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 ››

Listen to metal for more than the half of my life, here is the list of my favorites albums of all time.

1.Alcest - Les Voyages De L'âme

2.Alcest - Kodama

3.Alcest - Spiritual Instinct

4.Alestorm - Sunset On The Golden Age

5.Alestorm - No Grave But The Sea

      View entire list ››

1.Edge Of Sanity - Crimson

2.Empyrium - Songs Of Moors And Misty Fields

3.Saturnus - Paradise Belongs To You

4.Opeth - Still Life

5.Dream Theater - Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory

      View entire list ››

Love Rammstein since primary school, was one of the first to introduce me into metal and still on the hype of their concert in Montreal this August 21.

1.Rammstein - Mutter

2.Rammstein - Reise, Reise

3.Rammstein - Sehnsucht

4.Rammstein - Herzeleid

5.Rammstein - Zeit

      View entire list ››

A little list series where I list my top 20 favorite metal albums every year starting from the year I was born in.

1997 was surprisingly a solid year for metal, a lot of great releases in black and power metal, and a very strong year for gothic metal this period was by far the golden age of gothic metal

1.Stratovarius - Visions

2.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

3.Empyrium - Songs Of Moors And Misty Fields

4.Symphony X - The Divine Wings Of Tragedy

5.Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine: Biomech

      View entire list ››

1.Rammstein - Rosenrot

2.Rammstein - Reise, Reise

3.Rammstein - Mutter

4.Rammstein - Sehnsucht

5.Rammstein - Rammstein

      View entire list ››

1.Nokturnal Mortum - Goat Horns

2.Summoning - Dol Guldur

3.Bruce Dickinson - Accident Of Birth

4.Metallica - Re-Load

5.In Flames - Whoracle

      View entire list ››

1.Rammstein - Mutter

2.Ministry - Rio Grande Blood

3.Samael - Solar Soul

4.Rammstein - Reise, Reise

5.Fear Factory - Demanufacture

      View entire list ››

Poser alert!
Yep, they made the list...
I’m not sorry lol.

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

Honourable mentions:
The Gathering - Nighttime Birds (Gothic)
Electric Wizard - Come My Fanatics... (Doom/Stoner)
Deicide - Serpents Of The Light (Death)
Hammerfall - Glory To The Brave (Power)

1.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

2.Deströyer 666 - Unchain The Wolves

3.Arcturus - La Masquerade Infernale

4.Stratovarius - Visions

5.Dominion - Blackout

      View entire list ››

1.Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral

2.Rammstein - Mutter

3.Godflesh - Streetcleaner

4.Skinny Puppy - Too Dark Park

5.Ministry - ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ

      View entire list ››

Must Have: The First 12

1.Bruce Dickinson - Accident Of Birth

2.Conception - Flow

3.Symphony X - The Divine Wings Of Tragedy

4.Megadeth - Cryptic Writings

5.Fates Warning - A Pleasant Shade Of Gray

      View entire list ››

I've been listening to Metal since 2005 and it has become my biggest passion in life.

Rarely a day goes by where I don't listen to it in one form or another. The bands I listened to in my teens inspired me to pick up the guitar (and later drums) and start making music of my own.

So here are the albums that have stood out and made the largest impact on me. To be as transparent as possible, I've labelled albums as 'nostalgia bias' where my memories of the album give it an advantage over others.

(Score is an average of each album's song ratings, full list located here. There are a ton of albums that I've rated 9/10 in the 'TBR' tab that may never make it to this list, be sure to check those out.)

If you discovered any new albums or like the same sort of metal, be sure to give this list a thumbs-up and leave a comment so more people can find these amazing bands!

My other lists:
Top 25 EPs (ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
Top 200 Overrated Albums (trigger warning)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)

Genre-Specific:
Top 50 Black Metal Albums
Top 50 Melodic Death Metal Albums
Top 45 Thrash Metal Albums
Top 40 Power Metal Albums
Top 30 Doom Metal Albums
Top 30 Heavy Metal Albums

1.Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral

2.Opeth - Blackwater Park

3.Metallica - Master Of Puppets

4.Edge Of Sanity - Crimson

5.Opeth - Still Life

      View entire list ››

1.Strapping Young Lad - City

2.October Tide - Rain Without End

3.Helmet - Aftertaste

4.Dawnbringer - Unbleed

5.Deströyer 666 - Unchain The Wolves

      View entire list ››

1.Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

2.Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk

3.Vader - Black To The Blind

4.Ahret Dev - Hellish

5.Bruce Dickinson - Accident Of Birth

      View entire list ››

best album of each year from 1967 onwards

1.Wayfarer - American Gothic

2.Grima - Frostbitten

3.Beast In Black - Dark Connection

4.Havukruunu - Uinuos Syömein Sota

5.Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

      View entire list ››