Experimental Metal

Experimental metal, also known as avant-garde metal, is a dumping ground for the unclassifiable yet undoubtedly heavy. Dating back to the emergence of extreme metal in the early '80s and experimenters like Celtic Frost, the genre has wended its way through all kinds of styles, including the jazz of acts like Ephel Duath and Mr. Bungle, the noise of Unsane and Fantomas, the shock tactics of Anal C*nt and the Locust, and more recently the ambient explorations of groups such as Pelican and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. While clearly not homogenous, these innovative acts share a distaste for rules, as demonstrated by their use of nonstandard sounds, instruments and song structures. Mixing these new forms of musicianship with selections from their parent genre's rich and varied history, experimental metal bands stand apart with their dark and daring sense of musical adventure.