TOP 10 - Sludge bands

[@HulkSmashJG]

Crowbar is number one for me. Lots of great bands though.

[@bee2377]

Amen!

[@redeyedrednek]

Mine too 🤘

[@jakobwheelhand9907]

Yes indeed

[@henrygriffen40]

DOWN is the best

[@therevolution91]

Down is practically Crowbar & Superjoint Ritual.

[@partyboychip2]

Acid Bath are the kings of Sludge. They more then anyone on this list exemplifies what a Sludge Metal band should be. A good blend of slow and fast riffs that are heavy and brutal as fuck. Psychedelic lyrics and overall atmosphere filled with mind bending dark and twisted content. With underlying meaning that makes you question life, authority and society as a whole.

[@Bianchiboy]

My drunken shits are real sludge... you’re honestly saying Acid Bath are like my drunken shits? Either my drunken shits are the fucking business, otherwise labels are for dickheads who ain’t really listening to the music

[@jsdegard3010]

Agreed, great footage too, exactly as I remember from 94 with cannibalizes corpse, hand in his pocket and everything

[@grubmaster4654]

# 1

[@mikehunt4065]

@@Bianchiboy Your comment is dipshit in its absolute purest form.

[@dylanthomasgriffin]

Ugh man. Gnarly man. Put some dystopia and melvins in your life. That will put a little hair a your chest youngster. Acids bath are not the kings of sludge. If anyone were the kings it would be Melvins for inventing the genre, and dystopia for being the most brutal at it

[@Mogwaithegreat]

Mastodon are sludge in the same way that Led Zep were a blues band. Yes sludge is a huge part of what made their sound but they are a culmination of so many influences and sounds these days, prog rock being the obvious but not only one.

[@Mitchery]

They were mostly Sludge Metal in the 2000s.

[@jakeinthebox1]

Mastodon stands alone

[@jamesmitchell9872]

Mastodon is advanced sludge. There more versatile than crowbar. But your right not really that scene of sub genre

[@triad5766]

Mastodon were never sludge for any album lmao. I don’t know how people hear sludge in them at all when they lack literally the MAIN ingredient of sludge: doom metal. They haven’t played a single doom metal riff in their entire career. They’re literally just a more commercial form of mathcore, think Cave In and Keelhaul. They have nothing in common with actual sludge bands.

[@jamesmitchell9872]

I think your right

[@danlyjak7214]

The fact that the Melvins aren't on here at all and that Acid Bath isn't number one (with Down at a worthwhile #2) is an issue for me. Also Superjoint and Crowbar should both rank higher and Mastodon much lower. But to each themz own, I guess.

[@LeithH-x3e]

i hate acid bath fans so much even though the music is good

[@IwokeUpInSOMA]

What are your thoughts on Electric Wizard?

[@Born2gun77]

No Melvins no list...period

[@AnthonyJ_]

I love how seriously this genre is taken, it’s one of the best ✊

[@jamescroy9464]

Iron Monkey? Anyone?

[@leeyoungun]

I was going to say...so many of these bands aren’t Sludge and one of the best Sludge bands doesn’t get a mention.

[@kastelnaudary]

To me, they are the ultimate definition of the genre ! First heard them back in 1997, when their track 'Big loader' featured on Earplugged 2, the Earache Records sampler. In the same vibe, I also really like Moho from Madrid, Spain.

[@nayibtorrez6413]

yes

[@stratoc9568]

How tf can you not inclide melvins at no.1, theyre the ones that pioneered this shit imo

[@westvirginiaboy4491]

You are totally correct. These reterds know nothing of old metal

[@HulkSmashJG]

Or Neurosis.

[@89gt5.0]

They are considered a doom band

[@stratoc9568]

@@89gt5.0 melvins have always been considered the pioneer sludge band. The only album where I can say they are fully doom is Lysol but that's it

[@ShonnDaylee]

@@89gt5.0 No, they are not. They existed before said genre. They are considered a Grunge/Sludge group, and being the pioneers of both. They inspired a lot of Doom bands, however.

[@johnmonica]

True sludge was invented in New Orleans based on mixture of Black Sabbath and The Melvins. As much as I love Mastodon, they are not true sludge...

