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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As if my street-cred wasn't in the depths already, I submit to you the albums I undoubtedly get the most shit for listening to. There are a few on here that won't leave me beaten in a back alley, and I question the application of this genre to those albums. Nonetheless, all of the groups represented here were at least at one time associated with the 2nd Voldemort of metal. Anyone who says they don't have at least one of these albums is a filthy liar.

1.Deftones - White Pony

2.Deftones - Around The Fur

3.Korn - Issues

4.Korn - Korn

5.System Of A Down - System Of A Down

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Pure awesomeness! 1 album from each of my favorite metal/rock bands.

1.Metallica - Master Of Puppets

2.Danzig - Danzig 4

3.Monster Magnet - Dopes To Infinity

4.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV

5.Black Sabbath - Paranoid

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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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This is a guide list to some of the greatest voices in the history of rock & metal music, ranked in alphabetical order, by singer's name. I know that there are many more great singers/vocalists out there and that some really good singers were left out of this list.

The criteria by which the following singers were selected are:
1. Anything regarding the voice and the vocal performance (voice quality, technique, range, originality, creativity, etc.)
2. Influence - effect (if a singer has been an influence on other singers or a musical genre)
3. My personal taste

The form of the list is "Band - Trademark Album For The Singer"
"Name of the singer" (Bands he/she has joined)

1.My Dying Bride - Turn Loose The Swans

2.Primordial - To The Nameless Dead

3.Watchtower - Control And Resistance

4.Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies

5.Evanescence - Fallen

      View entire list ››

My Favorites songs on drums…
A tribute to those great drummers…A Huge investigation about the name of those drummers and their best moments and songs

1.Rush - 2112

2.Van Halen - 1984

3.Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind

4.Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

5.Dio - The Last In Line

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No specific order

1.Lamb Of God - Ashes Of The Wake

2.Opeth - Ghost Reveries

3.Strapping Young Lad - Alien

4.Slipknot - Slipknot

5.Divine Heresy - Bleed The Fifth

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This is my top albums (only with those where I gave 8 or more). I will update the list now and then

1.Slipknot - Iowa

2.Megadeth - Rust In Peace

3.Opeth - Ghost Reveries

4.Moonsorrow - Kivenkantaja

5.Slipknot - Slipknot

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1.Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine

2.Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory

3.Korn - Korn

4.Soulfly - Prophecy

5.Linkin Park - Meteora

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Current Top 100 as of September 2019. Having listened to metal for 45 years or so - here are my favourites (favourite track). One album limit per band. Enjoy!

1.Absu - Absu

2.AC/DC - If You Want Blood You've Got It

3.Agalloch - The Mantle

4.Akercocke - Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone

5.Alcest - Écailles De Lune

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Some of albums that i remembered...

1.Death - Symbolic

2.Death - Individual Thought Patterns

3.Carcass - Reek Of Putrefaction

4.At The Gates - Slaughter Of The Soul

5.Morbid Angel - Altars Of Madness

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Why metal is so fascinating ??

1.Children Of Bodom - Hatebreeder

2.Cradle Of Filth - Midian

3.Hunter - Medeis

4.Swallow The Sun - The Morning Never Came

5.Carpathian Forest - Defending The Throne Of Evil

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These are MY Top 250 Albums that are featured on Metal Storm in chronological order to celebrate 50 Years of Metal.

Some bands are featured on this list with more than one album, which means that they are perticulary amazing to me.

I listen to a wide spectrum of metal genres, which is why I tried to keep it diverse and not focus on one genre.

1.Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

2.Deep Purple - In Rock

3.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV

4.Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards

5.Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies

      View entire list ››

IN NO ORDER

1.Mr. Bungle - Mr. Bungle

2.Nine Inch Nails - Broken

3.Kittie - Until The End

4.Primus - They Can't All Be Zingers

5.Slipknot - Slipknot

      View entire list ››

Welcome to what I consider the "1001 Metal Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" or in other words, a list of records of various genres in the arrays of Metal and Hard Rock that I deem essential or at least very recommended to listeners of hard and heavy music. This may be a very overwhelming list but I essentially try to collect all albums in the History of Metal that strike me as worthwhile. May this be a guideline for people that seek for an entrance to a particular genre or certain bands. In no means I am saying, that this list is indisputable by any means. I consider these my personal picks for albums that should be listened to by die-hard metal fans at least once. Hopefully you can discover some new music or relate with my picks. If I missed something that you would include in such a list, please tell me in the form of a comment. Enjoy! \,,/

1.High Tide - Sea Shanties

2.Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath

3.Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

4.Sir Lord Baltimore - Kingdom Come

5.Josefus - Dead Man

      View entire list ››