Groove Metal

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Groove metal is also known as neo-thrash, post-thrash, or power groove, groove metal consists of slow or mid-tempo and down tuned thrash riffs, bluesy guitar solos, greatly emphasized drum work and harsh vocals. Pantera is considered the most important groove metal act and very much revolutionized the thrash metal genre, and were followed by other influential acts like Machine Head. So great was the impact on thrash metal by groove acts like Pantera and Machine Head that already established thrash metal acts changed their style in a more groovy direction. For example, speed metal veterans Overkill took a more groove metal oriented direction on "I Hear Black", as did Exodus on "Force of Habit" and Sacred Reich on "Independent". While these would quickly return to their roots, other bands, such as Anthrax, continued to explore groove metal to the extent that their music was not even considered as thrash metal anymore. In their exploration of groove metal on "Chaos A.D." and "Roots", Sepultura gave rise to the sub-subgenre of tribal metal, whose central feature is primitive and groovy riffage. Many alternative metal bands, especially those belonging to the nu metal wave, would draw on groove metal, and perhaps that is why many post-1993 releases by acts like Anthrax and Sepultura are considered alternative metal releases. Groove metal also found its way into death metal, giving birth to the subgenre of death 'n' roll, which is included under death metal on the MMA.

Sub-genre collaborators (shared with Speed Metal and Thrash Metal):

Vim Fuego (leader)
Nightfly

groove metal top albums

Showing only albums and EPs | Based on members ratings & MMA custom algorithm | 24 hours caching

War of Words
FIGHT
4.33 | 22 ratings

Machine Messiah
SEPULTURA
4.23 | 25 ratings

Cowboys From Hell
PANTERA
4.10 | 122 ratings

WHITE ZOMBIE La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Volume 1 Album Cover

La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Volume 1
WHITE ZOMBIE
4.19 | 26 ratings

Sacrament
LAMB OF GOD
4.09 | 28 ratings

Dark Ages
SOULFLY
4.12 | 17 ratings

CAVALERA CONSPIRACY Inflikted Album Cover

Inflikted
CAVALERA CONSPIRACY
4.12 | 16 ratings

MACHINE HEAD Bloodstone & Diamonds Album Cover

Bloodstone & Diamonds
MACHINE HEAD
4.10 | 17 ratings

PANTERA Vulgar Display of Power Album Cover

Vulgar Display of Power
PANTERA
3.96 | 90 ratings

The Blackening
MACHINE HEAD
3.99 | 41 ratings

Prophecy
SOULFLY
4.08 | 16 ratings

LAMB OF GOD Ashes of the Wake Album Cover

Ashes of the Wake
LAMB OF GOD
3.99 | 35 ratings

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groove metal online videos

SIXMIKA - February 18 (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
SIXMIKA
Bosh66

SIXMIKA - Toxic desire (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
SIXMIKA
Bosh66

SIXMIKA - The cure of violence (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
SIXMIKA
Bosh66

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groove metal New Releases

groove metal Music Reviews

VICIOUS RUMORS Something Burning

Album · 1996 · Groove Metal

UMUR

"Something Burning" is the sixth full-length studio album by US, California based power/heavy metal act Vicious Rumors. The album was released through Massacre Records in September 1996. It´s the successor to "Word Of Mouth" from 1994 and features a couple of lineup changes since the predecessor as guitarist Mark McGhee has been replaced by Steve Smyth, and as lead vocalist Carl Albert sadly died from injuries sustained in a car accident in April 1995, guitarist Geoff Thorpe has taken on the lead vocal duties on the album, making Vicious Rumors a quartet on "Something Burning".

"Something Burning" did not only mark a major lineup change on the lead vocalist spot, but also a major change in musical style. Up until then every Vicious Rumors had been heavy metal/US power metal styled and with a world class singer like Carl Albert fronting the band, some of those releases were among the seminal albums in the US power metal style. "Something Burning" is almost the sound of a completely different band. Thorpe has a more raw voice and aggressive singing style, although still relatively melodic, but it´s actually not the vocals which are the most significant change. It´s the instrumental part of the music which is now made up of heavy groove laden riffs and rhythms. I don´t know if it was the terrible loss of Albert or maybe just the shifting musical tides of the early- mid 90s, but Vicious Rumors arguably play groove metal on "Something Burning".

