Stoner Metal

Emerging from the intersection of doom metal and psychedelic rock, stoner metal refines the low-end weight of pioneers like *Black Sabbath* through a filter of 70s acid rock and 90s alternative grit. Its sonic identity is built on heavily down-tuned guitars, immense fuzz distortion, and syrupy, blues-derived riffs. The genre often employs extended instrumental passages and a hypnotic, groove-oriented pulse, favoring atmospheric density over technical virtuosity. While early acts like *Kyuss* established a desert-rock template, bands such as *Electric Wizard* pushed the form into darker, more occult territory, solidifying its place as a distinct and influential underground force.