There are some tropes of the underground that I can definitely understand some people getting tired of after so long. The core identities of some styles are iconic, sure, but they can be annoyingly repetitive for how often we see bands tread over the same topic or concept ad nauseum. It can make things feel stale and uninteresting. That being said, all it takes is one name to come around and remind us of what can still be done with what’s been executed many times before with a simple step in the right direction all that one might need to make it all seem vastly more interesting. The realms of stoner metal are no stranger to such pitfalls, but it’s because of bands like Belzebong that we’re still able to witness what the sound can be in the right hands with their first album in eight years more than enough proof of such.

When you’ve had skin the game for as long as a band like Belzebong at over fifteen years, you’ve seen your fair share of tropes holding the spotlight, but that’s something that a truly intelligent bands knows how to use to their advantage, even if it simply means embracing those concepts for what they are. Stoner metal and doom have been subjected to loads of different ideas and concepts over the years, yet there are few things as pervasive as that of Mary Jane whose sway has been undeniable over the decades with it still remaining true all the way with all that’s been delivered throughout “The End is High”. By all means, this isn’t a work that sought to reinvent the sound, nor did it seek to try for something that would blow the minds of its listeners. Rather, Belzebong does what it has always done to tremendous effect. A direct and straightforward delivery of riffs, smoke-wreathed heaviness, and more than enough power to sucker punch any and all deniers who would dare say that these themes immediately disqualify the work for being the absolute ripper that it is. Belzebong has become a well-known font of exceptional magnificence in their field of stoner doom with every decision taken to bring “The End is High” to life indicative of not just the power and talent that they still wield in considerable amount, but of the excellence that this style still has to offer us.

Eight years is more than long enough for any band to have lost their way or for any changes to make a real difference in their sound, but it’s in overcoming such obstacles that Belzebong is as strong as it has ever been. “The End is High” is quite a bit more than a new album from this long-established act. It’s a signal to naysayers as to what’s still possible and a beacon of true splendor for those looking for stoner doom to maintain the presence and aura that is has long boasted.

“The End is High” releases on February 20th via Heavy Psych Sounds!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “The End is High” on Bandcamp here.

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