Best Avant-garde Metal Bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #369 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1004 In Somniphobia (2012) #1445
2	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #228 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #628 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1074
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #585 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3046 The Butchers Ballroom (2006) #4209
4	Gorguts 1989, Canada Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	Obscura (1998) #1740 The Erosion of Sanity (1993) #2066 From Wisdom to Hate (2001) #2405
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #264 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2124 Into the Pandemonium (1987) #2396
6	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #21 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1106
7	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1902 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5075 Utopia (1999)
8	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #934 Origin (2009) #2653 Woman (2003)
9	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #819 Arche (2014) #1596 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1664
10	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Vadak (2021) #1962 Meta (2016) #3893 Rengeteg (2011)
11	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #568 Transcendence (2016) #840 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1666
12	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #669 Nightmare (2010) #829 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #1443
13	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1050 We Care a Lot (1987) [Single] Epic (1990) [Single]
14	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #750 Paracletus (2010) #933 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1301
15	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #907 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
16	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #3701 Organasm (2000)
17	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Nostril (2010) Savage Sinusoid (2017) #3106 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3639
18	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #1269 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) #4482 A Umbra Omega (2015) #4800 666 International (1999) #5290
20	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #806 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) #3718 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #3987 Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2004) [Demo]
22	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2544 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4212 Live in London (2019) [Live]
23	Blut aus Nord 1994, France Atmospheric Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses (2022) The Work Which Transforms God (2003) #2389 Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With the Stars (2009) #2911
24	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Post-Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #5487 Coffins on Io (2014)
25	Lunatic Gods 1995, Slovakia Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Doom Metal, Black Metal	Vlnobytie (2012) Sitting by the Fire (1998) Mythus (2004)
26	Ex Eye 2016, United States Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Ex Eye (2017) #4604
27	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4338 One One One (2013) Where the Ragged People Go (2001)
28	Iwrestledabearonce 2007, United States Experimental Grindcore, Metalcore, Experimental Deathcore	It's All Happening (2009) #5770 Iwrestledabearonce EP (2007) [EP] Late for Nothing (2013)
29	Imperial Triumphant 2005, United States Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	Spirit of Ecstasy (2022) Vile Luxury (2018) Abyssal Gods (2015)
30	Mr. Bungle 1985, United States Avant-garde Metal, Fusion	The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (2020) #7512 Mr. Bungle (1991) #8376 The Night They Come Home (2021) [Live]
31	Au Revoir Michelle 2009, Korea Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Folk Metal	Les Cris De La Nuit (2012) #5005 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
32	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Calculating Infinity (1999) #3537 Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #5158 Miss Machine (2004) #5507
33	Schammasch 2009, Switzerland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Contradiction (2014) Triangle (2016) Hearts of No Light (2019)
34	Primus 1984, United States Experimental Rock, Funk Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal	Conspiranoia (2022) [EP] Pork Soda (1993) #6465 Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #6758
35	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #6695
36	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #8106 Those Who Caress the Pale (1997) [EP] Those who Caress the Pale (1994) [Demo]
37	Portal 1994, Australia Dissonant Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Seepia (2003) #1018 Avow (2021) #3911 Vexovoid (2013) #5006
38	In the Woods... 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	Pure (2016) #2154 Live At the Caledonien Hall (2003) [Live] #2387 Heart of the Ages (1995) #2913
39	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1393 angL (2008) #2403 After (2010) #3707
40	Fantômas 1998, United States Avant-garde Metal	The Director's Cut (2001) Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Delirium Cordia (2004)
41	Madder Mortem 1997, Norway Progressive Metal, Atmospheric Doom Metal	Old Eyes, New Heart (2024) #7390 Red in Tooth and Claw (2016) Marrow (2018)
42	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #5613 Meta (2016) #7480 w^w^^w^w (2012)
43	Oranssi Pazuzu 2007, Finland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Värähtelijä (2016) #770 Kosmonument (2011) Mestarin kynsi (2020)
44	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3596 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5641 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6509
45	Melvins 1983, United States Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock	Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Houdini (1993) #7168 Tarantula Heart (2024) #7816
46	Ulver 1993, Norway Black Metal, Ambient, Electronic	Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (1995) #1917 Kveldssanger (1996) #2708 Nattens madrigal: Aatte hymne til ulven i manden (1997) #2709
47	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #643 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1911 Shatter (2010) [EP] #8267
48	Botanist 2009, United States Blackgaze, Black Metal	III: Doom in Bloom / Allies (2012) VI: Flora (2014) VIII: Selenotrope (2023)
49	Liturgy 2005, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	H.A.Q.Q. (2019) #7802 Renihilation (2009) Aesthethica (2011) #8425
50	Peste Noire 2000, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	La Sanie des siècles - Panégyrique de la dégénérescence (2006) #1172 Le retour des pastoureaux (2021) Macabre Transcendance... (2002) [Demo]

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