Rockpedia

Compare

Two genres, side by side. The ratings are editorial judgements on a ten-point scale, not measurements. Where they come out level, the difference is in the prose underneath them.

First genre

Desert rock1991

Second genre

Stoner doom1991

Head to headDesert rock vs Stoner doom
Desert rock: heaviness 5, melody 7, speed 4. Stoner doom: heaviness 9, melody 6, speed 2.Heaviness5 / 9Melody7 / 6Speed4 / 2
Each corner is a ten-point rating. The further out, the higher.

The difference, by ear

Stoner doom halves the tempo and removes the groove. Desert rock keeps the swing and stays at rock tempo.

Both are sung cleanly, but stoner doom is slower: 50 to 90 bpm against 90 to 130. Songs run longer in stoner doom: usually 7 to 20 minutes, against 4 to 8 minutes in desert rock. To hear the difference, play Kyuss next to Sleep. Desert rock comes from the rock side of the tree and stoner doom from the metal side.

Put together from each genre's vocals, tempo, song length, key acts and place in the tree.

In figures

Heaviness
Desert rock5
Stoner doom9
+4
Speed
Desert rock4
Stoner doom2
−2
Melody
Desert rock7
Stoner doom6
−1

Desert rock

1991 · California, USA

Where it sits

Rock › Blues rock › Hard rock › Stoner rock › Desert rock

In short

The hypnotic, jam-based side of stoner rock, with lots of space between the notes and a warm bass tone.

How it sounds

  • Long, hypnotic improvisation with loose structures.
  • Warm, rounded tone and plenty of space between instruments.
  • Frequently instrumental, or with the voice treated as a fourth instrument.

Key acts

  • Kyuss
  • Yawning Man
  • Brant Bjork

Start here

The pickKyuss - Welcome to Sky Valley. It plays as one block rather than as tracks.

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Stoner doom

1991 · USA / United Kingdom

Where it sits

Heavy metal › Doom metal › Stoner doom

In short

Stoner riffs played at half speed, with thick fuzz and subject matter drawn from witchcraft and cannabis.

How it sounds

  • Stoner riffs played at half speed, with thick analogue fuzz.
  • Very low tunings and vintage amplifiers driven flat out.
  • Nasal or incantatory vocals with lyrics about witchcraft, the occult and cannabis.

Key acts

  • Sleep
  • Electric Wizard
  • Bongzilla

Start here

The pickElectric Wizard - Dopethrone. The thickest guitar tone ever committed to tape.

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