Alternative metal is known for being hard to describe where the term has little to do with the sound of the music, but I do think there are some common sounds across alterantive metal as a genre rather than a crossgenre term. What albums do you think define the sound of alternative metal? As for me, here is a list of ten albums I chose.

Not sure I could choose definitive albums as that has different connotations of importance, influence etc. but favourites, off the top of my head, would probably be (ignoring metalcore, punk-oriented grunge / post-grunge, industrial etc):

System of a Down - System of a Down
Korn - Untouchables
Dredg - Catch Without Arms (barely metal, but hey ho)
Shadows Fall - The Art of Balance (a lot of people seem to regard this as metalcore. I don't)
Alter Bridge - One Day Remains
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Faith No More - The Real Thing
Fudge Tunnel - Hate Songs in E MInor
Fair to Midland - Arrows and Anchors
Cave In - Antenna
Karnivool - Sound Awake
Deftones - Koi No Yokan
Slipknot - Volume 3
Evanescence - Fallen
Therapy? - Troublegum
Stone Sour - Stone Sour
Audioslave - Audioslave
Queens of the Stone Age - Queens of the Stone Age (if you want to consider them alternative. Maybe not so much on this album)
Tad - Inhaler
Tool - Opiate

I would include the likes of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Creed and so on if it extended to non-metal.

All I can think of for the moment. Sorry it's a slab of undescribed bands.

I second the naming of Dredg, Soundgarden, Therapy? and Audioslave. I would have cited Songs For The Deaf instead of the self-titled QOTSA and Around The Fur for Deftones.
Very happy to see Helmet in that list, although I favour Aftertaste over Meantime. But maybe you think Meantime is more representative of your view of alternative.

Written by [user id=4365] on 07.07.2014 at 19:24

Not sure I could choose definitive albums as that has different connotations of importance, influence etc. but favourites, off the top of my head, would probably be (ignoring metalcore, punk-oriented grunge / post-grunge, industrial etc):

System of a Down - System of a Down
Korn - Untouchables
Dredg - Catch Without Arms (barely metal, but hey ho)
Shadows Fall - The Art of Balance (a lot of people seem to regard this as metalcore. I don't)
Alter Bridge - One Day Remains
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Faith No More - The Real Thing
Fudge Tunnel - Hate Songs in E MInor
Fair to Midland - Arrows and Anchors
Cave In - Antenna
Karnivool - Sound Awake
Deftones - Koi No Yokan
Slipknot - Volume 3
Evanescence - Fallen
Therapy? - Troublegum
Stone Sour - Stone Sour
Audioslave - Audioslave
Queens of the Stone Age - Queens of the Stone Age (if you want to consider them alternative. Maybe not so much on this album)
Tad - Inhaler
Tool - Opiate

I would include the likes of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Creed and so on if it extended to non-metal.

All I can think of for the moment. Sorry it's a slab of undescribed bands.

Nice selection of albums. Slipknot, Evanescence, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age, and Alter Bridge I'd definitely consider as alternative's to some of the bands I gave, and would probably use those albums as well. I'd also consider System of a Down and The Real Thing over the ones I gave, I chose Toxicity because it was much more successful and Angel Dust because it was less funk oriented. I didn't consider Opiate merely because it's an EP. From what I've heard The Art of Balance is at least melodeath if it isn't metalcore, I wouldn't call it alternative metal in this sense. I didn't include Korn because I'm not sure if they could be separated well enough from nu metal, even on their less nu metal albums, and I consider Audioslave to be more hard rock than alternative metal. I'm not familiar with Dredg, Fudge Tunnel, Fair to Midland, or Cave In.

Written by Ilham on 07.07.2014 at 19:37

I second the naming of Dredg, Soundgarden, Therapy? and Audioslave. I would have cited Songs For The Deaf instead of the self-titled QOTSA and Around The Fur for Deftones.
Very happy to see Helmet in that list, although I favour Aftertaste over Meantime. But maybe you think Meantime is more representative of your view of alternative.

From what I've heard I like Betty the best. I picked Meantime because it's their breakthrough album, so it's likely the most influential, though from the one song I listened to on Aftertaste it would be more representative of alternative IMO. There is some inconsistency with my methodology as I'm not equally familiar with all the bands, but while my selections are biased towards my taste, I definitely didn't just chose my favorite albums, otherwise it would look much different.

