Best Avant-garde Metal Bands

57 bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #421 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1048 In Somniphobia (2012) #1300
2	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #219 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #590 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1034
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #597 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3207 The Butchers Ballroom (2006) #4468
4	Gorguts 1989, Canada Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	From Wisdom to Hate (2001) #2188 The Erosion of Sanity (1993) #2109 Obscura (1998) #2706
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #264 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2095 Monotheist (2006) #2216
6	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #24 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1408
7	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal	Vadak (2021) #2027 Meta (2016) #4131 Rengeteg (2011)
8	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1956 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5434 Utopia (1999)
9	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #984 Origin (2009) #2795 Woman (2003)
10	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #876 Arche (2014) #1661 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1722
11	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #609 Nightmare (2010) #750 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #1113
12	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]
13	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #600 Transcendence (2016) #890 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1724
14	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Nostril (2010) Savage Sinusoid (2017) #3276 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3879
15	Ulcerate 2000, New Zealand Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal	Stare into Death and Be Still (2020) #620 Cutting the Throat of God (2024) #902 Everything Is Fire (2009) #2556
16	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #696 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1085 Paracletus (2010) #1162
17	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #943 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
18	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #3939 Organasm (2000)
19	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #2003 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) #3772 A Umbra Omega (2015) #5125 666 International (1999) #6911
21	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #865 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) #3961 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #4230 Fell Down the Veil (Anthologies I, III & V) (2024)
23	Schammasch 2009, Switzerland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Contradiction (2014) Triangle (2016) #2444 Hearts of No Light (2019)
24	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1460 angL (2008) #2368 After (2010) #3948
25	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2656 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4474 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) #2477 Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With the Stars (2009) #3087
27	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Post-Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #5873 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) #4912
30	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #7156
31	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4622 One One One (2013) Where the Ragged People Go (2001)
32	Primus 1984, United States Experimental Rock, Funk Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal	Pork Soda (1993) #5801 Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #6347 Conspiranoia (2022) [EP]
33	Iwrestledabearonce 2007, United States Experimental Grindcore, Metalcore, Experimental Deathcore	It's All Happening (2009) #6169 Iwrestledabearonce EP (2007) [EP] Late for Nothing (2013)
34	Imperial Triumphant 2005, United States Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	Spirit of Ecstasy (2022) Vile Luxury (2018) Goldstar (2025)
35	Au Revoir Michelle 2009, Korea Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Folk Metal	Les Cris De La Nuit (2012) #5341 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
36	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #7989 Those Who Caress the Pale (1997) [EP] Those who Caress the Pale (1994) [Demo]
37	In the Woods... 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, Gothic Metal	Pure (2016) #2241 Live At the Caledonien Hall (2003) [Live] #2475 Heart of the Ages (1995) #2692
38	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #5510 Miss Machine (2004) #5894 Dissociation (2016) #5968
39	Mr. Bungle 1985, United States Avant-garde Metal, Fusion	The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (2020) #8576 Mr. Bungle (1991) #8708 The Night They Come Home (2021) [Live]
40	Portal 1994, Australia Dissonant Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Seepia (2003) #978 Vexovoid (2013) #4065 Avow (2021) #4151
41	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #5999 Meta (2016) #7466 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) #4020
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) #7943 Red in Tooth and Claw (2016) Marrow (2018)
45	Liturgy 2005, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	H.A.Q.Q. (2019) #6638 Renihilation (2009) Aesthethica (2011) #9036
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) #821 Kosmonument (2011) Mestarin kynsi (2020)
49	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3823 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5858 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6963
50	Melvins 1983, United States Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock	Houdini (1993) #5738 Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Thunderball (2025)

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