Willard - Steel Mill (1992)

    The uprising grunge wave directly unleashed some bands who played heavier and more complex music, so they couldn't be radio friendly. But therefore they counted as pioneers of sludge metal.
   Willard stepped through the borders of the genre and involved ordinary metal influences. In their music the heaviness of doom, groovy heavy themes and the ravaged sound of grunge are mixed together, powered by the feeling of limitless self-destruction. The responsible features which made their music smell less like teen spirit were the common slow downs and the heaviness that follows it. In catchy melodies they were also subdued, it was more about to express a sleazy feeling. And instead of clear singing raspy vocals could be heard. The band was also known about their limitless debauchery during it's short existence, so the influences to their musical message were easily given. They were far louder than productive, but "Steel Mill" became a reasonable influence in the progression of alternative rock and the development on sludge metal on the side of Melvins.