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.

- - - - -

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

- - - - - - - - - -

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 ››

1.The Ocean - Pelagial

2.Harakiri For The Sky - III: Trauma

3.Neurosis - The Eye Of Every Storm

4.Isis - Panopticon

5.Ghost Brigade - IV - One With The Storm

      View entire list ››

1.Opeth - Pale Communion

2.Sólstafir - Ótta

3.Lunatic Soul - Walking On A Flashlight Beam

4.Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

5.Insomnium - Shadows Of The Dying Sun

      View entire list ››

1.Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

2.Kypck - Имена На Стене

3.At The Gates - At War With Reality

4.Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

5.Primordial - Where Greater Men Have Fallen

      View entire list ››

1.Sólstafir - Ótta

2.Thou - Heathen

3.Alcest - Shelter

4.Behemoth - The Satanist

5.Panopticon - Roads To The North

      View entire list ››

My personal favorite studio albums of 2014

1.Ghost Brigade - IV - One With The Storm

2.Epica - The Quantum Enigma

3.Primordial - Where Greater Men Have Fallen

4.Sólstafir - Ótta

5.Shylmagoghnar - Emergence

      View entire list ››

This serves as a memory note, pretty much.

1.Insomnium - Above The Weeping World

2.Amorphis - Under The Red Cloud

3.Ghost Brigade - IV - One With The Storm

4.Be'lakor - Of Breath And Bone

5.Metallica - Ride The Lightning

      View entire list ››

not in the most favorite or alphabetic Sort
Just there
few of the best things i did hear in my entire life include the sound of nature

1.Saturnus - Saturn In Ascension

2.Leprous - The Congregation

3.Mastodon - Once More 'Round The Sun

4.Saturnus - Veronika Decides To Die

5.Mastodon - Crack The Skye

      View entire list ››

Take a look at the Top Album lists of recent years and you'll notice an obvious trend. In 2005 the average rating of the top 25 albums is 8.76. Jump to 2014 and the average among the top 25 has dropped to 8.26. An almost linear decrease is observable for the 10 years in between.

I was curious to see what a Top 100 for 2000-2014 would look like if I factored the votes to account for the 'rating decline'. I hope you find it interesting.

1.Agalloch - The Mantle

2.Opeth - Blackwater Park

3.Blindead - Affliction XXIX II MXMVI

4.Aquilus - Griseus

5.Nevermore - Dead Heart In A Dead World

      View entire list ››

1.Enslaved - In Times

2.

3.Frantic Amber - Burning Insight

4.The Gentle Storm - The Diary

5.Moonspell - Extinct

      View entire list ››

1.Septicflesh - Titan

2.Autumnal - The End Of The Third Day

3.Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

4.Novembers Doom - Bled White

5.Epica - The Quantum Enigma

      View entire list ››

1.Ghost Brigade - IV - One With The Storm

2.Empyrium - The Turn Of The Tides

3.Insomnium - Shadows Of The Dying Sun

4.Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel

5.In Flames - Siren Charms

      View entire list ››

1.Helevorn - Compassion Forlorn

2.Septicflesh - Titan

3.Arch Enemy - War Eternal

4.Mors Principium Est - Dawn Of The 5th Era

5.Ghost Brigade - IV - One With The Storm

      View entire list ››

1.Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails

2.Dark Fortress - Venereal Dawn

3.Winterfylleth - The Divination Of Antiquity

4.Agalloch - The Serpent & The Sphere

5.The Contortionist - Language

      View entire list ››

1.Sólstafir - Ótta

2.Nightbringer - Ego Dominus Tuus

3.Sabaton - Heroes

4.Dark Fortress - Venereal Dawn

5.Lux Occulta - Kołysanki

      View entire list ››