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 ››

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

Honourable mentions:
Anathema - The Silent Enigma (Doom/Death)
The Gathering - Mandylion (Gothic)
Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side (Power)
Saint Vitus - Die Healing (Doom)
Darkthrone - Panzerfaust (Black)
Iced Earth - Burnt Offerings (Power)

1.Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

2.Immortal - Battles In The North

3.Moonspell - Wolfheart

4.Death - Symbolic

5.Paradise Lost - Draconian Times

      View entire list ››

My personal exploration of the year I was born, I'll keep updating this list as I find albums I enjoy

1.Blind Guardian - Imaginations From The Other Side

2.Death - Symbolic

3.Virgin Steele - The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell Part II

4.Motörhead - Sacrifice

5.Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

      View entire list ››

1.Alice In Chains - Alice In Chains

      View entire list ››

1.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II

2.Rush - Rush

3.Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine

4.AC/DC - The Razor's Edge

5.Alice In Chains - Alice In Chains

      View entire list ››

The list shows 50 albums that have had a huge impact on me over my teens. Albums released before 2000 only.
In alphabetical order.

1.Aerosmith - Get A Grip

2.Alice In Chains - Alice In Chains

3.Amorphis - Elegy

4.Anathema - Alternative 4

5.Apes, Pigs & Spacemen - Transfusion

      View entire list ››

Back when I joined the site in 2011, I did a customary top 100 album list. Every year since then, when I've looked back at it it's become increasingly unrecognisable from my own tastes. Seeing bands I once listened to daily vanish from my playlists, new bands emerge as favourites, and bands even come and go in my reckonings during that time period (Iced Earth, Alcest, even Pain Of Salvation and more certainly peaked in my listening habits around 2011-12 to slowly vanish into obscurity). Now that it's just gone 5 years since I did that list, I thought I might do an updated list just to see how much my tastes have shifted. Whilst compiling the list, I pretty much worked on gut instinct, which was weird as I found myself almost disregarding albums I know I like whilst promoting albums I'm honestly undecided on - it almost seemed to veer away from album quality at times to embracing a subconscious effect the albums have had. Anyway, here it is, plus some honorable mentions that I was surprised missed out.

1.Dream Theater - Images And Words

2.Sylosis - Monolith

3.Sylosis - Edge Of The Earth

4.Agalloch - The Mantle

5.Protest The Hero - Kezia

      View entire list ››

What a year! Here are some of my favourites

1.Lacrimosa - Inferno

2.My Dying Bride - The Angel And The Dark River

3.Paradise Lost - Draconian Times

4.Rammstein - Herzeleid

5.Anathema - The Silent Enigma

      View entire list ››

These albums perform twisted rituals upon my inner self

1.Celtic Frost - Monotheist

2.Lurker Of Chalice - Lurker Of Chalice

3.Mr. Bungle - California

4.Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F#A#∞ [1995-1997]

5.Morbid Saint - Spectrum Of Death

      View entire list ››

1.Waltari - Big Bang

2.Faith No More - King For A Day... Fool For A Lifetime

3.Clawfinger - Use Your Brain

4.Death - Symbolic

5.Ozzy Osbourne - Ozzmosis

      View entire list ››