Best Sludge Metal Bands

I know there are many Sludge bands that aren't on the list. Feel free to add some if yours ain't on the list. These are the Sludge bands that I feel are the most noteworthy.
The Top Ten
1 Mastodon Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in early 2000 and composed of bassist Troy Sanders, guitarists Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher and drummer Brann Dailor.

I believe this should be in the top 10 because Mastodon just takes sludge to a whole new level. Their music has the technicality and precession of Northern industrial groups, the heart and soul of Southern groove bands, and that thick sludgy, dirty feel of Western sludge/stoner acts. They're also excellent in concert!

They are just a fantastic band. They have produced such a great variety of music while also maintaining a very distinctive and memorable sound. They simply have a unique tone that people can only strive to emulate. Their music peaked with the album "Crack the Skye" but their new album is still fabulous.

2 Melvins The Melvins are an American sludge metal band that formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers.

The least predictable band of all time. It took me a good five years until I liked them...and I've loved them for 25 years... and for the past decade I can't even listen to anyone else (other than a little Death - RIP Chuck). Buzz conjures up riffs that are so heavy and so intense... and unlike anything heard before or by anyone after that words cannot describe them. On drums, Dale Crover is the greatest rock drummer of all time (any genre). If you don't agree, go ask the guy you think is the greatest rock drummer ever and he'll say "Dale Crover".

Melvins should be #1 on this list and the next band should be listed at #23... the gap is deserved.

3 Crowbar Crowbar is an American sludge metal band from New Orleans, Louisiana, characterized by their extremely slow, low-keyed, heavy and brooding songs that also contain fast hardcore punk passages.

Heaviest Band ever! Truly awesome songs like Conquering, I Have Failed, Mourn the Illusion, All I had I gave. None Heavier than Crowbar still awesome after 25 years

Nothing thicker. Will never understand why this band does not get more respect. Kirk, Crowbar, and Louisiana mud FTW.

Between them and acid bath I don't think it can be decided they both truly sludge metal!

4 Acid Bath Acid Bath was a seminal American sludge metal band from Houma, Louisiana that was active from 1991 to 1997. Acid Bath combined doom metal roots with influences from black metal, death metal, gothic rock, blues, folk, and country.

Agree with everyone: It isn't technical prowess, it isn't any one thing really. These people just happen to have a vibe together that is incredibly dark and at the same time artistic, by which I mean it has a way of taking an idea apart and putting it back together in a way that conveys a meaning on various levels. Incredible.

After all these years of listening to music, not one band has stuck with me like Acid Bath has. Since discovering them roughly 3 years ago there hasn't been I day I haven't listened to them, and I'm being serious. Their music creates such emotion that it's truly impossible to explain...

5 Down Down is an American heavy metal supergroup that formed in 1991 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist Phil Anselmo, guitarist Pepper Keenan, guitarist Bobby Landgraf, bassist Pat Bruders, and drummer Jimmy Bower.

Kind of an all star band but with only three albums they earned their position between the best of the kind. From the southern "swampy" style of the Down II album to the great melodies and heavy guitars of NOLA and Over the under, all the southern and bluesy styles combined with really heavy music and a frontman like no other.

I love Nola. I like Melvin's as well but Eyehategod will be forgotten because of it's small fan base, what a shame.

Down is just good. If you're looking for a more slowed down and bluesy sounding Pantera, Down is for you.

6 Neurosis Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music.

One of the alltimes greats. But I think they are bigger then just sludge. They are so much more. So innovative and just all around groundbreaking. There are few bands that will contribute to the world of music as Neurosis. They are just bigger life. But I guess this is what will evolve when so many genius musicians get together and create magic.

This is one of the most important bands in the genre and should be on top! Not many bands can make the eerie moods that this band often makes! and not many bands can make you feel the darkness as this band does. One of the most important and most underrated bands in the genre! the best ever!

7 Alice In Chains Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley.

While Alice in Chains is more grunge than sludge metal, their self titled album, commonly nicknamed "Tripod", is pretty much full sludge. The best grunge band of the era and my personal favorite band of all time.

This is one of the first bands that played sludge...yet they are in this place! These guys deserve number 1...there is no other band that can do sludge better than AIC...

I listen to everything from Sabbath to Cough. And I would definitely say that AiC has more in common with doom/sludge than the so called 'grunge' which is just a silly catchphrase anyway.

8 Eyehategod Eyehategod is an American sludge metal band from New Orleans that formed in 1988. They have become one of the most well known bands to emerge from the NOLA metal scene.

Just the absolutley best sludgeband there is. I love many bands in this genre, but none can be compared to Eyehategod. The groove, intense feeling of despair and overall darkness of reality just makes them the best! It should not even be a contest.

Eyehategod is rhythmic, filthy, and listenable all at the same time. Their bluesy, sludge/hardcore punk style of music is simply awesome, if you haven't listened to it, do.

The albums "Take As Needed.. ", "Dopesick" and "Preaching The End Time Message" are some of the heaviest and slowest Sabbathy type southern sludge I've ever heard. Mike IV vox add to the discomfort. Download EHG's Live At Roadburn show off Youtube if you can. It's high quality (MP4) also!

