Final answer:
The genre characterized by the use of electric guitar with heavy distortion is grunge. This style emerged in Seattle and is known for its heavy guitar sounds and deeper, often socially conscious lyrics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genre that uses an electric guitar with timbre altered through heavy electric distortion is grunge. Emerging from the Seattle scene, grunge is a fusion of punk rock ethos and heavy rock sounds. It's characterized by its distorted guitars, contrasting song dynamics, and lyrics often addressing themes like social alienation. In grunge, bands like Nirvana used electric guitars tuned down to achieve a heavier sound, and this distortion became a hallmark of the genre. In contrast, punk rock generally has a more raw and less distorted sound, hip-hop rarely incorporates heavy electric guitar, and disco is defined by its upbeat, dance-oriented sound without heavy distortion.