many bands born in this period develop a contaminated sound that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. bands under the label of alternative metal often don't share similar sounds and, most of the times, the metal influence is less present than the rock element. that's why the label alternative metal is often criticized, and many times the artists themselves often reject this label. alternative metal bands are often characterized by heavily downtuned guitars, mid-tempo songs, a mixture of accessible melodic vocals and harsh vocals and sometimes unconventional sounds within other heavy metal styles.

• band considered alternative metal:

system of a down, deftones, mudvayne, sevendust

• important alternative metal album:

system of a down - toxicity (2001)