This is a list of bands that play sludge metal, or sludge, a genre of extreme music that originated through combining elements of doom metal and hardcore punk.
Band | Formed | Origin | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
16 [1] | 1992 | United States | |
Acid Bath [2] | 1991 | United States | |
Agrimonia [3] | 2005 | Sweden | Also classed as crust punk and post-metal. [3] |
Alice in Chains [4] [5] | 1987 | United States | Also classed as grunge, [6] alternative metal, [7] alternative rock, [8] and doom metal. [9] |
Amenra [10] | 1999 | Belgium | Also classed as post-metal. |
Baroness [11] | 2003 | United States | Also classed as progressive metal [12] and stoner metal. [11] |
Big Business [13] | 2004 | United States | Also classed as stoner metal. [14] |
Bison B.C. [15] | 2006 | Canada | Also classed as stoner metal [16] and doom metal. [17] |
Black Tusk [18] | 2005 | United States | Also classed as stoner rock/metal [19] [20] and hardcore punk. [20] |
Blood Circus [21] | 1988 | United States | |
Bongzilla [22] | 1995 | United States | Also classed as stoner rock/metal. |
Boris [23] | 1992 | Japan | Also classed as experimental metal [24] and drone metal. [23] |
Burning Witch [25] | 1995 | United States | Also classed as doom metal [25] and stoner doom. [25] |
Buzzoven [26] | 1990 | United States | |
Cavity [27] | 1992 | United States | |
Celeste [28] | 2005 | France | Also classed as post-hardcore and black metal. [28] |
Conan [29] | 2006 | United Kingdom | Also classed as doom metal. [29] |
Corrosion of Conformity [30] | 1982 | United States | Also classed as stoner rock/metal [31] and southern metal. [32] |
Corrupted [33] | 1994 | Japan | Also classed as doom metal and drone metal. |
Crowbar [34] | 1990 | United States | |
Cult of Luna [35] | 1998 | Sweden | Also classed as post-metal [36] and doom metal. [36] |
Down [30] | 1991 | United States | Also classed as southern metal [32] and stoner metal. [37] |
Dystopia [38] | 1991 | United States | Also classed as crust punk. [38] |
Eyehategod [39] | 1988 | United States | |
Fudge Tunnel [40] | 1988 | United Kingdom | Also classed as noise rock [40] and alternative metal. [41] |
Gaza [42] | 2004 | United States | Also classed as mathcore [43] and grindcore. [42] |
Godflesh [44] | 1988 | United Kingdom | Also classed as industrial metal [45] and experimental metal. [46] |
Graves at Sea [47] | 2002 | United States | Also classed as doom metal. [48] |
Grief [49] | 1991 | United States | |
Harkonen [50] [51] | 1997 | United States | Also classed as post-hardcore [52] and math rock. [50] |
Harvey Milk [53] | 1992 | United States | |
Helms Alee [54] | 2007 | United States | Also classed as post-hardcore, [55] noise rock, [54] shoegaze, [54] and stoner metal. [54] |
High on Fire [56] | 1998 | United States | Also classed as stoner metal, [57] doom metal, [58] and thrash metal. [59] |
Isis [60] | 1997 | United States | Also classed as post-metal. [61] |
Iron Monkey [62] | 1994 | United Kingdom | |
Keelhaul [63] | 1997 | United States | Also classed as mathcore [64] and post-hardcore. [65] |
KEN Mode [66] | 1999 | Canada | Also classed as noise rock [67] and post-hardcore. [68] |
Kingdom of Sorrow [69] | 2005 | United States | Also classed as metalcore. |
Knut [70] | 1994 | Switzerland | Also classed as mathcore. [71] |
Kylesa [72] | 2001 | United States | Also classed as stoner rock/metal. [72] |
Lody Kong [73] | 2011 | United States | Also classed as hardcore punk, grunge and thrash metal. |
Lair of the Minotaur [74] | 2003 | United States | Also classed as thrash metal. [75] |
Mantar [76] | 2012 | Germany | |
Mastodon [77] | 2000 | United States | Also classed as progressive metal [78] and stoner metal. [79] |
Melvins [80] | 1983 | United States | Also classed as alternative rock, [81] experimental rock, [82] grunge, [83] noise rock, [84] and stoner rock. [85] |
Mico de Noche [86] | 2001 | United States | Also classed as stoner metal. [87] |
Mistress [88] | 1999 | United Kingdom | Also classed as grindcore and death metal. [88] [89] |