9 Black Label Society Black Label Society is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1998 by Zakk Wylde.

Not Sludge Metal, they do have some decent music though.

10 High on Fire High on Fire is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California, that was formed in 1998. Matt Pike, the band's frontman and founder, also plays guitar for the influential stoner doom band Sleep.

Excellent band. Give them a listen, if you like it heavy.

The Contenders
11 Baroness Baroness is an American heavy metal band from Savannah, Georgia whose original members grew up together in Lexington, Virginia.

The blue record proves that sludge can be brutal and peaceful. Baroness plays insane music and deserves as much credibility as mastodon, if not more, especially since mastodon is moving away from the sludge genre while baroness is only attempting getting better at it.

Definitely one of the best sludge bands out there. They have a foot in so many genres while remaining sludgey and they help out a lot of the smaller sludge bands out there. Amazing, through and through

Ever since I heard Purple I've been addicted to these guys. They amaze me with every track

12 Corrosion of Conformity Corrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean, drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm guitarist Pepper Keenan.

Why is this band only at No. 20? It should be at least in the top 10.

13 Kylesa Kylesa is an American sludge metal band that was formed in Savannah, Georgia. Their music incorporates experimentalism with heavy riffs, drop-tuned guitars and elements of psychedelic rock.

I love all these bands but love my Kylesa the best...

Georgia seems to be taking over lately between Savannah and Atlanta...

Kylesa has to be one of the best sludge metal bands of all time. Spiral Shadow and Static Tensions prove that.

14 Black Flag Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. Initially called Panic, the band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band. They are widely considered to be one of... read more

They only played with sludge metal once with My War (which is my favorite Black Flag album by the way), and it wasn't nearly as fleshed out as a true genre had to be until Melvins came along, as much as I love Black Flag they just aren't sludgy enough :///

This is hardcore punk. that could not be any further from sludge metal

15 Buzzoven Buzzoven is a sludge metal band from North Carolina, formed in 1990. The band was known for being one of the founders of the sludge genre along with NOLA's Eyehategod and Acid Bath, and also for their out-of-control and violent live shows.

Pure southern hate. Will always love them

16 Electric Wizard Electric Wizard are an English doom metal band from Dorset, England. The band formed in 1993 and have recorded eight full length albums, two of which are now considered to be genre landmarks.

Dopethrone and Come My Fanatics are stellar. Electric Wizard captures a great heavy sluggish feel with a lot of distortion, and (at least on Dopethrone album) lots of reverb on the vocals. Very cool. Electric Wizard is considered by many to be one of the heaviest sounding bands within the genre.

Electric Wizard is Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock and Doom Metal. In my opinion, they are the greatest Sludge Metal band of all time due to Dopethrone which has become one of my favorite albums of all time.

Electric Wizard to me is the quintessential sludge metal band. They are also the best ever!

17 Iron Monkey

It takes a true master of extremity to come up with something that is suffocatingly heavy, yet catchy enough to stay in your head for hours. Under the glacial sludge, filthy crust punk bits, and gleefully hateful lyrics/vocal delivery, there is an undeniable groove (courtesy of drummer Justin Greaves) and a healthy respect for melodic riffing (courtesy of guitarists Dean Berry and James Rushby) that ultimately puts this band above the rest of the sludge mental legions.

These guys certainly pushed to intensity level of sludge to the limits. With migrain inducing feedback, super heavy riffs, and vocals that sound entirely inhuman, it's wonderful stuff.

18 Cult of Luna Cult of Luna is a Swedish post-metal band from UmeƄ founded in 1998. They often perform post-metal music similar to the contemporary bands Neurosis and Isis.

Really surprised I don't hear about them much. I think they are great.

19 Clutch Clutch is an American rock band from Frederick, Maryland, originating in Germantown, Maryland. Its four members met while in high school in Germantown and consider themselves a Frederick-based band where they write/rehearse for every album/tour.
20 Isis

It scares me that ISIS is at 22. The riffs and atmosphere are perfect. Not to mention their thought-provoking lyrics. Everything about this band is amazing.

How is ISIS only at 24? I'll grudgingly accept Top5 but Top25 is unacceptable.

21 Black Tusk

I love this band and I love their energy! I can't wait to see them again. Definitely one of my top favorite bands.

One of the most exciting live concerts I've ever seen.

22 Weedeater Weedeater are a stoner metal band formed in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1998. The group's most recent album, Goliathan, was released on May 19th, 2015.

Pure, bubbling, oozing sludge. Dixon's screams and bass lines alone are enough to earn them a spot on the list. Pure southern filth.

23 Sleep

Great, but not Sludge Metal. They are Stoner Metal, you kids will eventually learn!

Because it belongs at the very top with Electric Wizard.

Tf they should be number one. They are the definition of sludge.

24 Torche

Torche brings a pop sensation to sludge.

25 Grief

The most widely copied and imitated of all the original sludge bands. Everybody rips off these guys to this very day and they are hardly ever mentioned. 'I Hate the Human Race' is THE SLUDGE ANTHEM

Grief should be in the top ten. Brought sludge to a crawl. Come to Grief!

Meth Drinker should be on here too.

8Load More
PSearch List