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

Doom metal1980

Second genre

Stoner rock1990

Head to headDoom metal vs Stoner rock
Doom metal: heaviness 9, melody 7, speed 2. Stoner rock: heaviness 6, melody 7, speed 5.Heaviness9 / 6Melody7 / 7Speed2 / 5
Each corner is a ten-point rating. The further out, the higher.

The difference, by ear

Stoner rock is doom that grooves - the same tuning and the same fuzz, but the riffs swing and the mood is warm rather than bleak.

Both are sung cleanly, but stoner rock is a little faster: 90 to 130 bpm against 50 to 110. Songs run longer in doom metal: usually 6 to 12 minutes, against 4 to 7 minutes in stoner rock. To hear the difference, play Black Sabbath next to Kyuss. Doom metal comes from the metal side of the tree and stoner rock from the rock side, and doom metal came first, by ten years.

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

In figures

Heaviness
Doom metal9
Stoner rock6
−3
Speed
Doom metal2
Stoner rock5
+3
Melody
Doom metal7
Stoner rock7
level

Doom metal

1980 · UK / USA · 7 subgenres

Where it sits

Heavy metal › Doom metal

In short

The branch most faithful to Black Sabbath: slow tempos, thick riffs and crushing atmosphere. The weight comes from space, not speed.

How it sounds

  • Tempos between 60 and 100 bpm, with sustained chords and plenty of space.
  • Thick guitar tone, usually down-tuned, with analogue fuzz.
  • Oppressive atmosphere and themes of fate, the occult or depression.

Key acts

  • Black Sabbath
  • Candlemass
  • Saint Vitus
  • Pentagram

Start here

The pickSaint Vitus - Born Too Late. The title says exactly how the band felt.

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Stoner rock

1990 · Palm Desert, California · 1 subgenre

Where it sits

Rock › Blues rock › Hard rock › Stoner rock

In short

Thick down-tuned riffs, groovy drums and a fuzz tone. Born at generator parties in the desert.

How it sounds

  • Down-tuned guitars with thick, warm fuzz rather than sharp distortion.
  • Mid-tempo groove with drums that sway instead of hitting.
  • Analogue production, usually with vintage amps and no drum triggers.

Key acts

  • Kyuss
  • Fu Manchu
  • Queens of the Stone Age
  • Truckfighters

Start here

The pickKyuss - Blues for the Red Sun. That guitar tone has been copied for thirty years.

Full page →