Best Avant-garde Metal Bands

Rank	Band / Formed / Genres	Albums
1	Arcturus 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Symphonic Black Metal	The Sham Mirrors (2002) #211 Aspera Hiems Symfonia (1996) #545 La masquerade infernale (1997) #1005
2	Sigh 1990, Japan Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Imaginary Sonicscape (2001) #409 Scenes From Hell (2010) #1017 In Somniphobia (2012) #1459
3	Diablo Swing Orchestra 2003, Sweden Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Pandora's Piñata (2012) #591 Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious (2009) #3068 The Butchers Ballroom (2006) #4249
4	Gorguts 1989, Canada Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	The Erosion of Sanity (1993) #2071 From Wisdom to Hate (2001) #2413 Obscura (1998) #2749
5	Celtic Frost 1984, Switzerland Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal	To Mega Therion (1985) #264 Morbid Tales (1984) [EP] #2130 Into the Pandemonium (1987) #2400
6	Thy Catafalque 1998, Hungary Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Vadak (2021) #1963 Meta (2016) #3927 Rengeteg (2011)
7	Mayhem 1984, Norway Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	De mysteriis dom Sathanas (1994) #21 De Mysteriis Dom. Sathanas (2020) [Boxed set] Chimera (2004) #1429
8	Unexpect 1996, Canada Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Fables of the Sleepless Empire (2011) #1901 In a Flesh Aquarium (2006) #5154 Utopia (1999)
9	Rainy Sun Korea Avant-garde Metal	Porno Virus (1998) #946 Origin (2009) #2671 Woman (2003)
10	Dir en Grey 1997, Japan Alternative Metal, Visual Kei, Progressive Metal	Uroboros (2008) #838 Arche (2014) #1607 Dum Spiro Spero (2011) #1670
11	Faith No More 1982, United States Avant-garde Metal, Alternative Metal, Heavy Metal	The Real Thing (1989) #1102 We Care a Lot (1987) [Single] Epic (1990) [Single]
12	Devin Townsend Project 2008, Canada Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Ambient	Addicted (2009) #579 Transcendence (2016) #857 Devin Townsend Presents: Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) [Live] #1672
13	Avenged Sevenfold 1999, United States Heavy Metal, Metalcore, Hard Rock	City of Evil (2005) #731 Nightmare (2010) #847 Avenged Sevenfold (2007) #1458
14	Deathspell Omega 1998, France Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Fas- Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (2007) #761 Paracletus (2010) #945 Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) #1318
15	Odraza 2009, Poland Black Metal	Rzeczom (2020) #917 Esperalem tkane (2014) Kir (2015) [EP]
16	Alchemist Australia Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Austral Alien (2003) Tripsis (2007) #3732 Organasm (2000)
17	Igorrr France Breakcore, Avant-garde Metal, Experimental	Nostril (2010) Savage Sinusoid (2017) #3129 Spirituality and Distortion (2020) #3676
18	Manes Norway Electro Avant-garde metal	Under ein Blodraud Maane (1999) #1947 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) #4536 A Umbra Omega (2015) #4855 666 International (1999) #5366
20	Solefald 1995, Norway Progressive Metal, Post-Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	The Linear Scaffold (1997) #824 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) #3753 Anthology IV : the Tragedy of Nerak (2012) #4026 Anthology II: Links from the Dead Trinity (2004) [Demo]
22	Zeal and Ardor 2014, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Stranger Fruit (2018) #2561 Devil Is Fine (2016) #4252 Live in London (2019) [Live]
23	Blut aus Nord 1994, France Atmospheric Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses (2022) #1737 The Work Which Transforms God (2003) #2393 Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With the Stars (2009) #2940
24	Kayo Dot 2003, United States Avant-garde Metal, Post-Metal	Hubardo (2013) Choirs of the Eye (2003) #5562 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) #4652
