Best Avant-garde Metal Bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #367 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1000 In Somniphobia (2012) #1442
2	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #227 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #668 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1145
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #582 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3031 The Butchers Ballroom (2006) #4180
4	Gorguts 1989, Canada Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	Obscura (1998) #1734 The Erosion of Sanity (1993) #2055 From Wisdom to Hate (2001) #2394
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #259 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2115 Into the Pandemonium (1987) #2384
6	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #21 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1080
7	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1891 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5034 Utopia (1999)
8	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #932 Origin (2009) #2643 Woman (2003)
9	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #816 Arche (2014) #1586 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1656
10	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Vadak (2021) #1950 Meta (2016) #3867 Rengeteg (2011)
11	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #566 Transcendence (2016) #836 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1658
12	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #667 Nightmare (2010) #826 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #1440
13	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1049 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) #733 Paracletus (2010) #931 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1277
15	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #901 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
16	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #3676 Organasm (2000)
17	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Nostril (2010) Savage Sinusoid (2017) #3088 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3617
18	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #1272 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) #4454 A Umbra Omega (2015) #4764 666 International (1999) #5255
20	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #805 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) #3693 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #3963 Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2004) [Demo]
22	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2536 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4183 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) #2377 Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With the Stars (2009) #2890
24	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Post-Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #5449 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) #4569
27	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4314 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) #5724 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) #7455 Mr. Bungle (1991) #8314 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) #4970 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
32	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Calculating Infinity (1999) #3515 Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #5117 Miss Machine (2004) #5469
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) #6414 Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #6701
35	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #6640
36	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #8045 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) #1015 Avow (2021) #3884 Vexovoid (2013) #4971
38	In the Woods... 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	Pure (2016) #2145 Live At the Caledonien Hall (2003) [Live] #2375 Heart of the Ages (1995) #2893
39	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1392 angL (2008) #2392 After (2010) #3682
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) #7334 Red in Tooth and Claw (2016) Marrow (2018)
42	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #5579 Meta (2016) #7425 w^w^^w^w (2012)
43	Oranssi Pazuzu 2007, Finland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Värähtelijä (2016) #767 Kosmonument (2011) Mestarin kynsi (2020)
44	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3572 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5603 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6457
45	Melvins 1983, United States Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock	Hostile Ambient Takeover (2002) Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Houdini (1993) #6464
46	Ulver 1993, Norway Black Metal, Ambient, Electronic	Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (1995) #1905 Kveldssanger (1996) #2695 Nattens madrigal: Aatte hymne til ulven i manden (1997) #2696
47	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #643 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1900 Shatter (2010) [EP] #8202
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) #7745 Renihilation (2009) Aesthethica (2011) #8365
50	Peste Noire 2000, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	La Sanie des siècles - Panégyrique de la dégénérescence (2006) #1174 Le retour des pastoureaux (2021) Macabre Transcendance... (2002) [Demo]

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