Review Summary: That’s some heavy shit, man
Weed Demon’s third album may be their shortest yet at a little over a half hour, just four minutes longer than 2015’s Stoned To Death EP, but it’s easily their most experimental release so far. This is perhaps best demonstrated by the bookending instrumentals that dabble in completely different genres, “Acid Dungeon” starting off as an appropriately titled dungeon synth prelude while the closing “Dead Planet Blues” comes down with a.country-esque acoustic foundation sustaining trade-off solos. They are admittedly a bit gimmicky but make for solid excursions, the former mixing in an otherworldly air amidst the synth fanfare that persists throughout while the latter sees a full culmination of the floating psych that previous tracks had hinted at.
Speaking of which, the three tracks that make up the rest of The Doom Scroll (anybody else a little annoyed that they didn’t come up with it first?) are closer to the Weed Demon standard with an array of thick riffs, throaty roars, and stoner-sludge crawls. “Tower of Smoke” is right in line with “Birthquake” off 2020’s Crater Maker, set up as another instrumental that has enough spryness in its riff makeup to make for some sweet Holy Mountain-rooted amplifier worship. “Coma Dose” drifts into laid back haze ala Graveyard before descending into bottom-heaby sludge accompanied by Horehound (RIP)’s Shy Kennedy while “Roasting The Sacred Bones” might be the most straightforward number with its more aggressive chugs.
Overall, The Doom Scroll is a tight stoner-doom jam whose contradictions do a lot to give it more personality than typical genre fare. Its runtime can feel a little too short overall, especially with five years since their last outing, yet the longer individual songs help it feel more substantial. The more experimental tendencies are enjoyable but can still feel a little stock or needing to be integrated more into the group’s core sludge. Crater Maker may still be the definitive Weed Demon release in my eyes but this remains better than most in the scene.
Addendum: The physical versions include the band’s cover of Frank Zappa/Captain Beefheart’s “Willie The Pump,” which I strongly recommend as part of your listen. That groove combined with the gruff vocals makes for cascading desert vibes that suit them perfectly while also making for a good way to flesh out the otherwise sparse overall runtime.
