Doesn't sound like a damaged stylus or alignment. A damaged stylus would sound bad at all times. The tonearm bearings maybe? Swap the cart and see if the problem persists.
Ortofon Red Sound Issue
I bought the Isoacoustics ZaZen isolation platform for my turntable and was evaluating the changes to the sound quality. There was more depth and clarity, but then I realized there was a horrible sound not associated with the music. It sounded like a metal ball bearing being scraped/rolled down a metal pipe. It is loudest and more pronounced on the lead-in to any record. I even opened a brand new record, un-used, and it had the same sound on lead in. As you go further in, the sound is less if not completely gone.
Is this a stylus alignment issue, or a damaged stylus?
I recently did have to fix an issue with the turntable that affected the weight settings I had set and had to re-weigh the stylus's down force.