I'm looking for a specific sound, best described in the title. Bands like Melvins, Karp, Only Living Witness, Fudge Tunnel, Zeni Geva and Helmet are the best examples I can give, that are on the more metallic side of it.

Here are some examples-






Here's a RYM list I made for that- feel free to add anything that's relevant.

Your list includes Hum so I guess Failure would fit and pretty certain they used drop D on a number of songs, maybe also Frodus.

Also as you list Unsane (who did use drop D) then Cherubs would be a good call, share similarities in sound pretty sure they used drop D and their Heroin Man lp is a noise/scuzz rock classic.

Mid 90's Today is The Day even before they went extreme metal is on the more metallic side of this sort of sound on Supernova, Willpower and Self-titled lp's cant say for definite if they used drop D but Steve Austin has used a bunch of different tunings for various songs so wouldnt surprise me.

Two bands that have this sort of sound but I cant say for certain if they ever used drop D was The Kittens (basically Canadian Melvins) and Steel Pole Bath Tub.

Also maybe a stretch as they fall more in the math/metalcore genre but Botch they definitely used drop D and took a shit load of influence from this sound and Helmet in particular.

My ear isn't good enough to tell what's in drop D but after hearing the examples I thought of Acid Bath. Another candidate for "Canadian Melvins" is Sons of Otis, they're definitely sludgy.

Your RYM list tends to have most of the essentials. Some of the earlier essentials would probably be Soundgarden and Prong circa Cleansing.

A personal favourite would be Handsome, Peter Mengede’s post-Helmet band, which also featured future Jets To Brazil bassist Jeremy Chatelain on vocals. I cannot recommend them enough.



Small aside, my favourite drop D riff to learn growing up was Van Halen’s ‘Unchained’, though it is far from sludgy or alternative.

Oh, another that just came to me is the Mark of Cain. Not all their stuff is drop D I believe, but they certainly have that riffy type of sounds that the other bands have.