“Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooooo. The world is filled with smoke. Here comes Bongzilla”.  Don’t worry folks Blue Oyster Cult have not released an album called Don’t Fear the Reefer. It’s just when the self-proclaimed kings of Weed Metal return with a new album after 16 years and following a live hiatus of 6 years I felt that it deserved an intro of gargantuan proportions.

A hell of a lot has changed in 16 years. With Cannabis now being legalised in most parts of North America and becoming pretty much culturally accepted this side of the pond is there any need for the Wisconsin rebels to stick it to the man about the Green?

Hell yeah – if only for the mammoth style riffs and groove along melodies. Sure, titling this 5th album “Weedsconsin” is perhaps a stretch but they have form – Stash, Gateway and the almost unpronounceable Amerijuanican which hit our ears in 2005 – after their forefathers in stoner Sleep these guys have worn their love for the devil’s lettuce on their pop rock marked sleeves for 26 years now. It would be like Iron Maiden not featuring Eddie on a cover.

So, was it worth the wait?

Well the band are now stripped to the founding trio of Muleboy, Spanky and Magma Cooter ”Black Bong”  Brown who joined them when they reformed as a live act in 2015 is nowhere to be seen.

I have no info on who played bass on Weedsconsin but it certainly ain’t missing.

If you are new to the band then the best way to prepare you for their triumphant compositions is to imagine the heaviest fuzzed up distorted riffs known to human kind, big splashy drums and vocals that sound as though they come from the depths of hell. Muleboy wrote the rule book on harsh Sludge vocals and along with erstwhile band mate, Weedeater’s Dixie Collins pretty much blueprinted the acid gargling singing style in stoner. I absolutely love it but know many that run screaming whilst being beckoned back by the riffs.

There are six tracks on offer here which may seem a little frugal until you realise that one of said tracks is ten and half minutes long and another Fifteen and a half!

I will start by saying, that the latter entitled Earth Bong/Smoked/ Mags Bags is my favourite on this release.  It starts with a gentle bass line and cymbal hits with a low and sparse picked guitar creating a jazzy psyche groove before a fuzzed up riff erupts like a plant under super strength hydroponic lamps.  Utter filth!  The guitars, despite having stoner written through them like seaside rock have a tone that is quintessentially punk, sounding as though a connection is about to go at any minute and we are going to lose the glorious dirt.  Due to its epic length this track takes the listener on a multi stop journey filled with delights – hints of Seventies rock and a full-on desert hippy finish make this a worthwhile aural holiday.

The other family size tune on here is a real Ronseal one – “Space Rock” – our Midwest trio take us on a trip to the stars on a rocket ship built from rizlas and edibles. Sitting between these two behemoths is a 35 second interlude entitled “The Weedeater” – a tribute or private joke for Dixie? Who knows?

Talking of edibles, the final track on the album is the bass heavy “Gummies” which sees Magma smacking his splash so hard I can feel the vibrations from here.

And with that, and to thumb my nose at reviewing conventions I will take you back up the hill to the opening two tracks. “Sundae Driver” opens Weedsconsin with some martial drumming that conjures up Jefferson Airplanes “White Rabbit” before we are off to big riff heaven in a cloud of smoke. Seeing as this is the reintroduction to recorded Bongzilla material after such a long gap it hits the ears like warm olive oil.

Of course there has to be a big stoner anthem on here and “Free the Weed “ is it.  “The time has come to rise and smoke- we must free the weed” gargles Muleboy. It could be argued that there are a myriad of issues more important in the world that require a rallying cry – I can bet that this threesome would state that if we were all within a fug of bliss then that would sort out those problems pretty quick.

Not sure I agree but one thing is for sure it is great to have Bongzilla back recording again and “Weedsconsin” is a riff filled trip that encapsulated the bands past and what will hopefully be a bright new future.  Far out!

(8.5/10 Matt Mason) 

https://www.facebook.com/Bongzilla

https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/bongzilla-weedsconsin