Doomed to Fail: The Incredibly Loud History of Doom, Sludge, and Post-metal” explores the heaviest music the world has ever heard, tracing doom, sludge, and post-metal as their own distinct (and incredibly loud) traditions. Anselmi covers the bands and musicians that have impacted those styles most―Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Melvins, Eyehategod, Godflesh, Neurosis, Saint Vitus, and many others―while diving into the cultural doom that has spawned such music, from the bombing of Birmingham and hurricane devastation of New Orleans to glaring economic inequality, industrial alienation, climate change, and widespread addiction. Along the way, Anselmi interweaves the musical experiences that have led him to proudly identify as one of the doomed.

About the Author

J.J. Anselmi is the author of Heavy: A Memoir of Wyoming, BMX, Drugs, and Heavy Fucking Music. His writing has been featured in Noisey, The A.V. Club, and Salon, and he’s played drums for several heavy bands, including In the Company of Serpents and Former Worlds. He’s currently the drummer of Drainage, a sludgy metalcore band from Long Beach, California.