Maryland has been a hot spot specifically for doom metal for a very long time. Therefore, when a band with members of Earthride, Spirit Caravan and Pentagram join forces, you immediately think "okay, another doom band has surfaced". That couldn't be further from the truth with Weed Is Weed as the band name alone indicates a clear, albeit hazy path down Stoner Rock Lane but that's selling them short as well. Call their music sleazy, low down'n'dirty, stoned-out, diesel infused rock'n'roll and we're getting closer to the mark.
Coming on like a toked up steam engine going 200mph, 'Weed Is Weed' kickstarts this conjuring of green giants and sex. Fast and abrasive with big phat riffs and an earthshaking rhythm section, the band clearly aims to take no prisoners with their debut, 'Blunt Force Trauma'. Laying the world and non-believers to waste in a thick smoke of kush is their master plan. This one, along with 'Goin Down To Harlem', differs from the rest musically since they are by far the fastest tracks although the hidden ending track 'Eat Cookies' kind of wanders in between flowing back and forth from mid-paced heavy blues to shit eating rock'n'roll.
My absolute favorite track of them all is 'Alligator Crawl', not that the rest are bad. It's just that this one hits home immediately as soon as Darren Waters' deep thundering bass sets the pace. To me his bass actually acts as the lead instrument conducting guitars elegantly to what riffs to play and when to throw in a solo. And you simply can't go wrong when Dave Sherman's raspy Lemmy-esque voice belches out 'down in the swamp where the green grass grows, the alligator's junk stains bite your toes'. Amazing, you hear!
For a
band that are as straightforward as they can be with their music and lyrics -
come on, there's no hidden agenda behind 'Eat Pussy', 'Big Green Patch' or
'Cottonmouth' - they do throw a curve ball with the title track. Not only is
'Blunt Force Trauma' twice as long as the rest, 10:49, but it also goes outside
the box a bit being psychedelic...sort of. Sure all the songs are about hitting
the bong, light it up, toke and trip the fuck out and 'Blunt Force Trauma'
doesn't differ from that at all. However, on this one the band, completed by
Gary Isom - guitar, Jason Fisher - guitar, Rob Portillo - guitar and Cougin -
drums, goes all out jamming losing themselves in a pretty cool space trip.
Weed Is Weed can't be accused of subtlety or changing the musical world around them. However, they do bring diversity by doing their thing and sticking to it. In my opinion, as a listener to any kind of music you need musical diversity to better appreciate what you are listening to and that's where Weed Is Weed excel. They plug in, turn it up and demolish with no care in the world and have given me the perfect release. You can't ask for more waveriders, so check out these mofos because they are damned good!
- Swedebeast
