Sludge metal: Genre or sub-genre

[vgmaster9]

I'm just wondering, is sludge metal a genre of its own, with elements of doom metal among other things, or is it simply a subgenre of doom metal?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Sludge metal isn't the most clearly defined genre/sub-genre to begin with, but I'd say that it's kind of its own thing on the basis that it took strong influence from music external to metal and that it existed when doom metal was still relatively young. However, a lot of the riffs are basically straight-up doom metal riffs, so I could go either way, provided we're not talking about modern "atmospheric sludge" or Mastodon-style stuff.

 

[Eligos]

Technically, sludge is a mix of doom metal and hardcore punk (think Black Flag and Minor Threat, not Terror).

Since it started as a hybrid genre, the subgenre naturally invites other influences into itself. That's why Mastodon's had such an easy time gettin those dance grooves into the mix and Isis and Neurosis were able to pull off the post rock/sludge mix.

Sludge metal and black metal are very easy to manipulate musically.

 

[GreenMachine]

I can't really seem to get into sludge except for a band here or there, and that's usually due to the vocals. Do you guys know of any sludge metal bands that utilize death growls? For example, I love Disbelief...

 

[Eligos]

Sludge tends to attract the punk crowd as well because of its hardcore elements, so the vocals are usually more in the vein of crust or hardcore.

 

[Nephilim96]

It's a genre, it's just not a big genre. Anything that is too distinct to fall under another genre is it's own genre. (unless it's mix of two, i.e. Death/Doom)

 

[CF87]

I can't really seem to get into sludge except for a band here or there, and that's usually due to the vocals. Do you guys know of any sludge metal bands that utilize death growls? For example, I love Disbelief...

You might want to check out Korpse 'Revirgin'. It's old school Death Metal, but sounds like Stoner Rock/Doom. I think it's worth checking out despite not really knowing if it is what you are looking for.