As a starting point I have nothing against groove metal or groove thrash or whatever you want to label it, but I´m afraid this sounds a lot like a desperate attempt to stay relevant and honestly it comes off a bit insincere. The vers/chorus songwriting isn´t terribly interesting either and there´s a pedestrian atmosphere surrounding the whole project. The sound production is of a good quality, but not exactly the type of production I´d expect to hear on a Vicious Rumors album. This would have fit much better on an early 90s Seattle rock release.

I wouldn´t call "Something Burning" a terrible release, but it´s certainly not a great one either. If you want to hear music in this style, there are loads of other contemporary groove metal albums of there, which are much better and more interesting. Vicious Rumors should have stuck to their heavy metal/US power metal guns, have ridden through the storm of the heavy metal/US power metal unkind 90s, and they would have come out on top without losing fans and face, like they did with this release. A 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.

18 days ago
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Report #882969

ANTHRAX Stomp 442

Album · 1995 · Groove Metal

UMUR

"Stomp 442" is he seventh full-length studio album by US, New York based thrash/heavy metal act Anthrax. The album was released through Elektra Records in October 1995. It´s the successor to "Sound of White Noise" from 1993 and it´s the second Anthrax album featuring lead vocalist John Bush. There´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as lead guitarist Dan Spitz has left. Spitz wasn´t permanently replaced, but his guitar tech Paul Crook did session work on "Stomp 442", playing most lead guitars, and subsequently also toured in support of the album. Dimebag Darrell (Pantera) has a few guest lead guitar solos on the album on "Riding Shotgun" and "King Size".

Stylistically "Stomp 442" bears some resemblence to the melodic heavy/thrash metal of "Sound of White Noise" (1993), but it´s not quite as sophisticated nor as varied as the predecessor. The focus is on heavy hard rocking riffs and loads of heavy grooves, and on the best songs of the album, Anthrax actually hit a good balance between hard rock and groove metal. The album for example opens strong with "Random Acts Of Senseless Violence" and "Fueled", but unfortunately "Stomp 442" soon loses steam, and only a few of the remaining tracks are particularly memorable beyond their playing time. The closing ballad/power ballad "Bare" does not in any way compare to the greatness of "Black Lodge" from "Sound of White Noise" (1993), which in every way is a superior attempt at writing a ballad/power ballad type track.

Anthrax are as always well playing and Bush again shows how great a vocalist he is. Unfortunately much of the material he gets to work with makes him sound less inspired and powerful, which is a real shame, considering his powerhouse performance on "Sound of White Noise" (1993). The Butcher Bros. have created a decent sounding production, but at the end of the day, too many songs sound the same, and some of the blame has to be given to the production choices made, and not just the sub par songwriting. So upon conclusion "Stomp 442" is not a worthy follow up to "Sound of White Noise" (1993), and I remember thinking back then, that this had to be the end of Anthrax. History fortunately proved my fears unfounded, as they soldiered on, but that doesn´t change the fact that "Stomp 442" is one of the least interesting releases in the Anthrax´s discography. I´ll play nice with a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating, but I´m not impressed...

29 days ago
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Report #216471

DAMAGEPLAN New Found Power

Album · 2004 · Groove Metal

UMUR

"New Found Power" is the debut full-length studio album by US, Texas based groove metal act Damageplan. The album was released through Elektra Records in February 2004. Damageplan was founded in 2003 under the New Found Power monicker but changed to the current band name in early 2004. Damageplan was formed by the Abbott brothers, Dimebag Darrell (guitars) and Vinnie Paul (drums) after the demise of Pantera. The lineup on "New Found Power" is completed by lead vocalist Patrick Lachman (ex-guitarist for Halford) and bassist Bob Kahaha. Damageplan would be a short-lived affair as Dimebag Darrell was shot dead in a Columbus, Ohio nightclub in December 2004, while performing with Damageplan. A tragic episode which meant the end of the band.