[@sinisterminister9920]

I’m from NoLa bro and I will say Mastodon’s older shit is straight up in your face, down your throat, sludge. Their newer shit is of course a little more proggy (which is very cool) but I wouldn’t put “new” mastodon as #1 but certainly the “old” Mastodon based on sheer musicality is in fact #1

[@JohnDoe-zp9jv]

read the description

[@dakotakoll-is3rg]

Also hardcore punk bro. And mastodons early shit was quite sludgy

[@benitohernandez935]

Crowbar are the kings of sludge. Period.

[@Gravehourr]

Acid bath💀

[@lilrosieasmr5938]

1. acid bath 2. crowbar 3. down

[@nanominaa]

Eyehategod

[@lilrosieasmr5938]

@@nanominaa eyehategod is great but way 2 unpleasing and hard to listen to for new people which is why crowbar and other bands would rank higher

[@benitohernandez935]

@@lilrosieasmr5938 unlistenable to me. Noise.

[@scaberouswretch3673]

Most of these aren't "sludge" bands.

[@TorArvid73]

Maybe iam wrong, but thought NEUROSIS are kinda GODS.....

[@kevincloar2443]

Souls at Zero slaps

[@Baloothepibble]

YES!!

[@jonahc2807]

lol. The list begins and ends with Phil

[@ryanexsus]

To not have Neurosis or Rwake is criminal. Rwake should be top 5 honestly.

[@MRSludgedude]

Nerosis is not the same kind of sludge. All those bands are are another genre . They need to split nola stuff from isis and nerosis stuff into two genres.

[@MRSludgedude]

@No Lümpen not the sludge I dig for. Nola sludge and Seattle grunge.

[@rcgliders8149]

ACID BATH, CROWBAR

[@drdelewded]

Buzzov'en -(16)- Blacktusk

[@VaughanRoderick]

Iron Monkey, Lazarvs, Weedeater, Bongzilla, Thou, Isis, and tons more. Lets face it, this isn't the top ten best sludge acts, it's the ten most mainstream sludge acts.

[@henrygriffen40]

@@VaughanRoderick ILSA,,16

[@SBrown-ti8xe]

It bothers me Soilent Green Iron Monkey and Buzzoven didn't make the list but lame ass Kylesa and Baroness did. Not exactly bothered but just disappointed in this persons taste.

[@mykull666]

@@SBrown-ti8xe Soilent Green isn't a sludge band. I was in Buzzov-en, and those guys are friends of mine and they'd never classify their band as sludge. This list is a joke and not because we're not on it but because the only actual sludge bands on this list are eyehategod and acid bath, and the fact that weedeater and iron monkey aren't on it.

[@bradgarris1240]

NOLA Sludge represent!

[@adeelin776]

I see you are a man of culture

[@Cheeseburger.Launch.Sequence]

Grief? Noothgrush? Corrupted? You forgot sludge bands on your list of sludge bands dude.

[@stuffandjunkanduhh5049]

seriously. hahah

[@charlesrowland127]

Some of these aren't sludge at all , and if they are, there's so many bands AND songs that are sludgier than this, some if these are just good Ole' stoner metal , but there's a difference between sludge/doom and stoner

[@ekoeschannel140]

Melvins , Alice in chains Crowbar

[@CheeperVHS]

DOWN over Acid Bath and Mastodon and no mention of Melvins, -(16)- or Fudge Tunnel???

[@tidesofsulfurcb]

Not many bands on this list I would call sludge except for EHG and Crowbar. You're missing the likes of Indian, Coffinworm, Moloch, Iron Monkey, Corrupted, Noothgrush, Grief...

[@ryanexsus]

And Rwake, and Neurosis.

[@Cheeseburger.Launch.Sequence]

Oh thank fuck.... someone else dropping Noothgrush, Grief, and Corrupted. Bands were big in the 90s. Loved Grief. Saw them many times on wildly varied bills.

[@bodomwireofficial2283]

Finally a list that includes COC!

[@89gt5.0]

Awesome band... not sludge thou

[@Malum09]

@@89gt5.0 I would call them sludge Adjacent

[@saturnkingofmushrooms7821]

@@Malum09 you mean stoner? Lol

[@3peckeredgoat735]

Great list, I dig all of these bands.

