Who are the most important and influential bands to emerge from the groove metal scene?
Groove metal is entrenched throughout the metal scene today. However, let’s head back to the 80s for a wee moment. Thrash metal has risen to become an underground force of nature. America produced the ‘Big 4’ of thrash Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. Europe produced Kreator, Tankard, Sodom and Destruction – the ‘Teutonic Big 4’ if you will.
Some of the greatest albums of all time were released during this phase. Slayer‘s Reign in Blood. Megadeth‘s Rust in Peace and Metallica‘s Ride The Lightning. All worth their place on many ‘best of’ lists. Whilst hair metal dominated the mainstream, metalheads had their outlet in the pits of thrash.
Then in 1991 came the release of Metallica‘s self titled album (commonly called The Black Album). Depending on your perspective this either brought a softer edge to thrash that got you into metal. Or took a great steaming dump at your front door. Whichever way you look at this, metal changed forever on that day. Thrash was set back to the periphery of the scene – although it would since return as discussed here.
This can really be seen as one of the catalysts for the rise of of groove metal. Metallica drastically changed their sound to a mid tempo, riff focussed template. Very groovy. So what is groove metal anyway? Well take thrash, slow it down to a mid tempo and get the stanky face out. Speed is optional, riffs are not. Downtuned guitars and dirty vocals. Violent mosh pits are mandatory.
Groove metal was a huge influence in spawning nu metal at the end of the 90s, and has since evolved through thrash, metalcore, death metal and plenty more. But there is no denying the legendary bands that have emerged from the groove metal scene. Here are the most important of them.
*to note, I am not including any non-groove bands who released a groove album, and Mastodon/Meshuggah (prog), Volbeat (hard rock) and Slipknot (nu) are excluded.
Pantera
Was there any other band who was going to be first up on this list? Whether or not you believe Pantera single handedly kept heavy metal alive throughout the early 90s, there is no denying the impact they have had. Ignore their glam metal early albums. Their fifth album Cowboys from Hell released in 1990 is a legendary album that is arguably the first true groove metal album. Follow up A Vulgar Display of Power is one of the most influential albums of all time – and amazing to boot. Oh and legendary guitarist Dimebag Darrell changed the way we think about playing guitar and inspired people like few others.
Exhorder
Are we to say Exhorder are the originators of groove metal? Their debut album Slaughter in the Vatican certainly gives us an initial template for the evolution from doom and thrash metal. It actually sounds closer to 80s thrash, with 90s Florida death metal imagery. But we get the classic groove metal vocals. So I think we can definitely conclude that Exhorder were a major stimulant for the rising scene. Unfortunately they failed to gain the impact of Pantera and subsequently faded away rather rapidly. But there is no doubt as to their impact when it comes to the evolution of the groove sound.
Machine Head
Machine Head have throughout their career moved throughout groove, thrash and nu metal. But their debut album Burn My Eyes and follow up The More Things Change… set the course for their career and both are top quality groove metal albums. Frontman Rob Flynn is an outspoken figure in the heavy metal world, never afraid to call things as they are and stoutly defends his work (as he should). Machine Head‘s most successful album The Blackening is more in line with a progressive thrash album – and a masterpiece at that. However they have brought a huge amount of notoriety to the groove metal scene.
Lamb of God
Formed in 1994 as Burn the Priest, but didn’t come to the party until the turn of the century with their 2003 release of As the Palaces Burn. It would be their follow up in 2004 when they would release their best album to date Ashes of the Wake to critical acclaim. Whilst Lamb of God missed the 90s grove metal boom, they are undoubtably one of the most important bands keeping it going in the modern era. They have over 2 million album sales in the US and still grace countless festival main stages worldwide.
Sepultura, Soulfly….and anywhere a Cavalera goes
Rather than trying to pick out the flurry of bands that contain a member of the Cavalera family, it’s easier to just pick the Cavaleras themselves! Brothers Max and Igor were founding members of Sepultura. Max formed Soulfly after leaving Sepultura, and Max and Igor reunited to form Cavalera Conspiracy. Max is also part of the supergroup Killer Be Killed, and has now formed a new band Go Ahead and Die with his son Igor. The sheer number of albums released throughout these ventures earns their right on this list.
White Zombie
Groove metal, like any form of music has its collection of standout personalities. Often this is the key to it’s success. Where would nu metal have been without Fred Durst, grunge without Kurt Cobain or all of heavy metal without Ozzy and Lemmy? Rob Zombie is a standout personality in the groove metal world, through his unique persona and his work with White Zombie, his solo project and his work on the silver screen. Coupled with the B-Movie vibe, stripped back riffing and horror movie samples. As a side note, I had forgotten what Rob Zombie looks like sans giant beard!
Devildriver
Devildriver didn’t release their first album until 2003, but frontman Dez Fafara was well known as the head of Coal Chamber, a very influential band during the birth of nu metal. Combining groove metal with melodic death metal bridges the gap between the late 90s sound and the boom of melodeath from the turn of the century. They have never been particularly experimental, and fail to stand out like the rest of the bands on this list. But their longevity is a crucial component to keeping the phase on track.
No doubt I have excluded your favourite groove metal band. Please comment to let me know!
If you enjoyed this post then please share with your fellow metal and non-metalheads. Also please follow The Metal Protocol on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you!
