ALBUM REVIEW: Dab City – Bongzilla

The illusive Madison, Wisconsin stoner sludge, doom entity BONGZILLA have been creating huge riffs laced with a truck load of THC since 1995 and have gained a cult status in the global stoner scene. Alongside their bong water soaked, sludgy riffs, the band are passionate advocates for the legalisation of marijuana, which is currently illegal for recreational use in their home state. Having returned from their quiet hiatus in 2015, this is only the band’s second album since. Now operating as a crushing three piece, their sixth album Dab City, (which is an ode to their hometown of Madison also known as “Mad City”) and follows on from 2021s Weedsconsin.

Since the 1960s Madison City has been a political and social hotbed nestled on the banks of Lake Mendota in the south of the state. With agronomy being of chief interest in the state’s university, BONGZILLA managed to get hold of some of the finest THC available and in a puff of smoke recorded nearly an hours worth of spaced out stoner riffs to analogue tape. Recording to tape has given the band’s sound a much more vintage feel, giving Dab City significantly more character than Weedsconsin as a result.

Deep fuzzy riffs and the analogue tape will never not be a winning combination, BONGZILLA’s bong water marinated riffs are given an extra depth by the rich saturation that analogue tape brings. As a result the warm fuzz consumes you throughout the entirety of Dab City, as a result it has an intoxicating feeling that makes you feel like you’ve had a few puffs of the Devil’s lettuce yourself. Hazy, grimy and sludgy yet intensely hypnotic, this is one of those albums that you play when you want to completely zone out from reality. With bluesy BLACK SABBATH inspired elements riffs phasing in an out between huge fuzz soaked chugs and half time drums, Dab City effortlessly gets you into the low and slow, ebb and flow of the album.

The album went through two periods of recording that the band have dubbed the Harvest Sessions (held in the autumn of 2022) and the February of 2023 sessions are known as the Propagation Sessions. Two very apt names, as this album feels like it has taken its time to grow and flourish in all its budding glory. Ultimately though, what BONGZILLA have captured on tape is the raw most in the moment music they’ve released since returning from their hiatus. Rough round the edges and a with more push/pull dynamics than its predecessor, Dab City is how sludgy stoner should be. A hazy atmosphere with the bong water residue glistening on the walls.

BONGZILLA have also flooded the streets of Dab City with some colossal grooves that entrance you. At multiple points throughout this album you’ll find yourself drifting between day dreams as if you’re on an almighty high. There’s also something strangely therapeutic about how it causes you to get lost in the fuzz, in essence it feels like BONGZILLA are giving us all a dose of medicinal strength marijuana to escape reality for an hour and its wonderful.

The album opens with the hefty title track and twelve minute long jam Dab City. A mammoth slab of hulking, droning, caveman sludge riffs that feel heavier than the planet’s gravitational pull. Half time drum grooves provided by Mike ‘Magma’ Henry coupled with the fuzz soaked bass of Jeff ‘Spanky’ Schultz and fizzing, cracking guitar of Mike ‘Muleboy’ Makela have an entrancing effect that remains present throughout the album’s entirety. King Of Weed sees some of the more bluesy elements come into focus, with a more melodic lead riff and rumbling bass line, this BLACK SABBATH-esque track is a short burst of energy between Dab City and the fourteen minute long and equally long titled monolith Cannonbong (The Ballad of Burnt Renyolds as lamented by Dixie Dave Collins).

This track is an obscure ode to weed and bongs, with cinema style narration over crackling, droning sludge riffs and drum bursts. C.A.R.T.S is similar in nature to King Of Weed but slightly slower, BONGZILLA really knuckle down on the slow, spaced out, bluesy grooves on this track, to give a quick burst of energy halfway through the album. Hippie Stick and Diamonds And Flower follow in a similar fashion, making the second half of the album more energetic but still hypnotic. Album closer American Pot is a stoner anthem the builds into a scrunch your face type groove that’ll have you moving your head in appreciation. Nine minutes of glorious stoner rock magnificence.

Dab City is as straight forward, consistent, no frills, zonked out album that shows why BONGZILLA are one of few cult hero weed inspired bands out there. If you’re looking to space out in the sun for an hour with some earthy stoner riffs, weed user or not, this album is for you.

Rating: 8/10

Dab City is set for release on June 2nd via Heavy Psych Sounds.

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