Best Avant-garde Metal Bands

62 bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #484 In Somniphobia (2012) #1472 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1483
2	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #215 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #593 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1241
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #600 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3244 Pacifisticuffs (2017) #4622
4	Gorguts 1989, Canada Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	The Erosion of Sanity (1993) #2398 Obscura (1998) #2586 Considered Dead (1991) #2944
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #234 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2175 Into the Pandemonium (1987) #2694
6	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #24 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1347
7	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal	Vadak (2021) #2044 Meta (2016) #4220 Rengeteg (2011)
8	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1968 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5599 Utopia (1999)
9	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Savage Sinusoid (2017) #2273 Nostril (2010) #3306 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3828
10	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #1088 Origin (2009) #2828 Woman (2003)
11	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #882 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1719 Arche (2014) #1720
12	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #577 Nightmare (2010) #632 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #941
13	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1130 We Care a Lot (1987) [Single] Epic (1990) [Single]
14	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #602 Transcendence (2016) #900 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1722
15	Ulcerate 2000, New Zealand Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal	Stare into Death and Be Still (2020) #619 Cutting the Throat of God (2024) #1026 Everything Is Fire (2009) #2585
16	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #689 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1007 Paracletus (2010) #1173
17	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #1737 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
18	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #4020 Organasm (2000)
19	Blut aus Nord 1994, France Atmospheric Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Ethereal Horizons (2025) #1732 Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses (2022) #1784 The Work Which Transforms God (2003) #2201
20	Akphaezya 2002, France Avant-garde Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal	Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2008) #4043 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #4967 Fell Down the Veil (Anthologies I, III & V) (2024)
21	Imperial Triumphant 2005, United States Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	Spirit of Ecstasy (2022) Vile Luxury (2018) Goldstar (2025) #6524
22	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #977 In Harmonia Universali (2003) Red for Fire : an Icelandic Odyssey Part l (2005)
23	Dødheimsgard 1994, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Industrial Metal	Black Medium Current (2023) #4689 A Umbra Omega (2015) #5278 Supervillain Outcast (2007)
24	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #6138 Coffins on Io (2014)
25	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #2123 Maanens Natt (1993) [Demo] Vilosophe (2003)
26	Schammasch 2009, Switzerland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Contradiction (2014) Triangle (2016) #2475 Hearts of No Light (2019)
27	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1470 angL (2008) #2395 After (2010) #4030
28	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2680 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4565 Live in London (2019) [Live]
29	Lunatic Gods 1995, Slovakia Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Doom Metal, Black Metal	Vlnobytie (2012) Sitting by the Fire (1998) Mythus (2004)
30	Ex Eye 2016, United States Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Ex Eye (2017) #5855
31	Maudlin of the Well United States Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Bath (2001) #6137 Leaving Your Body Map (2001) #6939 Part the Second (2009)
32	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #8231
33	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4727 One One One (2013) Where the Ragged People Go (2001)
34	Primus 1984, United States Experimental Rock, Funk Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal	Pork Soda (1993) #6056 Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #6661 Conspiranoia (2022) [EP]
35	Iwrestledabearonce 2007, United States Experimental Grindcore, Metalcore, Experimental Deathcore	It's All Happening (2009) #6459 Iwrestledabearonce EP (2007) [EP] Late for Nothing (2013)
36	Au Revoir Michelle 2009, Korea Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Folk Metal	Les Cris De La Nuit (2012) #5504 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
37	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #8470 Those Who Caress the Pale (1997) [EP] Those who Caress the Pale (1994) [Demo]
38	In the Woods... 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Pure (2016) #2264 Heart of the Ages (1995) #2803 Omnio (1997) #3428
39	Mr. Bungle 1985, United States Avant-garde Metal, Fusion	The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (2020) #9122 Mr. Bungle (1991) #9252 California (1999) #9580
40	Portal 1994, Australia Dissonant Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Seepia (2003) #1385 Vexovoid (2013) #4144 Avow (2021) #4242
41	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Miss Machine (2004) #6156 Dissociation (2016) #6229 Calculating Infinity (1999) #6732
42	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #6259 Meta (2016) #7911 w^w^^w^w (2012)
43	Disharmonic Orchestra 1987, Austria Death Metal, Grindcore, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Not to Be Undimensional Conscious (1992) #5250 Expositionsprophylaxe (1990) #6170 Ahead (2002)
44	Mike Patton United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Experimental Ambient, Noise	Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #9017
45	Hail Spirit Noir 2010, Greece Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Avant-garde Metal	Pneuma (2012) #598 Fossil Gardens (2024) Mayhem in Blue (2016) #3946
46	Unholy 1990, Finland Death Doom Metal	The Second Ring of Power (1994) #6957 From the Shadows (1993) #8352 Gracefallen (1999)
47	Fantômas 1998, United States Avant-garde Metal	Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Delirium Cordia (2004) The Director's Cut (2001)
48	Madder Mortem 1997, Norway Progressive Metal, Atmospheric Doom Metal	Old Eyes, New Heart (2024) #8426 Red in Tooth and Claw (2016) Marrow (2018)
49	Peste Noire 2000, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	La Sanie des siècles - Panégyrique de la dégénérescence (2006) #1148 Le retour des pastoureaux (2021) Macabre Transcendance... (2002) [Demo]
50	Liturgy 2005, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	H.A.Q.Q. (2019) #7017 Renihilation (2009) Aesthethica (2011) #9614

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