
40	Mr. Bungle 1985, United States Avant-garde Metal, Fusion	The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (2020) #7792 Mr. Bungle (1991) #8671 The Night They Come Home (2021) [Live]
41	Hail Spirit Noir 2010, Greece Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Avant-garde Metal	Pneuma (2012) #548 Fossil Gardens (2024) Mayhem in Blue (2016) #3889
42	Fantômas 1998, United States Avant-garde Metal	The Director's Cut (2001) Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Delirium Cordia (2004)
43	Madder Mortem 1997, Norway Progressive Metal, Atmospheric Doom Metal	Old Eyes, New Heart (2024) #7659 Red in Tooth and Claw (2016) Marrow (2018)
44	Windham Hell United States Neoclassical Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Reflective Depths Imbibe (1999) Window of Souls (1996) South Facing Epitaph (1994)
45	Oranssi Pazuzu 2007, Finland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Värähtelijä (2016) #802 Muuntautuja (2024) #3210 Kosmonument (2011)
46	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3708 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5648 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6727
47	Melvins 1983, United States Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock	Houdini (1993) #5531 Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Tarantula Heart (2024) #8099
48	Ulver 1993, Norway Black Metal, Ambient, Electronica, New Wave	Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (1995) #1939 Kveldssanger (1996) #2782 Nattens madrigal: Aatte hymne til ulven i manden (1997) #2989
49	Krallice 2007, United States Avant-garde Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	Years Past Matter (2012) Krallice (2008) Psychagogue (2022)
50	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #658 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1934 Shatter (2010) [EP] #8556

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