Best Avant-garde Metal Bands

57 bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #218 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #589 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1034
2	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #417 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1049 In Somniphobia (2012) #1292
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #595 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3187 The Butchers Ballroom (2006) #4449
4	Gorguts 1989, Canada Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	The Erosion of Sanity (1993) #2107 From Wisdom to Hate (2001) #2181 Obscura (1998) #2691
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #262 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2089 Monotheist (2006) #2140
6	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #23 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1404
7	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal	Vadak (2021) #2021 Meta (2016) #4108 Rengeteg (2011)
8	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1951 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5421 Utopia (1999)
9	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #984 Origin (2009) #2778 Woman (2003)
10	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #868 Arche (2014) #1661 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1718
11	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #633 Nightmare (2010) #851 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #1211
12	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1111 We Care a Lot (1987) [Single] Epic (1990) [Single]
13	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #598 Transcendence (2016) #884 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1720
14	Ulcerate 2000, New Zealand Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal	Stare into Death and Be Still (2020) #616 Cutting the Throat of God (2024) #895 Everything Is Fire (2009) #2549
15	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #693 Paracletus (2010) #1005 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1085
16	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #942 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
17	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #3915 Organasm (2000)
18	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Nostril (2010) Savage Sinusoid (2017) #3254 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3854
19	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #1998 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) #3751 A Umbra Omega (2015) #5109 666 International (1999) #6885
21	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #857 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) #3938 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #4208 Fell Down the Veil (Anthologies I, III & V) (2024)
23	Schammasch 2009, Switzerland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Contradiction (2014) Triangle (2016) #2438 Hearts of No Light (2019)
24	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1453 angL (2008) #2361 After (2010) #3924
25	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2648 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4455 Live in London (2019) [Live]
26	Blut aus Nord 1994, France Atmospheric Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses (2022) #1789 The Work Which Transforms God (2003) #2470 Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With the Stars (2009) #3063
27	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Post-Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #5845 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) #4890
30	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4598 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) #5777 Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #6324 Conspiranoia (2022) [EP]
32	Iwrestledabearonce 2007, United States Experimental Grindcore, Metalcore, Experimental Deathcore	It's All Happening (2009) #6143 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) #5331 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
35	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #7954 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) #2238 Live At the Caledonien Hall (2003) [Live] #2468 Heart of the Ages (1995) #2677
37	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #5495 Miss Machine (2004) #5866 Dissociation (2016) #5940
38	Mr. Bungle 1985, United States Avant-garde Metal, Fusion	The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (2020) #8533 Mr. Bungle (1991) #8661 The Night They Come Home (2021) [Live]
39	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #7128
40	Portal 1994, Australia Dissonant Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Seepia (2003) #977 Vexovoid (2013) #4042 Avow (2021) #4128
41	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #5970 Meta (2016) #7433 w^w^^w^w (2012)
42	Hail Spirit Noir 2010, Greece Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Avant-garde Metal	Pneuma (2012) #593 Fossil Gardens (2024) Mayhem in Blue (2016) #3999
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) #7904 Red in Tooth and Claw (2016) Marrow (2018)
45	Liturgy 2005, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	H.A.Q.Q. (2019) #6618 Renihilation (2009) Aesthethica (2011) #8992
46	Windham Hell United States Neoclassical Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Reflective Depths Imbibe (1999) Window of Souls (1996) South Facing Epitaph (1994)
47	Atrox 1990, Norway Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Doom Metal	Orgasm (2003) Mesmerised (1997) Contentum (2000)
48	Oranssi Pazuzu 2007, Finland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Värähtelijä (2016) #814 Kosmonument (2011) Mestarin kynsi (2020)
49	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3800 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5830 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6935
50	Melvins 1983, United States Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock	Houdini (1993) #5715 Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Tarantula Heart (2024) #8354

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