Throughout their decade-plus existence, and despite releasing a string of singularly original and unconventional albums, Australia’s Alchemist has remained one of the best-kept secrets in metal. Starting from their modest roots in late-’80s thrash metal, the quartet has developed into a state-of-the-art metal band, combining influences that range from the earliest experiments in ’70s progressive rock to the most current trends in extreme metal — all blended into an improbably seamless and wholly unique style of their own.

 
Austral Spectrum – Audio only. From Organasm (Relapse, 2001).
Yoni Kunda – Live in Canberra, Australia (1995). Originally from Lunasphere (Shock, 1995)
 
More info: Encyclopedia Metallum
 
Next up is Kalamazoo, MI band Thought Industry.
Formed in 1989, they recorded five full-lengths the last of which was 2001 “Short Wave On A Cold Day”.
As AllMusic points out:

Countless progressive metal outfits roamed the fertile heavy metal landscape of the early ’90s (soon to be driven to extinction by the giant asteroid-like cataclysm imposed by the new regime of alternative rock hipness), but none could touch Thought Industry for sheer commitment to wild experiment and pure shock value. With their mind-boggling fusion of thrash metal, progressive rock, and various disparate musical styles, the Michigan natives did well to choose a Salvador Dali painting to adorn the cover of their first album, Songs for Insects.
 

My Famous Mistake – Audio only. From Black Umbrella (Metal Blade, 1997)
The Squid – Audio only. From Outer Space Is Just A Martini Away (Metal Blade, 1996)
 
More info: Encyclopedia Metallum
 
And closing the first edition of Avant-Harde Mixtape is Little Rock, Arkansas sextet Rwake, whose most recent release is 2011 “Rest” (Relapse).
Dying Spiral Galaxies – Audio only. from If You Walk Before You Crawl… (At A Loss, 2004)
Was Only A Dream – From Rest (Relapse, 2011)
 
More info: Encyclopedia Metallum
 

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