Heavy Psych
tagStarted 1968Peak 1969-1973Last big hit still active
Located in 3 routes
Psychedelia cranked to maximum density and volume: blown-out fuzz riffs, distorted bass, overdriven amps and acid-fried solos colliding with heavy blues weight. Tripped-out textures meet proto-metal churn, slow grinding grooves and ominous mood. The bridge between the 60s freak-out and heavy metal, later revived by stoner and doom bands.
History
Born in 1968 when San Francisco's Blue Cheer cranked psychedelia into deafening proto-metal on Vincebus Eruptum. Bands across the US and UK piled on more noise, density and occult menace, edging toward heavy metal by the early 70s. From the 90s onward the sound was resurrected by stoner and doom acts on labels like Heavy Psych Sounds and Rise Above.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Summertime Blues — Blue CheerSpotifyYouTube
- Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll — Blue Öyster CultSpotifyYouTube
- Master Heartache — Sir Lord BaltimoreSpotifyYouTube
- Dancing Madly Backwards (On a Sea of Air) — Captain BeyondSpotifyYouTube
- Freelance Fiend — Leaf HoundSpotifyYouTube
- From a Dry Camel — DustSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincebus_Eruptum
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_on_Flame_with_Rock_and_Roll
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growers_of_Mushroom
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Come_(Sir_Lord_Baltimore_album)