Stylistically the 14 tracks on the 61:39 minutes long album are vers/chorus structured groove metal, featuring heavy groove laden riffs and rhythms, and a raw and angry sounding vocalist in front, who occasionally sings clean vocal parts too ("Save Me" is an example of that). The performances are tight and the sound production relatively well sounding, but the material is generally a bit generic and feel uninspired. Other than a couple of sharp groovy riffs here and a pitch shifter effect laden lead guitar part there, and a drum sound that is somewhat similar to Vinnie Paul´s distinct sounding drum production on Pantera´s releases, there aren´t much on this album which reveal that the Abbott brothers are involved. To hear a guitarist of Dimebag´s caliber play one anonymous and generic groove metal riff after another is almost a tragedy when you know what he is capable of producing.

While this is of course a made up story, I picture the Abbott brothers playing these songs to Phil Anselmo, asking him to sing on them on the new Pantera album, and Phil crying out in disbelief at what he has just heard..."hell no! I ain´t going to sing on those generic groove metal tunes"... "and by the way...I´m done with Pantera, if this is all you can muster". Back to reality Lachman is actually a decent vocalist, who does a good job with the material he has to work with, but it really isn´t much. "New Found Power" isn´t a terrible release, but it´s a mediocre one and considering the musicians involved it´s hard not to be disappointed by the quality of the songwriting in particular. Don´t expect anything near the quality of the Abbott brothers former act. A 2.5 star (50%) rating is warranted.

2 months ago
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Report #882180

SLAPDASH 240.25 'Actual Reality'

Album · 1996 · Groove Metal

UMUR

"240.25 'Actual Reality'" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish groove/thrash metal act Slapdash. The album was released through MNW Records in October 1996. Four out of the five members of the lineup played in Swedish thrash metal act Rosicrucian (and released two full-length studio albums under that monicker before forming Slapdash), and only lead vocalist Jens Mortensen is therefore new in the lineup since the Rosicrucian days (which actually isn´t entirely true as he performed vocals on stage with the band at their last show before changing their name).

Stylistically Slapdash is groove oriented thrash metal and it´s contemporary Machine Head, Pantera, Meshuggah (before they went completely nuts with time signature changes), and similar artists which are the source of inspiration. I also think the contemporary groove oriented releases by Forbidden and Testament are valid references. Slapdash are obviosly skilled musicians and they deliver a both tight and convinving performance. Mortensen is audibly influenced greatly by Phil Anselmo and there are several moments throughout the album which are in a similar style to the American band. Slapdash don´t quite reach the quality or uniqueness of Pantera though, but that doesn´t mean this isn´t some relatively entertaining groove thrash.

"240.25 'Actual Reality'" features a pretty well sounding production, and there is a good balance between clarity and power. Upon conclusion "240.25 'Actual Reality'" probably isn´t more than a footnote in the history of groove thrash, and I can´t say that I feel much different about the album, but it is pretty enteraining while it plays, and a 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating isn´t all wrong.

2 months ago
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Report #882165

SEPULTURA Revolusongs

EP · 2002 · Groove Metal

UMUR

"Revolusongs" is an EP release by Brazilian thrash/groove metal act Sepultura. The EP was released through SPV Records in March 2003 and bridges the gap between the band´s eighth and ninth full-length studio albums "Nation" from March 2001 and "Roorback" from May 2003. "Revolusongs" originally featured 7 cover tracks and it was exclusively released in Brazil and Japan. The digipack and limited edition versions of "Roorback (2003)" includes the material from the EP and the cover of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky", which was originally released as a single, has been latched on at the end. The Metallica medley cover "Enter Sandman/Fight Fire with Fire Medley" is only featured on the original release though, and is not featured as bonus material on the digipack and limited edition versions of "Roorback (2003)".

While the covers of "Piranha" by Exodus and "Messiah" by Hellhammer are pretty much the type of cover material you´d expect from Sepultura, "Revolusongs" also features a couple of surprises, as Sepultura have fortunately opted to cover material a bit more out of their comfort zone, and they successfully manage to put their own spin on tracks like "Angel" by Massive Attack, "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" by Public Enemy, and "Mongoloid" by Devo.

"Revolusongs" is a well produced affair and the musicianship is strong. Derrick Green gets to show that he is a pretty versatile vocalist too, and it all just sounds like the band were having great fun playing these songs. As mentioned above the song selection is relatively varied with both covers of metal tracks, rock songs, and trip/hop and rap tunes. Sepultura can do it all with ease and they sound confortable handling all styles of music featured on the EP. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.