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Sludge metal

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Sludge metal
Stylistic originsDoom metal, hardcore punk, stoner rock, Southern rock, grunge
Cultural originsMid 1980s
Typical instrumentsElectric guitar • Bass guitar • Drums • Keyboards • Vocals
Subgenres
Southern sludge • Stoner sludge
Regional scenes
Southern United States
(particularly New Orleans)

Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from Southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting tempos. While the style was anticipated by the Melvins from Washington, many of its earliest pioneers were from the city of New Orleans.[1]

Characteristics

Sludge metal generally combines the slow tempos, heavy rhythms and dark, pessimistic atmosphere of doom metal with the aggression, shouted vocals and occasional fast tempos of hardcore punk.[2] As The New York Times put it, "The shorthand term for the kind of rock descending from early Black Sabbath and late Black Flag is sludge, because it's so slow and dense."[3] Many sludge bands compose slow-paced songs that contain brief hardcore passages[4] (for example, Eyehategod's "Depress" and "My Name Is God"). Mike Williams, a founder of the sludge style and member of Eyehategod, suggests that "the moniker of sludge apparently has to do with the slowness, the dirtiness, the filth and general feel of decadence the tunes convey".[5] However, some bands emphasize fast tempos throughout their music. The string instruments (electric guitar and bass guitar) are downtuned and heavily distorted and are often played with large amounts of feedback[4][6] to produce a thick yet abrasive sound. Additionally, guitar solos are often absent. Drumming is often performed in typical doom metal fashion. Drummers may employ hardcore D-beat or double-kick drumming during faster passages, or through the thick breakdowns (which are characteristic of the sludge sound). Vocals are usually shouted or screamed,[4][6][7][8] and lyrics are generally pessimistic in nature.[9] Suffering, drug abuse,[10][11][12] politics and anger towards society are common lyrical themes.

Many sludge metal bands from the Southern United States incorporate Southern rock and blues influences,[4][6][7][13][14] although not all sludge bands share this style. There is some controversy as to whether the term refers to only the style emerging from New Orleans and later the American South more broadly, or to "a complete consciousness in the heads of like-minded Black Flag/Black Sabbath influenced scenes and individuals all over the world".[5] So-called "atmospheric" sludge bands adopt a more experimental approach and compose music with an ambient atmosphere, reduced aggression and philosophical lyrics.[15] Due to the similarities between sludge and stoner metal, there is often a crossover between the two genres,[16][17] but sludge metal generally avoids stoner metal's usage of psychedelia. Sludge metal also bears some musical and lyrical resemblance to crust punk, due to the usage of political lyrics and thick, "dirty" guitar sounds.

History

Precursors

Along with Black Flag and Black Sabbath, musicians cited by pioneers of the style as influential include Mississippi John Hurt, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Greg Ginn, Trouble, Carnivore, Saint Vitus, Gore, Righteous Pigs,[5] Amebix[18] and Swans.[18] Early sludge metal groups also borrowed from the industrial music of SPK, Throbbing Gristle, Chrome and Swans.[5] The beginnings of sludge have been traced to the "slow punk" of Flipper and Black Flag's album My War.[18]

Early sludge

Perhaps the most significant influence was Melvins, a band from the state of Washington. Their earliest releases, Six Songs (1986) and Gluey Porch Treatments (1987), are often regarded as the first sludge records.[18] At this time, the band was also an important member of Washington grunge scene. Neurosis, from Oakland, were also significant early practitioners.[19]

At the beginning of the 1990s, a number of bands from Louisiana (particularly New Orleans with its metal scene) took these influences and developed the style that would be known as sludge.[1] Eyehategod (formed in 1988),[2] Crowbar (formed in 1989 as The Slugs)[20] and Acid Bath (formed in 1991)[21] pioneered this movement. On the East Coast, Buzzov*en (formed in 1989),[22] 13 (formed in 1990) and Grief (formed in 1991)[23] adopted a slower-paced approach to the emerging genre.

According to Phil Anselmo,

Back in those days, everything in the underground was fast, fast, fast. It was the rule of the day. But when the Melvins came out with their first record, Gluey Porch Treatments, it really broke the mold, especially in New Orleans. People began to appreciate playing slower. With that, all the old Black Sabbath came back around and then you start digging and you come to your Saint Vitus, your Witchfinder General, your Pentagram, etc.

— [24]

Subsequent developments

Sludge metal subsequently spread throughout the Southern and Eastern United States. The popularity of Down, initially a Pantera side project and a sludge supergroup, is often given credit for the spread of the sludge scene throughout the United States.[25]

Jose Carlos Santos notes a focus shift as a result of the impact of the British group Iron Monkey's first album in 1997:

Coincidence or not, it seemed like the sludge floodgates opened to the rest of the world, and in the past decade small pockets, or mini-scenes, can be spotted in just about any country you'd care to mention.

— [26]

These include the Japanese group Corrupted and contemporary American groups such as Lair of the Minotaur, Old Man Gloom and Kylesa.[26] In addition, the U.S. state of Georgia has been identified as major sources of new sludge groups such as Mastodon, Baroness, Black Tusk and Kylesa.[26]

During the late 1990s, many sludge metal bands began to incorporate post-rock elements into their music. This new sound, referred to as "post-metal", was greatly inspired by the experimental style of Neurosis during the early to mid 1990s, and is performed by prominent bands such as Isis,[15] Cult of Luna and Pelican.[27]

Bands

Traditional/Southern sludge metal

These bands are the pioneers of the genre or are strongly influenced by those bands. Many are from the Southern United States, excluding the Melvins who are from Montesano, Washington and Iron Monkey who are from England.

