Heavy metal consists of several sub genres such as thrash metal, death metal, progressive metal, black metal, groove metal, doom metal, power metal etc.

One of the weirder offshoots of metal is avant-garde metal which is defined by its tendency to experiment and innovate on existing sounds both within the realm of heavy metal and beyond including genres such as rap, electronic, funk, industrial, pop, psychedelia, blues, punk and even classical.

Although very closely connected to progressive rock and metal to the point of even becoming intertwined and sometimes connected as experimentation and innovation is a trademark for both of them, avant-garde metal artists stand out more for their unorthodox song structures, singing styles and instrumentation rather than any sort of technical complexity, thus differentiating them from their progressive counterparts who tend to lean more on the latter.

The very term avant-garde metal refers to bands and musicians who incorporate new and innovative elements in metal, breaking down barriers between metal and non metal sounds and caring nothing for convention. Each band or artist identified as avant-garde metal shares little to nothing in common with the other, and as such must be evaluated on an individual basis.

The genre has also been described as "the art of creating deep and strange atmospheres by experimenting with new instruments and sounds, strange vocals, unconventional song structures, rhythms and harmonies, unusual lyrics or uncommon artwork" or alternatively, "progressive, psychedelic, surrealistic, phantasmagoric, expressionistic, dissonant or extravagant interpretations of extreme metal."

Avant-garde metal incorporates a plethora of irregular and non-conventional sounds, song structures, and instrumentation, characterizing a vastly experimental sound that often integrates several genres into one.

As such avant-garde metal often adds orchestral instruments, synthesizers, samplers, and instruments from other cultures.

Top 10 avant-garde metal bands to listen to for those who wish to enter the world of weird sonic experimentation and innovation:

1. Celtic Frost

2. Faith No More

3. Neurosis

4. System Of A Down

5. Meshuggah

6. Voivod

7. Agalloch

8. Diablo Swing Orchestra

9. Godflesh

10. Coroner