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Sludge metal is a form of heavy metal music that is generally regarded as a fusion between doom metal and hardcore. It is generally regarded to have been invented by The Melvins, but was popularized chiefly by a number of New Orleans based bands, a scene and sound popularly referred to as NOLA. The slow, extremely heavy rhythms of doom metal are combined with the shouting vocal delivery and occasional bursts of speed reminiscent of hardcore. There is often crossover between this genre and stoner metal, but sludge metal generally avoids the positive outlook on life that is common in stoner metal.

Guitars and bass are heavily distored and often use large amounts of feedback to give a 'dirty' atmosphere. Drums are rooted in hardcore, with many hardcore beats and rhythms being present in the majority of sludge bands. Vocals are shouted as in hardcore, and lyrics are generally blue-collar in nature, reflecting on society, generally in a cynical or downtrodden manner.

Sludge metal has several loosely defined subgenres. Traditional sludge metal is the purest form of the genre, occupied by bands such as Crowbar and Acid Bath. Another common genre is sometimes known as Southern Sludgecore, typified by extreme, almost noise-like distortion, even slower tempos, and generally hateful and controversial lyrics that revolve around subjects such as misogyny or drug addiction. Eyehategod is generally regarded as the founder of this genre. Another genre growing as of late is atmospheric sludge metal. This genre uses a very atmospheric, at times nearly ambient atmosphere, with less aggression and more philosophical and spiritual lyrics. Pelican and Isis are the forerunners of this genre. Sludge also is often fused with other genres, such as doom metal, stoner metal, or grindcore.

Sludge metal bands include:

Acid Bath
Black Label Society
Bongzilla
Boris
Buzzov*en
Cavity
Corrupted
Corrosion of Conformity (later)
Crowbar
Cult of Luna
Dot(.)
Down
Electric Wizard
Eyehategod
Geezer
Goatsblood
Grief
High on Fire
Iron Monkey
Isis
Mare
Mastodon
Neurosis
Noothgrush
Old Man Gloom (band)
Pelican
Putrid Sloth
Six Feet Under
Skid Row (Some of their later stuff was Sludge styled)
Sleep
Soilent Green
Sourvein
Superjoint Ritual

See also

• Doom metal
• Hardcore

Heavy metal
Black metal - Death metal - Doom metal - Folk metal - Glam metal - Gothic metal - Grindcore - Industrial metal - Neo-classical metal - Power metal - Progressive metal - Symphonic metal - Thrash metal
Other topics
Fashion - History