Stoner sludge metal

These bands have mixed typical stoner metal traits with typical sludge metal traits, and may be considered a part of both genres.

Other fusions with sludge metal

See also

References

  • "Sludge Special". Terrorizer (187): pp. 43–56. 2009. ISSN 1350-6978. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  • "Sludge Special Part 2". Terrorizer (188): pp. 40–57. 2009. ISSN 1350-6978. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  1. ^ a b "Doom metal". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  2. ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Eyehategod". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  3. ^ The New York Times, Pop/Jazz Listings, page 2, October 5, 2007 [1] Access date: July 12, 2008
  4. ^ a b c d York, William. "Eyehategod - In the Name of Suffering". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  5. ^ a b c d "Sludge Special", p. 43.
  6. ^ a b c York, William. "Eyehategod - Dopesick". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  7. ^ a b York, William. "Eyehategod - Take as Needed for Pain". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  8. ^ a b York, William. "Soilent Green - Sewn Mouth Secrets". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
  9. ^ Jeffries, Vincent. "Crowbar - Crowbar". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  10. ^ Kennedy, Patrick. "Buzzov-en - To a Frown". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  11. ^ Kennedy, Patrick. "Buzzov-en - Sore". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  12. ^ York, William. "Acid Bath - When the Kite String Pops". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  13. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Corrosion of Conformity". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  14. ^ York, William. "Soilent Green". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  15. ^ a b Downey, Ryan J. "Isis". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  16. ^ Serba, John. "Bongzilla - Gateway". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02. …sounding like a cross between Sleep's drowsy, Black Sabbathy meanderings and Electric Wizard/Burning Witch-style gut-curdling, muddy sludge.
  17. ^ a b Mason, Stewart. "Kylesa". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02. …elements of hardcore punk, psychedelic stoner rock, technical speed metal, and good old-fashioned Black Sabbath sludge appear in their music. Cite error: The named reference "AMG-Kylesa" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  18. ^ a b c d "Sludge Special", p. 44.
  19. ^ "Sludge Special", p. 51.
  20. ^ a b Huey, Steve. "Crowbar". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  21. ^ a b York, William. "Acid Bath". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  22. ^ a b York, William. "Buzzov-en". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  23. ^ J. Bennett, "Hazardous Prescription", Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces, Albert Mudrian, ed., Da Capo Press, p. 177.
  24. ^ J. Bennett, "Pillar of Eternity", Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces, Albert Mudrian, ed., Da Capo Press, p. 268.
  25. ^ "Sludge Special", p. 55.
  26. ^ a b c "Sludge Special Part 2", p. 41.
  27. ^ Burgess, Aaron (2006-05-23). "The loveliest album to crush our skull in months". Alternative Press. Retrieved 2008-09-02. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ Prato, Greg. "Down". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  29. ^ Kott, Paul. "Iron Monkey". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  30. ^ Raggett, Ned. "Melvins - Gluey Porch Treatments". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  31. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Bongzilla". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  32. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo and Koets, Tara. "Electric Wizard". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-02. …it so effortlessly bridged the stylistic gaps between doom, sludge, stoner, horror, and, at times, even space metal…{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ Violante, Isaiah. "High on Fire - Surrounded by Thieves". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2008-09-01. …manufacturing that sludgy, choleric sound…
  34. ^ Rockdetector: High on Fire biography
  35. ^ Pegoraro, John (13). "Mico De Noche/Brothers of the Sonic Cloth - Split". Stonerrock.com. Retrieved 15 July 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  36. ^ Levin, Hannah (30). "Our Favorite Local Releases of 2009". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved 15 July 2010. Mico de Noche's two brutal blasts of galvanized sludge are perfectly concise counterpoints {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  37. ^ Heaney, Greg. "Torche". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  38. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Weedeater". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  39. ^ Deming, Mark. "Baroness". Allmusic. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help); Text "urlhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/p363172" ignored (help)
  40. ^ Prato, Greg. "Baroness - Red Album". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  41. ^ York, William. "Boris". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  42. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Fudge Tunnel". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  43. ^ "Lair of the Minotaur". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  44. ^ York, William. "Mastodon". Allmusic. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help); Text "urlhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/p516160" ignored (help)
  45. ^ York, William. "Soilent Green biography". Allmusic. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help); Text "urlhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/p206627" ignored (help)
  46. ^ "Soilent Green". Metal Blade Records. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
  47. ^ Heaney, Gregory. "Black Tusk biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  48. ^ Currin, Grayson (2010-07-07). "Taste the Sin review". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  49. ^ Colgan, Chris (2010-03-05). "Cancer Bats: Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones". PopMatters. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  50. ^ Ben Patashnik. "Cancer Bats Review on BBC". BBC Music. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  51. ^ "The Agency Group | Cancer Bats". The Agency Group. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  52. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Mistress - II: The Chronovisor". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  53. ^ Prato, Greg. ["Kingdom of Sorrow - Kingdom of Sorrow". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  54. ^ Prato, Greg. "Will Haven". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
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