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Sludge metal (or sludgecore) is a form of heavy metal music that fuses doom metal and hardcore punk. Sludge metal is typically aggressive and 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 state of Louisiana.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 passages⁴ (for example, Eyehategod's "Depress"). However, some bands emphasize fast tempos throughout their music. The string instruments (electric guitar and bass guitar) are heavily distorted and are often played with large amounts of feedback⁵⁴ to produce an abrasive, sludgy sound. Additionally, guitar solos are often absent. Drumming is often performed in typical doom metal fashion, but drummers may employ hardcore d-beat or double-kick drumming during faster passages. Vocals are usually shouted or screamed,⁴⁶⁵⁷ and lyrics are generally pessimistic in nature.⁸ Suffering, drug abuse,⁹¹⁰¹¹ politics and anger towards society are common lyrical themes.

Many sludge metal bands from the Southern United States incorporate Southern rock and blues influence,⁵⁴⁶¹²¹³ although not all sludge bands share this style. So-called "atmospheric" sludge bands adopt a more experimental approach and compose music with an ambient atmosphere, reduced aggression and philosophical lyrics.¹⁴ Due to the similarities between sludge and stoner metal, there is often a crossover between the two genres,¹⁵¹⁶ but sludge metal generally avoids stoner metal's positive atmosphere and its 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

During the 1980s, a variety of underground bands composed music that would influence sludge metal. Groups such as Flipper, Black Flag, Amebix, Swans and Neurosis, were among the first to mix punk with Black Sabbath style doom. Groups who emerged from grindcore, such as Godflesh and Scorn, also practiced a form of industrial sludge.

Perhaps the most significant influence was the 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. At this time, the band was also an important member of Washington grunge scene.

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 1989¹⁷ as The Slugs),¹⁸ Buzzov*en (formed in 1989)¹⁹ and Acid Bath (formed in 1991)²⁰ pioneered this movement. In the Northeast, Grief and 13 (formed in 1991) adopted a slower-paced approach to the emerging genre. Sludge metal subsequently spread throughout the Southern United States.

During the early 2000s many sludge bands began to incorporate post-rock elements into their music. This new sound was greatly inspired by the experimental style of Neurosis, and is performed by prominent bands such as Isis,¹⁴ Cult of Luna and Pelican.²¹

Sludge metal bands by style

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.

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.

Atmospheric sludge metal

Many of these bands are also considered to be a part of the closely-related post-metal genre.

Other sludge metal styles

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