Neurosis [90] | 1985 | United States | Also classed as post-metal. [90] |
Nightstick [91] | 1992 | United States | Also classed as noise rock and acid rock. [91] |
The Ocean [92] | 2000 | Germany | Also classed as progressive metal, post-metal, and experimental metal. [93] |
Part Chimp [94] | 2000 | United Kingdom | Also classed as noise rock. [94] |
Raw Radar War [95] | 2002 | United States | Also classed as hardcore punk and crust punk. [95] |
Red Fang [96] | 2005 | United States | Also classed as stoner rock/metal. |
Sofa King Killer [97] | 1999 | United States | Also classed as stoner rock/metal. |
Soilent Green [98] | 1988 | United States | Also classed as grindcore. [99] |
Sourvein [100] | 1993 | United States | Also classed as doom metal. [101] |
Stake [102] | 2004 | Belgium | Also classed as post-rock/metal. |
Sumac [103] | 2014 | Canada / United States | Also classed as post-metal. |
Superjoint Ritual [104] [105] | 1993 | United States | Also classed as hardcore punk. [105] |
Thou [106] | 2005 | United States | |
Torche [107] | 2004 | United States | Also classed as stoner rock/metal [107] and alternative rock. [108] |
Totimoshi [109] | 1999 | United States | Also classed as noise rock, [110] alternative rock, [111] stoner rock/metal, [112] and alternative metal. [113] |
Trenches [114] | 2007 | United States | Also classed as metalcore. [114] |
Vorvaň [115] | 2009 | Russia | Also classed as hardcore punk. [115] |
Weedeater [116] | 1998 | United States | Also classed as stoner metal. |
Whores [117] | 2010 | United States | Also classed as noise rock. [117] |
Willard [118] | 1989 | United States | Also classed as grunge, doom metal, and alternative metal. |
Will Haven [119] | 1995 | United States | Also classed as metalcore, [120] post-hardcore, [121] and alternative metal. [119] |
Year of No Light [122] | 2001 | France | Also classed as post-metal [123] and post-rock. [124] |
Melvins are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with either two drummers or two bassists. Since 1984, vocalist and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been constant members.
Neurosis is an American post-metal band from Oakland, California. It was formed in 1985 by guitarist Scott Kelly, bassist Dave Edwardson, and drummer Jason Roeder, initially as a hardcore punk band. Chad Salter joined as a second guitarist and appeared on the band's 1987 debut Pain of Mind and then Steve Von Till replaced him in 1989. The following year, the lineup further expanded to include a keyboardist and a visual artist. Beginning with their third album Souls at Zero (1992), Neurosis transformed their hardcore sound by incorporating diverse influences including doom metal and industrial music, becoming a major force in the emergence of the post-metal and sludge metal genres.
Keelhaul is a four-piece progressive mathcore/sludge metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. The members are Aaron Dallison, Dana Embrose (guitar), Will Scharf (drums), and Chris Smith.
Houdini is the fifth studio album by American rock band Melvins, released on September 21, 1993, by Atlantic Records. The album was the band's major label debut after releasing their previous albums through the independent label Boner Records.
Roger "Buzz" Osborne, also known as King Buzzo, is an American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. He is a founding member of the rock band Melvins, as well as Fantômas and Venomous Concept.
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 2000, the band's lineup of Troy Sanders (bass/vocals), Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor (drums/vocals) has remained unchanged since 2001. Mastodon has released eight studio albums, as well as a number of other releases. The band's 2002 debut album, Remission, garnered significant critical acclaim for its unique sound. Mastodon's second full-length release, Leviathan, is a concept album based on the novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Three magazines awarded the record "Album of the Year" in 2004: Revolver, Kerrang! and Terrorizer.
