Belzebong is smoking again.
Eager to continue down the path of weed, Sheepy Dude (bass), Alky Dude (guitar), Cheesy Dude (guitar, Weedpecker), and Hexy Dude (drums, ex-Hate) have concocted their fourth album, The End Is High, with the help of Heavy Psych Sounds Records.
We kick things off with Bong & Chain, a hazy first creation with effects as mind-blowing as they are intoxicating, developing between fat rhythms and dissonant harmonics combined with a thick mix where the pedals are joyfully pushed to their limits. We also have a few chaotic lead parts that contribute to the psychedelic but ultimately extremely controlled atmosphere, then the rhythm begins to fall back, slowing down and entrusting the finale to macabre keyboards before 420 Horsemen returns to the basics of fat, groovy stoner rock covered with more diffuse harmonics after a short sample. Although the track is significantly shorter, the recipe remains the same, allowing the lead guitar to indulge in a few elaborate flights of fancy while the rhythm section offers a continuous sound, finally joining Hempnotized, a composition with a more ethereal approach than the previous track. Although a sampled voice does not guide us, we feel a certain softness that will eventually shatter, leaving only fragments of calm in its heavy, jerky flow that winds through our minds, even finding a few words in the center before setting off again in an even heavier manner towards Reefer Mortis, the last of the four tracks, where once again we feel the full force of the abrasive influences that allow the leads to come to the fore while keeping our attention until the end, which evaporates on its own.
Although exclusively instrumental bands rarely appeal to me, Belzebong succeeds in capturing my mind throughout this album with its Stoner, Doom, and Sludge influences. The End Is High is easy to listen to on its own, playing on repeat with disconcerting ease.
80/100
