Happymeal, I hope it's okay since I got this up ahead of time. I assumed you wanted me to post, hence the PM and all. We can vote on new GE's whenever or something.
I'll also be doing a plug.dj stoner rock session on [date and time incoming]. (prob weekend)
OVERVIEW
Stoner Rock as a terminology isn’t as clear cut in where exactly it originated, though theories jump from place to place from compilations to lifestyle choices that were penned by journalists observing the desert rock scene. But what is most definitely certain about the genre/movement is that it has birthed an incredible impact that has morphed hard rock music in the same way grunge and alternative metal (other genres at the time of its culmination that were fairly new with grunge being the eldest of the three). It has been one of two genres to advance doom metal beyond traditional doom conventions, and has to some returned hard rock to a straight forward thinking that remembers its roots. But the one thing about stoner rock is that it’s become harder and harder to pinpoint as time has gone on as the movements involved have fractured into mainstream contemporary music (Queens of the Stone Age, The Sword), a scene called stoner doom which emphasizes the nature of Black Sabbath and Candlemass over the nature of Blue Cheer and Deep Purple, and experimental stoner bands that add everything from neo-psychedelia to space rock to drone.
At the core stoner rock plays close to “straight” rock music and pulls no punches as it hits you with the focus of trudging riffs characterized by slow-to-mid tempo progressions with thick plodding bass as it incorporates elements of the blues-rock of yesteryear that it owes itself so much to.
My intent is not to exactly echo a history lesson, but more of a guideline for discussion. Similar to Mercury I feel I will try to highlight a few of the key artists and write-up what I feel is necessary though I imagine his thread will feel a lot more intuitive to my own.
INFLUENCES
Stoner Rock owes itself to four things: heavy psychedelic rock, blues-rock, proto-metal, and punk rock. Many folks have considered that there are two records that stoner rock owes the most to for existing which is Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality and Blue Cheer’s Vincebus Eruptum. Both of which can be sonically recognized in every band from Clutch to Kyuss to Blood Ceremony. Mark Deming’s thoughts on Vincebus Eruptum are extremely apt at describing stoner rock as well—“a glorious celebration of rock [& roll] primitivism run through enough [Marshall] amps to deafen an army.”
EARLY DEVELOPMENT
Stoner Rock as a movement didn’t really form until the Palm Desert Scene exploded as a “desert rock” scene became the structure of which these bands would build their house. As elements of psychedelia, blues, metal, and punk rock connected in oddly intricate ways it wasn’t long before stoner rock had their musical prophet and that prophet was known as Kyuss.
Throughout the nineties the hard rock and metal musicians that would be cited as ‘stoner rock’ later in life would increase in number as both Kyuss and Monster Magnet became some of the most influential bands in the American metal underground. There were of course albums and bands that predated and co-existed with both these bands, but for the most part of the “influence game” these were the two that won. Kyuss eventually split after recording cohesive album after cohesive album and their members became interested in other projects; and as we all know Homme went on to do great things which led to commercial and critical success with Queens of the Stone Age later on.
STONER DOOM EXPANSION
Alongside the Stoner Rock scene Stoner Doom began to express similar tonality in a metal over rock landscape inspired by Traditional Doom Metal musicians of yesteryear such as Candlemass, Pentagram, Saint Vitus, Pagan Altar, Trouble, and Witchfinder General. As Stoner and Doom collided it created a whole new scene of musicians who took Stoner's sonic tone and blended it with Traditional Doom Metal's trudging journey to evoke an atmosphere. The bands that came out of this were very different and arguably darker in sound.
Do note this is where it starts to get confusing as sludge metal bands (who were influenced by crust prunk and a lot more hardcore punk) started become prominent and it becomes very hard to tell the difference between Sludge and Stoner Doom; plenty of bands dabbled in both. Anyway some examples, I'll note some Sludge examples below the Stoner Doom examples for reference:
DEFINITION and CURRENT SCENE
With the movement defined, the expansion of communication, and a specific fanbase set up; the dawn of stoner rock was over and a new generation beckoned for the taste of raw Sabbath-inspired riff-work in a no nonsense rock soundscape. Bands formed in the late 90s cleaned up their sound whilst new bands popped up in an attempt to show appreciation to those that had influenced them. It’s hard for me as a person to say subjectively or objectively who the defining stoner rock band was of 00s in the underground which is either very good or very bad to say. I know a lot of folks like QOTSA, but they did little for me after their first two to three records. But there is something to be said about time, it brings out the weirder experimentation in people...
I've only heard Sunrise On The Sufferbus, I had that album a long time ago and it got lost in the digital shuffle of music over time. _________________ 2023 Chart
I've always a desire to explore this genre a bit more. Sleep, Om, Colour Haze, Melvins and QOTSA are 5 of my favorite bands, all under this genre and all sounding very different.
So this thread is definitely awesome. The fact that nobody mentioned this album though is shameful, because this is the end-all of stoner rock/metal.
I was looking forward to see this Gowie
I know that it was not an easy task but you did a nice work, so thank u very much!
I'm gonna need a few days to explore some new records.
I'd like also to know your opinion about Goatsnake, do u like them?
I've always a desire to explore this genre a bit more. Sleep, Om, Colour Haze, Melvins and QOTSA are 5 of my favorite bands, all under this genre and all sounding very different.
So this thread is definitely awesome. The fact that nobody mentioned this album though is shameful, because this is the end-all of stoner rock/metal.
The reason I didn't mention Sleep (or Acid Bath, Cathedral, Bongzilla, Weedeater, Electric Wizard) is because Stoner Doom & Sludge Metal have become so developed that they are honestly their own thing at this stage and very different than Stoner Rock in it's infancy and in it's current stage. I love these bands and fancied the thought of adding a Stoner Doom and Sludge section but felt that would be superfluous. I might decide to add a stoner doom or sludge section later but for now I didn't.
pa wrote:
I was looking forward to see this Gowie
I know that it was not an easy task but you did a nice work, so thank u very much!
I'm gonna need a few days to explore some new records.
I'd like also to know your opinion about Goatsnake, do u like them?
Flower of Disease is one of the most important and enjoyable doom metal records if you ask me. Been awhile since I gave them a listen, but like I said above; would of mentioned them had I made a stoner doom section.
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