Written by Ganondox on 08.07.2014 at 15:33


Nice selection of albums. Slipknot, Evanescence, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age, and Alter Bridge I'd definitely consider as alternative's to some of the bands I gave, and would probably use those albums as well. I'd also consider System of a Down and The Real Thing over the ones I gave, I chose Toxicity because it was much more successful and Angel Dust because it was less funk oriented. I didn't consider Opiate merely because it's an EP. From what I've heard The Art of Balance is at least melodeath if it isn't metalcore, I wouldn't call it alternative metal in this sense. I didn't include Korn because I'm not sure if they could be separated well enough from nu metal, even on their less nu metal albums, and I consider Audioslave to be more hard rock than alternative metal. I'm not familiar with Dredg, Fudge Tunnel, Fair to Midland, or Cave In.

Shadows Fall have always been a thrash, possibly even groove thrash, band to me, with a pretty sizeable alternative vibe running through them. They fall into the Lamb of God camp as bands that are misaligned as metalcore, only SF have a bit more of an alternative feel about them for some reason or another. Their first album is definitely melodeath though. Naturally I wouldn't call them alternative metal, rather alternative thrash. I just wanted to put them here As for KoRn, well for me Nu Metal is a staple of alternative metal, as is grunge really. From this list's perspective I suppose you were going on bands that could only be classified as alternative metal in the broadest sense and couldn't whittled down to something more specific. Fudge Tunnel to me are what the offspring of Nirvana and Acid Bath would sound like.

Written by [user id=4365] on 08.07.2014 at 15:47

Written by Ganondox on 08.07.2014 at 15:33


Nice selection of albums. Slipknot, Evanescence, Soundgarden, Queens of the Stone Age, and Alter Bridge I'd definitely consider as alternative's to some of the bands I gave, and would probably use those albums as well. I'd also consider System of a Down and The Real Thing over the ones I gave, I chose Toxicity because it was much more successful and Angel Dust because it was less funk oriented. I didn't consider Opiate merely because it's an EP. From what I've heard The Art of Balance is at least melodeath if it isn't metalcore, I wouldn't call it alternative metal in this sense. I didn't include Korn because I'm not sure if they could be separated well enough from nu metal, even on their less nu metal albums, and I consider Audioslave to be more hard rock than alternative metal. I'm not familiar with Dredg, Fudge Tunnel, Fair to Midland, or Cave In.

Shadows Fall have always been a thrash, possibly even groove thrash, band to me, with a pretty sizeable alternative vibe running through them. They fall into the Lamb of God camp as bands that are misaligned as metalcore, only SF have a bit more of an alternative feel about them for some reason or another. Their first album is definitely melodeath though. Naturally I wouldn't call them alternative metal, rather alternative thrash. I just wanted to put them here As for KoRn, well for me Nu Metal is a staple of alternative metal, as is grunge really. From this list's perspective I suppose you were going on bands that could only be classified as alternative metal in the broadest sense and couldn't whittled down to something more specific. Fudge Tunnel to me are what the offspring of Nirvana and Acid Bath would sound like.

Yeah, I'd defiantly consider grunge and nu metal to be forms of alternative metal, but more or less this. "From this list's perspective I suppose you were going on bands that could only be classified as alternative metal in the broadest sense and couldn't whittled down to something more specific." Though I did let some grunge slip through as I considered it more tied with alternative metal than latter post-grunge. Anyway, looked up a song by each band, and I see what you are getting with the Fudge Tunnel comparison, very noisy like Acid Bath and Nirvana, vocals remind me of Kurt and has sludgy grooves. Of all of the bands I didn't know I think I like the least though, simply because I prefer the progressive elements in the other bands to the sludge elements of Fudge Tunnel.

Yeah Dredg, Fair To Midland and Cave In (on the records mentioned at least) could arguably be described as coming from vaguely the same area of music. Probably why I like them all.

Written by Ganondox on 08.07.2014 at 15:33

From what I've heard I like Betty the best. I picked Meantime because it's their breakthrough album, so it's likely the most influential, though from the one song I listened to on Aftertaste it would be more representative of alternative IMO. There is some inconsistency with my methodology as I'm not equally familiar with all the bands, but while my selections are biased towards my taste, I definitely didn't just chose my favorite albums, otherwise it would look much different.

I think Meantime is maybe a bit too punky compared to Aftertaste, that really embodies my idea of what '90s alternative metal could sound like. I too am not impartial, that is why I wondered if you chose Meantime for that reason.

Written by [user id=4365] on 08.07.2014 at 16:14

Yeah Dredg, Fair To Midland and Cave In (on the records mentioned at least) could arguably be described as coming from vaguely the same area of music. Probably why I like them all.

I love bands which mix alternative, prog, and metal, which is why I also love Tool and Karnivool (and Deftones, if they count as progressive).

