Weed Demon
The Doom Scroll


4.0
excellent

Review

by PsychicChris USER (602 Reviews)
February 4th, 2025 | 16 replies


Release Date: 01/31/2025 | Tracklist

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.



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user ratings (18)
3.6
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
Intothepit
February 4th 2025


4386 Comments


Ketamine Queen

Hawks
February 4th 2025


97789 Comments


This sounds cool.

DDDeftoneDDD
February 4th 2025


22943 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

sm0k

rockarollacola
February 4th 2025


2313 Comments


That artwork is pretty sick, kinda makes me wanna check it out. I do think basing all of your lyrics around weed is a lame gimmick that should have died out years ago though, so I'm on the fence.

farmerobama
February 5th 2025


560 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Gonna check

insomniac15
Staff Reviewer
February 5th 2025


6275 Comments


it is heavy, agreed

WretchedCacophony
February 5th 2025


3439 Comments


"I do think basing all of your lyrics around weed is a lame gimmick that should have died out years ago though"
As someone who doesn't smoke weed I completely disagree I love it lol

TheManMachine
February 5th 2025


432 Comments


wasn't weed demon a wavves song

kkarron
February 5th 2025


1683 Comments


I think all weed-themed stoner bands should push towards becoming frog-toad-amphibian-themed stoner bands.

PsychicChris
February 6th 2025


428 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

All hail Froglord



Was I stoned when I wrote this? Probably.

farmerobama
February 6th 2025


560 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Guy who 1'ed the whole froglord discography should be fed to the swamps

Blizzink
February 6th 2025


261 Comments


Shit goes hard

Wildcardbitchesss
February 6th 2025


15168 Comments


Ya this is some good shit

rockarollacola
February 7th 2025


2313 Comments


"I think all weed-themed stoner bands should push towards becoming frog-toad-amphibian-themed stoner bands."

[2]

Hawks
February 7th 2025


97789 Comments


Jam Frog Mallet. Not stoner but fuck it lmao.

DDDeftoneDDD
February 12th 2025


22943 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

It starts eh but it fucking goes

4 for me



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