[@Skrimpish]

Did you really put mastadon above acid bath???? Maybe trainwreck album of mastadon (early) but even that not sludge. Its prolly cool on the jobsite i guess

[@hisvorpalsword]

Your list is adorable. Melvins is no 1 but cute effort.

[@ismaill_l]

melvins is fucking shit and i will never get the hype behind them

[@jasong428]

Noothgrush, Cough and Nightstick should be on this. Eyehategod was always one of my favorites until they started changing song names. Damn that's weak

[@5starstunna428]

Lmao why... are you mad that a band might not want a slur in their song? Grow some fucking balls.

[@markheelis]

No Buzzoven? No Melvins?

[@BobPapadopoulos]

Melvins arent sludge.

[@Morggin]

@@BobPapadopoulos thats funny you keep repeating that ... King Buzzo himself claims they are sludge.

[@Zilbaaa]

And Melvins and Tad but very good

[@RobertL78]

5:38 that’s my designated concert shirt: Type O Negative Casket Crew shirt.

[@1969plato]

Some love for Down, love it!

[@jtl9283]

Great list, but how is Neurosis not in there?

[@77craigbishop]

where is the weedeater

[@Ecclesiastes11718]

Recently listened to Kylesa for the first time..Fucking amazing..they have a punk thing going on and it's so badass

[@louismaione9255]

This list offends me as someone who has listened to and has played sludge since the late 90’s! 4: Cough 3: Noothgrush 2: the Melvins and 1: GRIEF!!!! And if you don’t know Grief... YOU DONT KNOW SLUDGE!!!!!!!!

[@andreasaelios1838]

Thanks for sharing this. I've always enjoyed the sound of stoner metal in passing but have only recently started exploring it and found this while checking out another list. I haven't fully converted from my punk, post-punk, death rock, and dark wave ways, but this all feels so great to listen to. So my very serious question to you all is this: how safe are women at these shows? I would love to experience this in person.

[@spikestoyou]

You’ll be fine, it’s not like going to a hardcore show. The people are actually there for the music. Of course in any situation it never hurts to have friends around.

[@hemnair75]

So what is the difference between sludge, stoner, and doom metal? All is grooving, slow to mid tempo, and just awesome to listen to. So what make which one which??

[@larslarssen4978]

Че-то по моему автор иной раз несколько путает грув со сладжем.Я конечно понимаю симпатии к Ансельмо,но 1 место Down вызывает как минимум огромное количество вопросов.Ясно,что все это вкусовщина,но все-таки где Noothgrush,Dystopia наконец Primitive Man?Если там есть грувовый Мастодон,то чего бы не быть думово-стоунерским Electric Wizard,Acid King или Windhand,которые уж куда жирнее и сладжовей чем та же Kylesa.

[@demittriyjigalo8682]

Согласен, чувак. Ещё обидно что автор упустил the melvins как основателей жанра и buzzoven как одну из мейнстримовых групп в сладже

[@admiralandersen]

Crowbar only on a 4th place and not 1st... This is not serious

[@westvirginiaboy4491]

Melvins should be 1st

[@powerviolenceinyourass]

maybe because Kirk can't stop crying when he sings

[@HulkSmashJG]

Crowbar is first for me as well.

[@89gt5.0]

@@powerviolenceinyourass is called emotion not emo

[@ironsleet73]

Half of these bands aren't sludge and yet you neglect to mention Iron Monkey, Buzzoven, Grief, Floor etc...

[@dr.doodledorf426]

Half these bands are just sludge adjacent or started out sludgey

[@jamesmitchell9872]

I wonder of there will ever be another super joint album?

[@DavidPilla-mi2jp]

Good List homie 🤙

[@FinkDial666]

This is just a list of Stoner Metal. Where is Iron Monkey, Grief, Melvins, Buzzov*en, Dystopia, Noothgrush, Sourvein, 13, Corrupted and Cavity?

[@adamlawson5021]

No Weedeater?

[@austinmills2974]

How is baroness sludge?

[@grubmaster4654]

Acid Bath # 1 band in the world still by far way out there and will never be touched by any one ever ever ever EVER .

