Ten Two-Piece Troupes To Tickle Your Pickle


If you’ve ever spoken to a musician for any amount of time, you’ll be painfully aware that they’re shockingly low down on the list of potential recipients for accolades rewarding organisational skills, punctuality, reliability, sobriety etc. It should come as no surprise to you, then, that some bands seek to cut as many liabilities as possible by including as few musicians in their band as they can. For your consideration: terrific two piece bands. 


1. Big Business


Big riffs + big hooks + big bass tone + big drum = Big Business. Starting as a sort of opening act for, but also members of Melvins around 2006, the duo of Jared Warren and Coady Willis have carved their own identity in the ever expanding face of rock and roll. I saw them support Mastodon on the Once More Round the Sun UK tour, and they blew a crater into poor, unsuspecting Birmingham.



2. Tuskar 


A truly gruesome twosome (that’s the first and last time, I swear) hailing from the UK. It's hard to believe a single telecaster can make all that noise, but if you like fuzz-drenched guitars, savage drums echoing ancient men tackling primordial beasts, these guys are for you. 



3. Ungraven 


Tyler Hodges’ second appearance on this list. The Tuskar drummer's team up with Jon Davis of Conan speaks to the darkest recesses of the human condition, with blackened industrial doom not quite describing it as letting the tunes speak for themselves.



4. Water Torture 


Bass, drums, grind. A close friend of mine turned me onto Water Torture a few years ago back when extreme punk was struggling to scratch the itch. These guys are masters of gargantuan doom tempo riffs, and pummelling, lightning speed aggression. There was even a rare UK appearance slated for Birmingham but it was cancelled months in advance due to fear of the show being too violent. Listen. 



5. Vile Creature


Vile Creature are great at everything that makes up the current global sludge scene. Ambient, contemplative textures? Yep. Big riff energy? Check. Long songs that don’t overstay their welcome? You betcha. Even better, they tackle oppression through their lyrics. From Canada with love.



6. Spotlights


MetalSucks featured this at-the-time two piece a few years back when the put out ‘What is this? Where are we?’as a single, and anything billed as “dream sludge” immediately earns my attention. I was not disappointed and these are up there in my top ten modern sludge bands. They’re now a three piece but this is my list not yours, so I’m including them.



7. OM


If you’re involved in any online doom forum, chances are you already know OM. Originally formed as a two piece from the fallout of the legendary Sleep, and I don’t think much more needs be said before you listen to them. Listen to them now. (Apparently they’re also no longer a two piece. Rules are made to be broken).



8. Tumanduumband


Recent additions to the Lore Breaker Records roster, and all round good dudes, Luke and Scott don’t need anything but a bass guitar with a dirty amount of distortion, a heavy handed approach to drumming, and a live show complete with fake* blood and skulls to summon Satan in your local pub/venue. *(citation needed) 



9. Year of the Cobra


The fifth drum and bass combo of the list, and the second husband and wife combo. Psychedelic Sabbath-Worshipping Doom, they have some of the biggest riffs this side of the solar system.



10. Godflesh


Underground industrial overlords from Brumwhicham, Godflesh spearheaded the fusion of electronic music and metal. Revered by most in the game nowadays, they continue to assault the ears of listeners globally.



Like what you hear? Here's a link to a Spotify playlist with a tune from each band: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7L9BBkWMKPhSj3rlRIdzHl?si=vDlYqAGSTP6ji11pIxHERw


JC

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