Written by Ilham on 08.07.2014 at 16:15

Written by Ganondox on 08.07.2014 at 15:33

From what I've heard I like Betty the best. I picked Meantime because it's their breakthrough album, so it's likely the most influential, though from the one song I listened to on Aftertaste it would be more representative of alternative IMO. There is some inconsistency with my methodology as I'm not equally familiar with all the bands, but while my selections are biased towards my taste, I definitely didn't just chose my favorite albums, otherwise it would look much different.

I think Meantime is maybe a bit too punky compared to Aftertaste, that really embodies my idea of what '90s alternative metal could sound like. I too am not impartial, that is why I wondered if you chose Meantime for that reason.

Agree Meantime is punkier and less alternative metal than Aftertaste, I was iffy about including it because of the heavy hardcore elements, but I figured it distanced itself enough from hardcore towards metal and other sounds to be included.

Only -core thing about Shadows Fall are the vocals, which are a bit unusual to say the least so not your generic -core vocals.

Written by deadone on 10.07.2014 at 04:59

No Primus?

Now that you bring it up, I'm surprised no one mentioned them as well. I didn't bring them up because I haven't heard anything by them I could from the funk metal subgenre, same reason why I didn't chose Living Color (and RATM for rap metal), and waited until Angel Dust for Faith No More.

Anyway, in my list I was focusing on albums that are notable to the development of the genre, but while this band isn't well known I think they do a very good at showing off an alternative metal sound.

https://septemberskyrocks.bandcamp.com/album/bright-sides-to-dark-days

A few of my favourites (and some comments/personal opinions):

Karnivool- Themata (really, their entire discography)
Thought Industry- Mods Carve the Pig: Assassin's, Toads and God's Flesh (a band that few seem to recognize, but groundbreaking)
The Mars Volta- The Bedlam in Goliath (their only album remotely associated with alternative metal, but a classic)
Soundgarden- Louder than Love (again, entire discography is probably essential)
Alice in Chains- Dirt (a masterpiece, but the band in general isn't quite as good as people say imo)
Helmet- Meantime (one hit wonder, imo, but Meantime is amazing)
Rishloo- Eidolon (big fan of their other albums, but they aren't in the same territory)
Caligula's Horse- Moments from Ephemeral City (closer to prog or djent, but great alt metal at points)
Klone- Black Days (their best album, but The Dreamer's Hideaway is also great)
Hacride- Lazarus (a unique masterpiece that stands the test of time)
Tool- Aenima (Tool's best, but the entire discography is pretty stellar)
Trepalium- H.N.P (generally regarded as groove/death, but I lump it in with alt metal tbh)
Blindead- Absence (a recent album, but w/an approach I love; generally regarded with post/atmo genre, though)
Devin Townsend- Ocean Machine: Biomech (very tight- Devy's best)
Strapping Young Lad- City (impeccable and groundbreaking)
Sydonia- Reality Kicks (not quite essential, but a band that should no longer be regarded as a footnote)
Dredg- Catch Without Arms (barely metal)
Shining [NOR]- Blackjazz (very interesting industrial-based alt metal with interesting jazzy instrumentation)

Oh yes, and I should add an underrated classic to my list above. Cire's Adrenological album is perfect for fans of Tool, Karnivool, Rishloo, APC, Caligula's Horse, Klone, and I think it's criminally underrecognized. His other project Emptyself is also really nice.

May I suggest the band Hum? They put out two tremendous records:

You'd Prefer An Astronaut & Downward Is Heavenward

Written by tea[m]ster on 06.09.2014 at 04:22

May I suggest the band Hum? They put out two tremendous records:

You'd Prefer An Astronaut & Downward Is Heavenward

Never heard of those guys, but I'm really digging the first few moments on YPAA. I'll let you know how I find them!

Written by tea[m]ster on 06.09.2014 at 04:22

May I suggest the band Hum? They put out two tremendous records:

You'd Prefer An Astronaut & Downward Is Heavenward

Yeah, I know HUM, they remind me of sorta predecessor to Deftone's later material, only more based in post-hardcore than alternative metal.

HUM is great. Very sad that they only stuck around for two albums. They were a big influence on Junius, which is another band I'd strongly recommend to a lot of the people in this thread.

HUM did 4 albums. The first one is pretty hard to track down (and isn't great). The 2nd LP "Electra2000" is pretty good though.

Downward is Heavenward is my favourite.

Written by JayMo4 on 27.11.2014 at 03:45

HUM is great. Very sad that they only stuck around for two albums. They were a big influence on Junius, which is another band I'd strongly recommend to a lot of the people in this thread.

Glad you mentioned Junius, as I've never heard them before, but they sound really unique and good.