heavyslow

Heavyslow is a term used in music journalism and fan discourse to describe a style of heavy music characterized by extremely slow tempos, thick guitar tone, and a heavy, oppressive mood. It is not an officially codified genre; instead, it serves as a descriptive umbrella for bands and tracks where pace and weight are prioritized over technical flourish. The label is most often applied within doom, sludge, and drone scenes, but can cross into stoner rock and ambient metal.

Musical characteristics include tempos commonly ranging from roughly 30 to 60 beats per minute, downtuned or distorted guitars, strong emphasis on low-end rumble, minimalistic or repetitive riffing, and a focus on atmosphere and texture. Vocals may be guttural, spoken, or sparse, and production can vary from raw to deliberately murky to highlight weight and sustain. Song structures tend toward repetition and length, with several tracks extending beyond five minutes.

History: Heavyslow arose in online communities and metal circles in the late 1990s and 2000s as a way to categorize bands that did not fit brisk metal subgenres but achieved a suffocating, monumental feel through tempo and texture. It overlaps with doom metal, drone metal, and sludge, and many fans use it interchangeably with those terms. Critics view heavyslow as a useful shorthand rather than a precise taxonomy.

Notable bands commonly cited in discussions include Sleep, Electric Wizard, Khanate, Sunn O))), and related acts whose music emphasizes weight over speed.

See also: doom metal, sludge metal, drone metal, stoner rock.