Right... Let's get this out of the way from the get-go. Alternative metal is hard to define. I guess that comes from it always wanting to experiment, explore and fuse heavy metal with non-metal music genres. It also makes it an ever changing and growing genre.

Also, before you guys flood me, yes my list contains a lot of Industrial & Nu Metal bands, as well as other genre.. As far as I'm concerned, my picks all fit quite well in the scope of an alternative metal list. Don't you agree? Wait... You disagree? Well, let's agree to disagree and move on.

As for the list itself, I'm going to try and list through time what I (me, myself & moi) consider as essential alternative albums. I will also limit myself to a maximum of 4 releases each year to prevent a messy list, which often makes it a difficult decision, especially in the early 2000's. So yes, it is possible your personal favourite won't be featured. You can tell me all about it in the comments below and we can discuss it, even argue it.

Now, have fun, enjoy my list and let me know what you think or would personally put in your favourite alt-metal list!

-Guib-

EDIT: I will now add my pick for best album of each year using the (best of xxxx) in the chosen album's description.

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Guib's Best Alternative Metal Album Picks

Best Of 2022
Polyphia - Remember That You Will Die

Best Of 2023
Mutoid Man - Mutants

Best of 2024 So Far
...tbd

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Last Updated: March 27th, 2024

1.Living Colour - Vivid

2.Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking

3.Faith No More - The Real Thing

4.Godflesh - Streetcleaner

5.L7 - Smell The Magic

      View entire list ››

To add fuel to the fire of the "they'll never top their first album" rhetoric, here are all my favorite full length debuts in alphabetical order. Full lengths, not EPs.

1.Acid Witch - Witchtanic Hellucinations

2.Aeternus - Beyond The Wandering Moon

3.Agruss - Morok

4.Ahab - The Call Of The Wretched Sea

5.Alcest - Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde

      View entire list ››

This is very simple, I took the ratings for a bunch of alternative metal albums on MS and ranked them accordingly

To qualify:
The album must have been released when the band was labelled as "Alternative Metal" by MS. So for example the three most recent Gojira albums count, but early Gojira does not.

The band must have more than 10 fans on MS

Therefore this is not a reflection of my opinions, rather a reflection of numbers so if you wanna get mad, get mad at the numbers, not me. And remember that this really isn't that serious

1.Mass Hysteria - Contraddiction

2.Tool - Lateralus

3.The Butterfly Effect - IV

4.Tool - Ænima

5.Mass Hysteria - Le Bien-Être Et La Paix

      View entire list ››

1.Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes

2.Virgin Steele - Invictus

3.Nightwish - Oceanborn

4.Amon Amarth - Once Sent From The Golden Hall

5.Death - The Sound Of Perseverance

      View entire list ››

What seems the most important albums for me in chronological order.
I wish I could carry the list year after year to see how my tastes changed and new findings.
I can help but notice that old albums immediately strike me, while in recent times most albums are good but nothing is groundbreaking. We have a tide of releases in the last decades, and standing above the other requires an impossible lot of talent.
Or is it my listen habbits that changed ? I felts I listened to the old albums albums for a lifetime while I'm only surface checking the new ones. Too little time, too little time to truly live...
Also the mixing technology, the sound is too flat nowadays and lack impact and personnality

1.Frank Zappa - Freak Out

2.The Who - Tommy

3.Frank Zappa - Uncle Meat

4.Frank Zappa - Hot Rats

5.King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

      View entire list ››

1.System Of A Down - Toxicity

2.Soen - Lotus

3.Tool - Lateralus

4.Faith No More - The Real Thing

5.Tool - Ænima

      View entire list ››

I always assumed ‘98 was a Nu Metal year, after looking over it now I think this is the year of Power Metal! Top spot was super difficult to settle on...

Plus my top three favourite tracks from each release. \m/

Honourable mentions:
Marduk - Nightwing (Black)
Iced Earth - Something Wicked This Way Comes (Power/Thrash)

1.Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle-Earth

2.System Of A Down - System Of A Down

3.Nile - Amongst The Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka

4.Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe

5.Korn - Follow The Leader

      View entire list ››

JUST FOR FUN….Bad Records From Great Bands Or Bands You Just Don’t Get Into…This is my personal choice
💀💀💀

1.Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar

2.Limp Bizkit - Significant Other

3.Bruce Dickinson - Skunkworks

4.KISS - Unmasked

5.Manowar - Kings Of Metal MMXIV

      View entire list ››

It's been like 20 years now, is it safe to post this yet?

1.Korn - Korn

2.System Of A Down - Toxicity

3.Sepultura - Roots

4.System Of A Down - System Of A Down

5.Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists

      View entire list ››

Time has moved on and so has my taste. There is music I didn't listen to back then but also albums I still love even though I don't listen to them as much anymore.

1.Agalloch - The Mantle

2.Aquilus - Cloak Of Autumn Shroud

3.Aquilus - Griseus

4.Babymetal - Metal Resistance

5.Babymetal - Metal Galaxy

      View entire list ››

My personal favorite alternative/hard rock/non extreme albums. As with all my list this only includes bands on metalstorm...also certain albums that didn't make this list will make my top stoner, doom, sludge list or my progressive/post list

1.Clutch - Blast Tyrant

2.Queens Of The Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralyze

3.Tool - Ænima

4.Primus - Pork Soda

5.Queens Of The Stone Age - Era Vulgaris

      View entire list ››

I always admired people who do really cool lists. But since I don't know anything, I can't really make a good one. So here's the babby-boy of lists, just to get my juices flowing.
Will be updated and expanded upon as I have time and see fit. The goal is to get my top 50 maybe, but there's a long road ahead of that.

1.Neurosis - Souls At Zero

2.A Forest Of Stars - Grave Mounds And Grave Mistakes

3.Neurosis - Times Of Grace

4.Terra Tenebrosa - The Tunnels

5.Amigo The Devil - Everything Is Fine

      View entire list ››

1.Cradle Of Filth - Cruelty And The Beast

2.Death - The Sound Of Perseverance

3.Therion - Vovin

4.Anathema - Alternative 4

5.Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals

      View entire list ››

I will be filling the gap years with more albums soon... :3

1.IDLES - Brutalism

2.Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

3.Ghost - Meliora

4.Septicflesh - Titan

5.Twenty One Pilots - Vessel

      View entire list ››

1.System Of A Down - System Of A Down

2.System Of A Down - Toxicity

3.System Of A Down - Mezmerize

4.System Of A Down - Hypnotize

5.System Of A Down - Steal This Album!

      View entire list ››