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 ››

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

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It is not uncommon that album titles are chosen after the band`s name. However, song titles that include or are identical to the band`s name are relatively seldom found.
This is a list of song titles with the (entire) band name / band names after (their own) song titles.

Please feel free to suggest further titles/bands.

1.71TONMAN - 71TONMAN

2.A Feast For Lampreys - Graveyard Abyss

3.Aaskereia - Mit Raben Und Wölfen

4.Absent In Body - The Abyss Stares Back - Vol. V

5.Absu - Absu

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1.Disillusion - The Liberation

2.Wilderun - Veil Of Imagination

3.Insomnium - Heart Like A Grave

4.Tool - Fear Inoculum

5.Iapetus - The Body Cosmic

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This list is meant to be an extensive, but by no means exhaustive, collection of the greatest (modern) metal albums and eps. Running the gamut from avant-garde to trve norweigan black metal. *As someone who is young in age, my tastes tend to revolve around the period of the 80s to the present.* Although certain metal albums from before will certainly be featured, the period of the 60s-70s will be under-represented. I refer you to this excellent list to gain a better appreciation for some of the best metal from that period: https://rateyourmusic.com/list/freis/martin_popoffs_the_top_500_heavy_metal_albums_of_all_time/

1.W.A.S.P. - The Crimson Idol

2.Wachenfeldt - The Interpreter

3.Wake - Devouring Ruin

4.Waldgeflüster - Femundsmarka - Eine Reise In Drei Kapiteln

5.Walknut - Graveforests And Their Shadows

      View entire list ››

1.Death Angel - Humanicide

2.Acid Reign - The Age Of Entitlement

3.Aeon Zen - INVERITAS

4.Allegaeon - Apoptosis

5.Alter Bridge - Walk The Sky

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Here is a list of all the bands who received at least one write-in vote during MSA 2019.

Following the annoucement of the results, this information is lost, I post it here so you can continue to explore your favorite genres !

I'm still working on fixing links, if you find errors, feel free to notify in the comments !

1.Babymetal - Metal Galaxy

2.Cave In - Final Transmission

3.Mother Of Millions - Artifacts

4.Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

5.Soen - Lotus

      View entire list ››

1.Babymetal - Metal Galaxy

2.Cave In - Final Transmission

3.Mother Of Millions - Artifacts

4.Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

5.Soen - Lotus

      View entire list ››

These are the albums I paid attention to or that stayed with me this year, got repeated listens. I did not mean to make a list here on MS but as I was doing lists elsewhere, I thought I'd combine them,add some more albums and make it more thorough here.

1.Klone - Le Grand Voyage

2.Arch/Matheos - Winter Ethereal

3.Ray Alder - What The Water Wants

4.Retrospective - Latent Avidity

5.Goblin - The Devil Is Back

      View entire list ››

1.Soen - Lotus

2.Ningen Isu - 新青年

3.Candlemass - The Door To Doom

4.Fleshgod Apocalypse - Veleno

5.Russian Circles - Blood Year

      View entire list ››

Favourite albums of 2019 (including only those which I would rate 7+)

1.Infant Annihilator - The Battle Of Yaldabaoth

2.Shadow Of Intent - Melancholy

3.Periphery - Periphery IV: Hail Stan

4.Cattle Decapitation - Death Atlas

5.Numenorean - Adore

      View entire list ››

1.Flesh Of The Stars - Mercy

2.Soen - Lotus

3.Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear

4.Frostveil - Ephemeral Visions

5.Thank You Scientist - Terraformer

      View entire list ››

In 2018 I decided to listen to as many albums as possible, and succeeded in finding new interesting stuff. But it took much effort, and in the end I think I wasn't really smart in my choices, so this year I'll try to do the same with higher creteria. Hopefully the list will grow without losing tightness like it did back then. I'm watching every new entry to MS database, and these are the few albums which caught my attention. - I mean, I'm pretty jaded so these are the only releases I've been able to sit through without complaining.

1.Sabbath Assembly - A Letter Of Red

2.Helium Horse Fly - Hollowed

3.Lingua Ignota - Caligula

4.Health - Vol.4 :: Slaves Of Fear

5.Bent Knee - You Know What They Mean

      View entire list ››

Cos Radu won't leave me alone

1.Bees Made Honey In The Vein Tree - Grandmother

2.Dreadnought - Emergence

3.Methadone Skies - Different Layers Of Fear

4.A Secret Revealed - Sacrifices

5.Cartographs - Wilt & Blossom

      View entire list ››

1.Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

2.Belzebubs - Pantheon Of The Nightside Gods

3.Grima - Will Of The Primordial

4.Vorna - Sateet Palata Saavat

5.Insomnium - Heart Like A Grave

      View entire list ››