[@charlesdolling2407]

Hell yhea

[@Angel-tz6ce]

Melvins?

[@MrRiceMilk4378]

Damn straight man

[@augustonthefly]

Super joint =not a sludge band Hof = not a sludge band Baroness = not a sludge band Kylesa = not a sludge band Ehg =sludge band Bison = not a sludge band Coc = not a sludge band Crowbar = sludge band Acid bath =sludge band Mastodon =not a sludge band (not even close) Down=not a sludge band No mention of Grief, Cavity, buzzoven, the melvins, noothgrush or any of the other actual sludge bands. This list is garbage

[@ryanexsus]

It's almost like the person that made the list doesn't understand what sludge metal is...

[@notsop1]

Forgive me, as i’m just getting into sludge, but what would u consider some of the bands that u said were not sludge, like Down, for instance? Because wikipedia and a lot of people have considered them sludge. Just curious what you would consider them.

[@RibeiroGames12]

​@@notsop1 probably because sludge metal was supposed to be hardcore punk influenced doom metal. Down wasn't sonically hardcore influenced at all. The riffs sounded doom metal and the vocals were the average Phil Anselmo singing with drive

[@GopherGuts2000]

No Fudge Tunnel?

[@NaztyHabit]

Old school sludge "Trouble" and new sludge "Nazty Habit"

[@MrArthur4798]

Trouble is not sludge

[@michaelmatthew6838]

Crowbar at number 4, no mention of -(16)-. It's just sad.

[@kevincowen8655]

Electric Wizard is my favorite

[@leandrocesarmaccan5655]

I really like Intronaut and Zebulon Pike

[@shroomlord682]

I feel like everytime i mention intronaut there is one person who says "intronaut are sick" and no one else cares lmao

[@89gt5.0]

Here we go again. Like your doom list... you said sabbath is more heavy metal but you say SJR is sludge?ok... sure. I for sure agree with Crowbar, Acid Bath,EHG . And i love COC but they are far from sludge. Mastodon sludge? Come on now. So then the best black metal band is who? Saxon?

[@CEKISBACKmetalTV]

I 'liked' the variety of bands on the charts, many haven't heard in a long time but let me point out that the term 'sludge' (and sludge metal) is often used too loosely. Don't worry, I won't talk about the history of sludge between dissatisfied punks and metalheads looking for more power, quoting Black Flag, Black Sabbath and the primordial Flippers... I just want to share my opinion on the bands of this interesting video: 10. Superjoint=crossover 9. High On Fire=Stoner (Heavy Stoner) 8. Baroness=progressive rock 7. Kylesa=SLUDGE METAL, mainly (I love this unfortunate band) 6. Eyehategod=SLUDGE METAL 5. C.O.C.=this is hard (Harcore,Doom,Southern,Blues,Metal,Thrash...) I would say Crossover 4. Crowbar=SLUDGE METAL 3. Acid Bath=with only 2 albums it's difficult to place them in a genre, but I feel they are very close to Noise Rock mainly 2. Mastodon=Progressive Metal (I really don't understand why they are here) 1. Down = I don't know if they can be considered Sludge (maybe yes) but putting a "secondary" band, born during the break periods of Pantera and C.O.C (mainly) in first place seems exaggerated to me. I hope to hear your opinions. Good life to everyone!!!

[@headbangerscastle]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHzEfoKndreUmas check out this other sludge list I made not long ago. There are more pure sludge metal bands.

[@CEKISBACKmetalTV]

@@headbangerscastle This link is...AMAZING!!! Liked and instant subscription. Good job!

[@saltpeter7429]

I never pay attention to genre titles I cant keep up anyhow. But watching this video, I realize I am a sludge fan? I'm not going to worry about it, a rose is a rose by any other name. Good music abounds, even if sometimes it doesnt feel that way. MELVINS!. Whatever fucking title they are.

[@sinisterminister9920]

Okay so I’m from New Orleans and have a little skin in this game. I would’ve put Mastodon (older) as #1 and Down as #2 just based on the sheer musicality of Masty I’d have to say #1. And I’m not exactly unbiased here. I have 6 Down shirts I wear religiously but Mastodon or Melvins should’ve been #1

[@chet7219]

No Weedeater?! Wtf

[@JewsusMalone]

How are THE MELVINS not number 1???

