A long time ago, I shared how back in 2009 my accidental initiation into the smoke-drenched corridors of stoner metal came courtesy of Belzebong’s first demo, soon followed by the debut full-length Sonic Scapes & Weedy Grooves (2011). That record, alongside the equally effective follow-up, Greenferno (2015), remains one of my favorite releases of the genre, even while only instrumental. For me, the absence of vocals amplified the narcotic density of the riffs, allowing groove and atmosphere to rule over everything else.
I somehow lost interest in subsequent releases by the band, never delved into Light the Dankness (2018) or the tongue-in-cheek live recording in Norway, De Mysteriis Dope Sathanas - Live in Oslo (2021), it was enough to laugh a bit though. Early material has retained a certain replay value for me, even though the overall aesthetic doesn’t stick today. With The End Is High, reconnecting with Belzebong feels seamless, not a single day has passed, and all the hallmarks are intact: vivid weedy artwork, track title wordplays a la Cannabis Corpse (and others), a wordless approach, but above all, pudgy groove-laden stoner doom.
The characteristic slow-burn build unfurls with opening track “Bong & Chain”, while “420 Horsemen” is faster in tempo and introduces buzz and abstraction into the haze. “Hempnotized” remains obsessed with hulking, middle-paced riffs, but for me the closer “Reefer Mortis” is what truly lingers, and especially the mid-section guitar lines that evoke the morbid swagger of Church of Misery, just without the serial killers. At the end of the track, you get to hear again an epic voice sample quoting the cult classic horror comedy The 'Burbs from 1989. If you know the movie, you know what scene they’ve mashed up.
Production remains polished as always, at least in the same way as it has been since Greenferno and onward. While surpassing the highs (pun intended) of their debut proves to be a tall order, The End Is High finds Belzebong committing no missteps. An enjoyable return to the studio, but leaves me wanting… Well, to listen to the first one again.
These are eyes of young girl, barely out of high school. Her name is Alice Trenton and she's been on a long, long trip……
Rating: 3.5/5
Boss cover art
ReplyDeleteI thought you didn't smoke
ReplyDeleteI don't :)
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