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

Stoner doom1991

Second genre

Stoner rock1990

Head to headStoner doom vs Stoner rock
Stoner doom: heaviness 9, melody 6, speed 2. Stoner rock: heaviness 6, melody 7, speed 5.Heaviness9 / 6Melody6 / 7Speed2 / 5
Each corner is a ten-point rating. The further out, the higher.

The difference, by ear

Stoner rock grooves and swings at a rock tempo. Stoner doom removes the groove and halves the speed, and the trance replaces the boogie.

Both are sung cleanly, but stoner rock is faster: 90 to 130 bpm against 50 to 90. Songs run longer in stoner doom: usually 7 to 20 minutes, against 4 to 7 minutes in stoner rock. To hear the difference, play Sleep next to Kyuss. Stoner doom comes from the metal side of the tree and stoner rock from the rock side, and stoner rock came first, by a year.

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

In figures

Heaviness
Stoner doom9
Stoner rock6
−3
Speed
Stoner doom2
Stoner rock5
+3
Melody
Stoner doom6
Stoner rock7
+1

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.

Full page →

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 →