[@JetGirl508]

Uhm excuse me but some of these bands arent exclusively a subgenre of a subgenre of a subgenre nor do they sound identical to each other so you are wrong.

[@rorymoore1247]

Top 4 has to be Eyehategod, Buzzoven, Acid Bath, and Melvins, in no particular order (depends on tastes IMO). My personal top 4 order would be EHG, Acid Bath, Melvins and Buzzoven. Regardless, no way EHG is number 6. CANT leave them out the top 3 man

[@thomasdavenport508]

Down #1 Nailed it.

[@thomasdavenport508]

Thank you.

[@thomasdavenport508]

@Thomas Davenport No. Thank you.

[@TheIndianscout]

1.Down 2.Acid Bath 3.C.O.C. The Pepper Keenan years 4.Super Joint Ritual 5.Eye Hate God 6.Crowbar 7.Sleep/High on Fire 8.Melvins 9.Kyuss 10.Mastodon In my opinion this would be the list.

[@Baloothepibble]

Love it but Mastadon should be Neurosis imho

[@Mr.geezlegub]

Tranquilized at the start from acid bath

[@headbangerscastle]

That's right lml

[@westvirginiaboy4491]

@@headbangerscastle you got no taste or knowledge of metal boy. Your list is trash

[@biblicaladrian6007]

West Virginia Boy agree No One Direction which is the heaviest sludge band ever

[@89gt5.0]

@@westvirginiaboy4491 for sure Mentions great band’s just his since of categories are completely off

[@mykull666]

@@westvirginiaboy4491 Sludge isn't metal though and since I was in Buzzov-en and everyone in Eyehategod is like a brother to me after years of touring together, so not only can I speak for us, I think I can speak for them when I say we were punk rockers that metalheads took a liking to. We made our bones playing with punk bands on the punk circuit until their friends in Pantera took them out and our friends in GWAR took us out. Granted, we both signed to predominantly metal labels but that was just because they offered the most tour support money but the majority of us weren't big fans of metal. We'd be on bills together with Offspring and Pennywise, NoFx and Lagwagon, Green Day and Pansey Division, or NoMensNo and Victim's Family over playing with actual metal bands. hell, look at the bands EHG typically tours with now and they're mostly old-school punk bands like Negative Approach, ANTiSEEN, Sheer Terror, The Accused, etc. I gotta agree with this list not being that great but since you think sludge is metal, let's see your top ten. If you don't have the 4 bands I'm thinking of, your list will be trash. I'll check back with you in a few days, so, bring your A-game.

[@CountessKitten]

Yessss!! God damn right!

[@jwallace5674wv]

Jimmy Bower all over this list 👊🏻

[@RataStuey]

Baroness sound great.. was just a ok to say they remind me of mastodon and then noticed the singer was wearing a mastodon shirt

[@bassfindergeneral5684]

Honorable mentions Melvins...

[@jacobsanchez6924]

Right?! Blasphemy. This guy needs to dig through their discography a little better. Early Melvins is pretty hard to beat.

[@bassfindergeneral5684]

@@jacobsanchez6924 well I guess its just taste... I would go on with that list, because it doesn't match my taste, but who am I after all... But Melvins are the Top

[@jacobsanchez6924]

True. Curious who your top list would include? For me definitely have to have Melvins, Acid Bath, Eyehategod as my top 3. Melvins just take things super heavy and slow, and acid bath and ehg really show the ugly side (in a good way) that makes me think of what sludge is.

[@bassfindergeneral5684]

@@jacobsanchez6924 the first sludge band that I ever heard was Sleep and strangely enough they were the band who introduced me to sabbath so I have to put them on the list! I really like Eyehategod, Weedeater, Monolord, Electric Wizard and Yob. It's kinda fucked up with genres though cause some of them are more known as stoner doom, but I dont know.. Sounds sludgy to me!

[@benhelton1684]

Wow, there’s about 2 sludge bands on there...

[@ericdahlstrom1598]

Mastodon, baroness aren't sludge,if she is 6, Melvin's better be 1

[@eric_wood]

Maybe Neurosis is too unique and always thrown in the “post metal” category, but they would be at the top of the list for me Also, this list is good but this list takes a big L for not including the Melvins!

