Dave N. wrote: Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:48 pm What started groove metal? I seem to remember the groove on “Raining Blood” opening the door, but is there a better early example?

Man, maybe Supernaut by Sabbath. That's a tough one to answer, but it definitely evolved from thrash breakdowns.

Krev wrote: Thu Mar 20, 2025 6:02 pm

Dave N. wrote: Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:48 pm What started groove metal? I seem to remember the groove on “Raining Blood” opening the door, but is there a better early example?

Man, maybe Supernaut by Sabbath. That's a tough one to answer, but it definitely evolved from thrash breakdowns.

Yes, Phil Anselmo even alluded to that in some Sam Dunn documentary, saying that the midtempo thrash break was often the coolest part so why not make it the whole song... personally, I think that misses the point but that's me; I'm not a fan of "groove metal" in spite of loving a well-done thrash/mosh break since I was a kid... it's the *break* aspect that makes it cool IMO.

In all fairness, the groove metal bands generally added more "groove"/syncopation to the midtempo chugga-lugga riffage than there tended to be in the often very stiff 80s metal but while that's not an inherently bad thing, it often manifested itself in a kind of yucky "dude-bro" way which is the result of adding too much muscle and testosterone to the mix; even Hip-Hop at its absolutely most meatheaded tend to get it right or at least better, if only because of the sonics. In general, the best grooves in metal are frequently accidental as opposed to self-consciously groovy IMO...

This is phenomenal

Gramsci wrote: Sat May 31, 2025 1:54 pm This is phenomenal

It's really shit that they only threw in "Arise/Dead Embryonic Cells." Where is "Inner Self," ffs?

For some reason C.O.C. keeps coming to mind when I read this thread, although I don't think it's precisely their thing.

losthighway wrote: Mon Jun 02, 2025 10:50 pm For some reason C.O.C. keeps coming to mind when I read this thread, although I don't think it's precisely their thing.

Great band; Blind is sorta post-thrash and comes close to this territory, but from Deliverance onward they were full on stoner rock.

Is there some crossover here with Funk Metal? Like Suicidal Tendencies seem like they might sort of bridge that gap. Hard to get past the slapping though, I get that.

zorg wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 9:36 am Is there some crossover here with Funk Metal? Like Suicidal Tendencies seem like they might sort of bridge that gap. Hard to get past the slapping though, I get that.

They have the groovy riffs in common, but groove metal didn't have the bouncy basslines. I'm pretty sure funk metal was the direct result of the Chili Peppers's commercial ascent.

Gramsci wrote: Sat May 31, 2025 1:54 pm This is phenomenal

Thanks for this. I only had a passing familiarity with them back in the day, and I see they are worth revisiting. Cheers.

No vote for the poll yet, but Ted Parson with Prong was fantastic.

zorg wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 9:36 am Is there some crossover here with Funk Metal? Like Suicidal Tendencies seem like they might sort of bridge that gap. Hard to get past the slapping though, I get that.

Infectious Grooves! Basically ST playing the most Funk Metal ever. With Mr Metallica Bassman on bass.

Check out Groove Family Cyco. Actually a lot of dumb fun.