27	Shining 1999, Norway Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal, Experimental Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop Rock,	Blackjazz (2010) #4375 One One One (2013) Where the Ragged People Go (2001)
28	Primus 1984, United States Experimental Rock, Funk Metal, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal	Pork Soda (1993) #6069 Conspiranoia (2022) [EP] Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991) #7372
29	Iwrestledabearonce 2007, United States Experimental Grindcore, Metalcore, Experimental Deathcore	It's All Happening (2009) #5857 Iwrestledabearonce EP (2007) [EP] Late for Nothing (2013)
30	Imperial Triumphant 2005, United States Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Dissonant Death Metal	Spirit of Ecstasy (2022) Vile Luxury (2018) Abyssal Gods (2015)
31	Mr. Bungle 1985, United States Avant-garde Metal, Fusion	The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo (2020) #7615 Mr. Bungle (1991) #8494 The Night They Come Home (2021) [Live]
32	Au Revoir Michelle 2009, Korea Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Folk Metal	Les Cris De La Nuit (2012) #5075 님의 찬미 (2012) [Single] 흥보가 기가막혀 (2012) [Single]
33	The Dillinger Escape Plan 1997, United States Mathcore, Metalcore, Alternative Rock	Calculating Infinity (1999) #3577 Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002) [EP] #5235 Miss Machine (2004) #5583
34	Schammasch 2009, Switzerland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Contradiction (2014) Triangle (2016) Hearts of No Light (2019)
35	In the Woods... 1991, Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal	Pure (2016) #2164 Live At the Caledonien Hall (2003) [Live] #2391 Heart of the Ages (1995) #2942
36	Phlebotomized 1990, Netherlands Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal, Progressive Metal	Deformation of Humanity (2019) Clouds of Confusion (2023) Immense Intense Suspense (1994) #6788
37	Ved Buens Ende Norway Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	Written in Waters (1995) #8220 Those Who Caress the Pale (1997) [EP] Those who Caress the Pale (1994) [Demo]
38	Portal 1994, Australia Dissonant Death Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Seepia (2003) #942 Avow (2021) #3945 Vexovoid (2013) #5076
39	Car Bomb 2000, United States Mathcore	Mordial (2019) #5690 Meta (2016) #7062 w^w^^w^w (2012)
40	Ihsahn Norway Progressive Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Arktis. (2016) #1407 angL (2008) #2410 After (2010) #3740
41	Fantômas 1998, United States Avant-garde Metal	The Director's Cut (2001) Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Delirium Cordia (2004)
42	Madder Mortem 1997, Norway Progressive Metal, Atmospheric Doom Metal	Old Eyes, New Heart (2024) #7491 Red in Tooth and Claw (2016) Marrow (2018)
43	Windham Hell United States Neoclassical Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Reflective Depths Imbibe (1999) Window of Souls (1996) South Facing Epitaph (1994)
44	Oranssi Pazuzu 2007, Finland Black Metal, Avant-garde Metal	Värähtelijä (2016) #786 Kosmonument (2011) Mestarin kynsi (2020)
45	Lux Occulta 1994, Poland Symphonic Black Metal	Dionysos (1997) #3637 Forever Alone Immortal (1996) #5723 My Guardian Anger (1999) #6593
46	Melvins 1983, United States Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock	Millennium Monsterwork (2002) [Live] Houdini (1993) #7260 Tarantula Heart (2024) #7930
47	Ulver 1993, Norway Black Metal, Ambient, Electronic	Bergtatt: Et eeventyr i 5 capitler (1995) #1916 Kveldssanger (1996) #2726 Nattens madrigal: Aatte hymne til ulven i manden (1997) #2727
48	Triptykon 2008, Switzerland Doom Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal	Melana Chasmata (2014) #651 Eparistera Daimones (2010) #1910 Shatter (2010) [EP] #8386
49	Botanist 2009, United States Blackgaze, Black Metal	III: Doom in Bloom / Allies (2012) VI: Flora (2014) VIII: Selenotrope (2023)
50	Liturgy 2005, United States Avant-garde Metal, Black Metal	H.A.Q.Q. (2019) #7916 Renihilation (2009) Aesthethica (2011) #8538

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