Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Sludge Metal 101: Serious Dudes !

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Take Black Sabbath's Sweet Leaf, make it heavier, slow it down some more, smoke some more dope, make it little more distorted and you have what it typically known as slugde metal.

It originates in the deep South of the USA and is considered to have been first invented by The Melvins, who we have featured a few times on Rock Revival.

Bands like Crowbar and Corrosion of Conformity lead the pack, but Electric Wizard, Down and Isis are also good places to start. I'm not sure it would really help to go into the differences between Atmospheric Sludge (blends in Post-Rock, it's also kown as Post-Metal), Sludge/Doom, or Southern Sludgecore, but rest assured they are all filled with doom.

It's pretty interesting that sludge originates in the home of the blues; there is a blues feel, but you can also hear Southern Rock, hardcore punk and metal.

Here's some tracks to start with ?

1. Weedmonkey: Weedeater

If your pissed off about anything you won't need therapy after this; or maybe you will ?

2. Clean My Wounds: Corrosion of Conformity

Proof that it's not all slow; a killer track

3. Funeralopolis: Electric Wizard

Personally I stay away from their death themes; this is an exception, definitely Sabathesque

4. Isis: Carry

Smarter than the average ? If you like Mogwai but want to be kicked in the head three quarter of the way through try this

5. December's Spawn: Crowbar

Woahhh ! Serious dudes, not a hint of irony here !

Image Courtesy Rise Above

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