I have finally caved in and made a top 200 list. The main focus here is metal, so no Rush, no King Crimson, Deep Purple, or GY!BE are in the list, but I do still love those bands and others that could have qualified.
The list mostly contains albums, but some EPs, demos, splits, and compilations are also featured every now and then. I also tried to avoid including demos or EPs that were too short but there’s still a few of them.
Enjoy!

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

2.Windir - Arntor

3.Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane

4.Sigh - Hangman's Hymn: Musikalische Exequien

5.Vektor - Terminal Redux

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My Top 50, albums rated 8 & above. Only LPs

RIP: Ronnie James Dio

Album count: 206
Average rating: 6.84

1.Alcest - Écailles De Lune

2.Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

3.Ihsahn - After

4.Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent

5.Mar De Grises - Streams Inwards

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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

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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.S.V.E.S.T. - Veritas Diaboli Manet In Aeternum: Le Diable Est Ma Raison

2.Sabachthani - Miserable Endings

3.Sabaoth - Les Illuminations

4.Sabaton - Carolus Rex

5.Sabbat - Dreamweaver

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1.Watain - Lawless Darkness

2.Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones

3.Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent

4.Shining (NOR) - Blackjazz

5.Finntroll - Nifelvind

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1.Dimmu Borgir - Abrahadabra

2.Wuthering Heights - Salt

3.Accept - Blood Of The Nations

4.Volbeat - Beyond Hell/Above Heaven

5.Above Symmetry - Ripples

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There are the albums that have impressed me. Alphabetical orders. Hope you enjoy this list.

1.Acatalepsy - Acatalepsy (EP)

2.Across Tundras - Dark Songs Of The Prairie

3.Aelter - Dusk Dawn/Follow You Beloved

4.A Forest Of Stars - The Corpse Of Rebirth

5.Ain Sof Aur - Atra Serpens

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A collection of the most original, insane and head spinning albums from the weirdest side of metal. Suggestions are welcome.

1.A Forest Of Stars - Beware The Sword You Cannot See

2.Angizia - Das Schachbrett Des Trommelbuben Zacharias

3.Akphaezya - Anthology II: Links From The Dead Trinity

4.Arcturus - La Masquerade Infernale

5.Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors

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1.Death - Human

2.Death - Symbolic

3.Death - The Sound Of Perseverance

4.Opeth - Watershed

5.Opeth - Heritage

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This is a list dedicated to everything crazy, eclectic and technical. I know there are many many more albums that could be added, but these are the ones I personally recommend. One album per band order by the level of "technical madness" (whatever that metric is).

1.Blotted Science - The Machinations Of Dementia

2.Änglagård - Hybris

3.Coroner - No More Color

4.Invocator - Excursion Demise

5.Deathspell Omega - Paracletus

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My top 100 metal albums of all time (featured on MS).

- one album per band.
- in alphabetical order.

1.!T.O.O.H.! - Order And Punishment (Řád A Trest)

2.Ævangelist - De Masticatione Mortuorum In Tumulis

3.Acid Bath - When The Kite String Pops

4.Agruss - Morok

5.Ahab - The Call Of The Wretched Sea

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1.The Vision Bleak - Set Sail To Mystery

2.Sigh - Scenes From Hell

3.Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

4.Ihsahn - After

5.Negură Bunget - Vîrstele Pămîntului

      View entire list ››

2010 has come and gone...
It was a pretty uneven year in metal, with average albums coming from great bands, and good, beautiful surprises popping up from unexpected corners.
2010 was also quite a special year for me - music-wise at least. Thanks to Ivor (yeah, you), a few weird reviews, and other factors, my tastes somehow exploded. Not that it was a surprise, this was already an event in the making. But still. Plus, a year that sees the release of two life-changing albums (whether personally or because they change how you see music) is always a good thing...

1.Orphaned Land - The Never Ending Way Of ORwarriOR

2.Shining (NOR) - Blackjazz

3.Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

4.Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent

5.Agrypnie - 16[485]

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Self-explanatory beyond the impossible. Not necessarily in order.

1.Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini

2.Sahg - III

3.Mar De Grises - Streams Inwards

4.Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones

5.Shining [NOR] - Blackjazz

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1.Helloween - 7 Sinners

2.Keep Of Kalessin - Reptilian

3.Star One - Victims Of The Modern Age

4.Kvelertak - Kvelertak

5.Eluveitie - Everything Remains As It Never Was

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