The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where stoner rock is sung cleanly, and much faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 90 to 130. To hear the difference, play Kyuss next to Bathory. Stoner rock comes from the rock side of the tree and black metal from the metal side, and black metal came first, by eight years.
In figures
Stoner rock
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 →Black metal
Where it sits
In short
Tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals and deliberately cold production. More an aesthetic than a technique - atmosphere matters more than clean sound.
How it sounds
- Tremolo picking on open fifth voicings, with vocals in the high register.
- Deliberately thin, cold production - the missing bass is an aesthetic choice, not an accident.
- Fast blast beats, drums often mixed back, atmosphere placed above technique.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Mayhem
- Darkthrone
- Emperor
Start here
The pickDarkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. The production is intentional, not a flaw.
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