Sludge metal

Sludge metal combines slow pace, heavy rhythm and the dark, pessimistic atmosphere of doom metal, with aggression, screaming vocals and random fast paced hardcore punk. A source in The New York Times reports the following: "The symbol for the kind of rock music that comes from the early Black Sabbath and the later Black Flag is sludge ( sludge ) because it is so slow and dense." ^[1] According to Metal Hammer , slug metal is “spawned from a random mix of the grim metal Black Sabbath, the tormenting hardcore Black Flag and the grind of early Swans , spurred on by an abundance of cheap whiskey and bad pharmaceuticals.” ^[2] Many sludge groups compose slow songs containing short hardcore fragments (for example, Eyehategod's " Depress " and " My Name Is God "). ^[3] Mike Williams, founder of the sludge style and member of Eyehategod, suggests that "the sludge nickname seems to refer to the slowness, filth, filth, and the general sense of decadence that melodies convey." ^[4] However, some bands emphasize the fast pace throughout their music. String instruments (electric guitar and bass guitar) are on a lowered line , are strongly distorted and often reproduced with a lot of feedback , ^{[3] [5]} which creates a dense and at the same time abrasive sound. In addition, guitar solos are often missing. The drum parts are similar in style to doom metal. Drummers can use a di-beat or double pedal during faster passes or longer breakdowns (typical for sludge). Vocals are usually flashy or screaming . ^{[3] [5] [6] [7]} The lyrics are generally pessimistic. Suffering, drug abuse, anger towards society are common lyrical themes.

Many South American slug metal bands include elements of northern rock . ^{[3] [5] [6] [8] [9]} There is some controversy as to whether slug metal is only related to a style originating from New Orleans and, more generally, from the American South, or to “total bringing together scenes and individuals around the world that have been influenced by Black Flag / Black Sabbath. ” ^{[4] The} so-called “atmospheric” sludge groups take a more experimental approach and produce music with ambient atmosphere, reduced aggression and philosophical lyrics. ^[10] The similarities between sludge and stoner often lead to an alloy of these styles, ^{[11] [12]} however sludge usually excludes the psychedelic elements of the stoner.

Predecessors

Along with Black Sabbath and Black Flag , Lynyrd Skynyrd , Celtic Frost , Greg Ginn , Trouble , Carnivore , Saint Vitus , Gore , Righteous Pigs , Amebix are noted as musicians who influenced the pioneers of the style. ^{[4] [13] The} early slug metal bands were also inspired by the industrial groups SPK , Throbbing Gristle , Chrome and Swans . ^[4] The origins of the style can be traced back to the “slow punk” of the Flipper band, the Cop (1984) album of Swans, and the My War (1984) album of Black Flag; the latter is often referred to as the first sludge album. ^{[13] [14]}

Early Sludge

It is believed that the most significant influence on the genre was the group Melvins from Washington . Their early works Six Songs (1986) and Gluey Porch Treatments (1987) are often seen as the first sludge records. At the same time, the group was an important member of the grunge scene in Washington. The Neurosis group from San Francisco also practiced sludge early on. ^[fifteen]

Several bands from Louisiana developed a genre called slug metal in the early 1990s. ^{[16] The} pioneers in this movement were Eyehategod (formed in 1988), Crowbar (formed in 1989 under the name “The Slugs”) and Acid Bath (formed in 1991). Groups on the US east coast, such as Buzzov * en (formed in 1989), 13 (formed in 1990) and Grief (formed in 1991), adopted the new genre and began to play in a slower form.

Development

Sludge metal subsequently spread throughout the southern and eastern United States. The popularity of the Down group (originally a side project by Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo) contributed to the spread of the sludge scene throughout the United States. ^[fifteen]

Jose Carlos Santos notes that things have changed with the release of the first album of the British band Iron Monkey in 1997, subsequently:

it seemed that sludge was open to the rest of the world, and in recent decades, small foci or mini-scenes could be found in almost any country you want.

Original text

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.

- Jose Carlos Santos ^[17]

In addition, the US state of Georgia has become the source of new bands such as Mastodon , Baroness and Kylesa . ^[17]

In the late 1990s, many slug metal bands began to incorporate elements of post-rock into their music. This new sound, called " post-metal ", was inspired by the experiments of the Neurosis band from the beginning to the mid-1990s, the most famous of them: Isis , ^[10] Cult of Luna and Pelican . ^[eighteen]