Boris is a Japanese band formed in 1992 in Tokyo and composed of drummer Atsuo, guitarist/bassist Takeshi, and guitarist/keyboardist Wata. All three members contribute vocals. Their work has drawn variously on styles such as sludge metal, drone, noise, psychedelia, and minimalism. Boris has released more than 20 studio albums on various labels around the world, as well as a variety of live albums, compilations, EPs, singles, and collaborative albums. They have collaborated with acts such as Sunn O))), Merzbow, Keiji Haino, and guitarist Michio Kurihara.
Totimoshi is an American rock band based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in Oakland in 1997.
Sofa King Killer was an American sludge metal band from Akron, Ohio.
To Walk a Middle Course is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Kylesa. Released on March 22, 2005, by Prosthetic Records, it was produced by English record producer Alex Newport, who is known for his projects Fudge Tunnel and Nailbomb.
Heiress is an American band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2006. Their style blends influences from hardcore punk, heavy metal and post-rock. They signed to Deathwish Inc. in 2010, and released their debut album Early Frost in 2013.
Whores is an American noise rock/sludge metal band based in Atlanta, Georgia. It currently consists of vocalist and guitarist Christian Lembach, bass guitarist Casey Maxwell and drummer Douglas Jennings Barrett. The band has released two records through Brutal Panda Records and is known for its "intensely cathartic live shows".
Once More 'Round the Sun is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on June 24, 2014, via Reprise Records. On April 17, 2014, Mastodon released the album's first single, "High Road". On June 16, 2014, the album was made available for streaming on iTunes. Once More 'Round the Sun sold around 34,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the band's highest-peaking album on the chart and their second consecutive Top 10 debut after their previous album, The Hunter, peaked at No. 10.
Full of Hell is an American grindcore band from Ocean City, Maryland, and Central Pennsylvania, that formed in 2009. They are currently signed to Relapse Records and have released six studio albums – Roots of Earth Are Consuming My Home (2011), Rudiments of Mutilation (2013), Trumpeting Ecstasy (2017), Weeping Choir (2019), Garden of Burning Apparitions (2021), and Coagulated Bliss (2024) – as well as several EPs and splits. In addition to studio albums, they've released five collaboration albums – Full of Hell & Merzbow (2014) with Japanese noise artist Merzbow, One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache (2016) and Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light (2017) with sludge metal band the Body, Suffocating Hallucination with doom metal band Primitive Man in March 2023 and When No Birds Sang with shoegaze band Nothing in December 2023.
Emperor of Sand is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on March 31, 2017 through record label Reprise Records. The album's first single, "Show Yourself", peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 2017. The second single, "Steambreather", peaked at number 18 on the same chart. It was ranked on several year-end lists, including at number three on The Independent's "Top 20 Rock & Metal Albums of 2017".
Hushed and Grim is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released as a double album on October 29, 2021, through Reprise Records. The album is the band's longest to date, their first double album. Guest appearances include Soundgarden's Kim Thayil on "Had It All" and Troy Sanders' mother Jody Sanders on French horn. There is no guest vocal appearance by Scott Kelly from Neurosis for the first time since their 2002 debut Remission, due to Kelly's withdrawal from the public eye that was not announced until August 2022. The album also serves as a tribute to Mastodon's former manager Nick John, after his death from cancer in 2018.
... the long-running alt-rock outfit have revealed plans for a companion film
…manufacturing that sludgy, choleric sound…
Georgia's pretty damn good at producing great stoner sludge metal: In addition to Mastodon and Baroness there's Kylesa, who fuses basement punk and biker metal on Ultraviolet.
They have admirers in world-class progressive-metal outfits like Isis, Mastodon, and Tool
Mico de Noche's two brutal blasts of galvanized sludge are perfectly concise counterpoints.