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 ››

The most difficult way to create the title for an album may be to try something that is clever and/or funny.

Likewise, making a list of these titles is also not easy as it would be a very subjective task. In order to apply at least some objective criteria, the resulting (alphabetical) list consists of album titles that contain a pun or pun-related word play ( - possibly even independent of how well these titles worked).

Puns (or pun-related word play examples) rely on (1) the different possible meanings of a word or (2) the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.
In addition, this list contains numbers in titles that (3) contribute to the sound of the corresponding word or (4) that fit optically to the written word.

Please feel free to suggest more examples of such album titles for this list, if they fit to one of the criteria 1 – 4 (in order to keep the list in shape).
Still, it would also be interesting, if you could share other clever and/or funny album or song titles in the comments.

1.Acid Witch - Witchtanic Hellucinations

2.Afflicted - Prodigal Sun

3.Alestorm - Seventh Rum Of A Seventh Rum

4.Anthrax - Attack Of The Killer B's

5.Alice Cooper - The Beast Of Alice Cooper

      View entire list ››

2015 was the edge, the cliff, the abyss looking back at us... and we jumped... oh yes we did...

Top 50 of my 8+ ratings

Enjoy! or not I don't really care

Album count: 155
Average rating: 7.15

1.Shape Of Despair - Monotony Fields

2.Arcturus - Arcturian

3.Panopticon - Autumn Eternal

4.Kauan - Sorni Nai

5.Swallow The Sun - Songs From The North I, II & III

      View entire list ››

As with my other rankings I Love ALL these badboys

1.Fear Factory - Mechanize

2.Fear Factory - Demanufacture

3.Fear Factory - Obsolete

4.Fear Factory - Digimortal

5.Fear Factory - Transgression

      View entire list ››

Title says it all - just ranking the FF studio albums from most to least favorite. Figured I might as well since A) I'm one of those types that loves making lists and B) I'm a HUGE FF fan. I'm not including "Concrete" considering it's (arguably) more of a demo than a studio album (though I will acknowledge that it is killer). Let's get started, shall we?

1.Fear Factory - Demanufacture

2.Fear Factory - The Industrialist

3.Fear Factory - Obsolete

4.Fear Factory - Genexus

5.Fear Factory - Mechanize

      View entire list ››

1.Alice In Chains - Jar Of Flies

2.Animals As Leaders - Animals As Leaders

3.Damageplan - New Found Power

4.Dying Fetus - Killing On Adrenaline

5.Fear Factory - Archetype

      View entire list ››

I doubt that anybody cares but, this is everything I listened to from 2015 in order of my enjoyment. Any and all hate is welcome!

1.Blind Guardian - Beyond The Red Mirror

2.Iron Maiden - The Book Of Souls

3.Cain's Offering - Stormcrow

4.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

5.Kamelot - Haven

      View entire list ››

1.Melechesh - Enki

2.Tengger Cavalry - Blood Sacrifice Shaman

3.Fear Factory - Genexus

4.Psycroptic - Psycroptic

5.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

      View entire list ››

1.Tribulation - The Children Of The Night

2.Slayer - Repentless

3.Leprous - The Congregation

4.Unleashed - Dawn Of The Nine

5.Kauan - Sorni Nai

      View entire list ››

My favourite albums of the past year, the list + some words about the albums can also be found on my blog
https://forsakenatthegates.blogspot.com

1.Fear Factory - Genexus

2.Iron Maiden - The Book Of Souls

3.Cain's Offering - Stormcrow

4.Vanden Plas - Chronicles Of The Immortals: Netherworld II

5.Gloryhammer - Space 1992: Rise Of The Chaos Wizards

      View entire list ››

My favourite albums of 2015. (In order of preference, and only including albums I would rate 7+).

1.Periphery - Juggernaut: Alpha & Omega

2.Deafheaven - New Bermuda

3.Fear Factory - Genexus

4.So Hideous - Laurestine

5.I, Valiance - The Reject of Humanity

      View entire list ››

Some black coffee, some milky atmosphere, some folk syrup and some sweet death.

No special order.

(sorry for German commenting, i reuse the text mostly on my social media later)

1.Finsterforst - Mach Dich Frei

2.SatanaKozel - North

3.Galar - De Gjenlevende

4.

5.Wolfheart - Shadow World

      View entire list ››

1.Slayer - Repentless

2.Monster Magnet - Cobras And Fire (The Mastermind Redux)

3.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

4.Lamb Of God - VII: Sturm Und Drang

5.Napalm Death - Apex Predator - Easy Meat

      View entire list ››

1.Faith No More - Sol Invictus

2.Fear Factory - Genexus

3.High On Fire - Luminiferous

4.Napalm Death - Apex Predator - Easy Meat

5.Entrails - Obliteration

      View entire list ››

1.Enforcer - From Beyond

2.Fear Factory - Genexus

3.Enslaved - In Times

4.Finsterforst - Mach Dich Frei

5.Graveworm - Ascending Hate

      View entire list ››