Bongzilla
Weedsconsin

Weedsconsin: the title is already an indication. It also informs us about the geographical origin.

But let's rewind: we left off with Amerijuanican back in 2005, and then nothing more. Magma, Spanky, and Muleboy had put their creation to bed; at the time, Dave Collins was on the bass, by the way, before he shot himself in the foot. It seems he has nine fingers now.

No more blues-flavored psychedelic riffs, then, no more syncopated drums, no more acidic and whining vocals. Good grief, what to do?

Then something stirs, the band seems to be resuming activity, some concerts here and there, a promotional photo where they embrace a koala, obviously stoned, such tender animals these last, always high on eucalyptus!

And so, on April 20, 2021, the new album comes out, with a cover featuring a demonic green dragon towering amidst equally green fumes, the stoner brother of Shenlong holding something other than magical spheres in his hands.

And the music starts: the first track seems a bit shy, not eager to amaze; our power trio moves forward calmly, without rush, there’s nothing to prove. They’ve been in hibernation for many years; meanwhile, many bands have emerged called Bongsomething or Somethingbong, a flood of clones with much desire but little inspiration. Bongzilla, however, have always had inspiration, and now that our favorite Godzilla with a bong in hand has started walking again, it’s immediately clear who stands at the top of the narcoleptic pyramid. The album proceeds calm and tranquil, but it’s a conscious and authoritative calm, no more desire to overdo, to freak out terribly; the fooling around remains, but it’s all more relaxed. The music conveys warm and sunny sensations, more like an outdoor field than a basement with neon setups; they almost seem like the Acrimony version of the old Bongzilla. And so it is that space rock sections start to peep through (in fact, one song is titled Space Rock), tribal influences, long instrumental sections, which will be well-received by those who disdain such a smooth singing, and a very seventies sound that inevitably recalls Black Sabbath. It seems that this is the path major names have chosen to age gracefully; just ask Jus Oborn, for instance.

Ultimately, this genre of music is timeless, it never ages as long as it gives the listener the right mood. Bongzilla have always done this.