Prominent bands in this genre include Alice in Chains, Faith No More, Helmet, Life of Agony, Rollins Band and Tool. Many of the early alternative metal bands originated from Los Angeles. Alternative metal bands are also often characterized by melodic vocals, unconventional sounds within other heavy metal genres, unconventional song structures, and sometimes experimental approaches to heavy music. One of the main characteristics of alternative metal and its subgenres are heavily downtuned, mid-paced 'chug'-like guitar riffs. Īlternative metal usually combines heavy metal with influences from genres like alternative rock, and in some cases, other genres not normally associated with metal as well. Alternative metal is a style of heavy metal and alternative rock which emerged in the mid-1980s, and gained popularity in the early 1990s.