[@Syndic_Calls]

Not sure how they slipped this list tbh.

[@dekadent6622]

Melvins and Neurosis are gods and very important Bands.

[@ShonnDaylee]

I came here to say literally this. Melvins pioneered the Sludge sound, along with Neurosis. Serious credibility loss for not including either.

[@BobPapadopoulos]

For the same reason Iggy Pop wouldn't be on a greatest punk list or Sabbath on a doom metal one: because they influenced the genres but arent actually in them.

[@Lord-FATALES]

YES. Atmospheric Sludge/Post-Metal / Avantgarde ... much like ISIS.

[@MrClubpenguin11]

DOWN, MELVINS, PENTAGRAM

[@89gt5.0]

He missed Pentagram on his best doom metal band lol

[@ΣΤΕΡΓΙΟΣΧΡΥΣΟΣΤΟΜΙΔΗΣ2022]

where is Beast in the fields,Mantar,Suma....and so many more???

[@reaverofsouls]

High On Fire is such a good fuckin live show.

[@deekmjones4463]

Eyehategod should be #2 after acid bath

[@killingacamera81]

I can’t take this list seriously without Neurosis being on it. Hell, I couldn’t take it seriously if they weren’t top 3.

[@KudaniiMusic]

Dude. Where is Buzzov*en?

[@kastelnaudary]

Personal favourites : - Iron Monkey (UK - mid/late 90s) : kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYPRkJd9nJmrm6s - Moho (Madrid, Spain - mid/late 00s) : kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4SwfZt-iM93fKM 🤘

[@fraxure_04na27]

Buzzov*en my favorite sludge band

[@Kyle-xt8ip]

How is crowbar not on this list?

[@DanteRising]

Eyehategod, Crowbar and Acid Bath are the only ones you got right. The rest are southern rock or post metal. Where is 16, Grief, Buzzove.en, Lord Mantis?

[@jakobwheelhand9907]

Crowbar#1

[@jasonkimball8488]

I thought I would see the Melvins or Big Business on this list.

[@Bianchiboy]

Labels, honestly. You either like a band or you don’t. Who gives a shit about what ‘category’ a band is in? I’m more likely to label one of my drunken binge shits ‘sludge’, because that’s what they are. You honestly think Acid Bath or COC want to be like one of my shits? If they do, I’d be super honoured

[@stevenbentley683]

Dope Throne 😎🖤🤘🤘

[@jonathanedwards6857]

Omitting the Melvins is a travesty. I was expecting them at #1.

[@spacegrass2738]

Agree sooooo fucking much with you man!!!

[@BobPapadopoulos]

Melvins aren't sludge. Melvins are hardcore

[@jonathanedwards6857]

@@BobPapadopoulos I mean all of these classifications are silly and just good fun, but I disagree. If I had to place them, it would be as a ["Side 2-"influenced] sludge band.

[@becausebecausewhy]

My top three would be El Dopa (look em up if you don't know), Acid Bath, then Crowbar.

[@eyemh8]

Acid bath should be number one on every list they can be included on. Sweet list though.

[@MattyVicious1]

hands down #1= Acid Bath!

[@c.l.8213]

To anyone: What genre would you put Dopethrone in?

[@ryanwelch4284]

Doom or stoner doom

[@jayray104]

No - 16- or Cavity?

[@scratch5191]

This is metal to me. Sludge is more like Kilslug, the first Hole record, and Bowie's "Chant of the everlasting skeletal family" or anything Kid Congo Powers played on.

[@jamesjackson5418]

High on Fire tops my list, the rest throw in the air & see where they land

[@henrygriffen40]

This is a Black SABBATH bond

[@Shane-pn9ht]

Crowbar should be #1 IMO.

[@exodius6977]

If I could make one change to this list, I would put in Electric Wizard and Sleep. At least they put Acid Bath and Mastodon in the top 3 🤘.

[@D-throne]

Dopethrone !

[@austinb.willis5978]

1. Acid Bath 2. Crowbar Don't care about the rest.

[@handel1111]

sounds like 70s Queen

[@Lapaccata]

where’s buzzoven