Live music preview: Stoner metal act Bong Wizard comes to Ace’s High Saloon Wednesday
This Wednesday, July 1, Houston stoner metal act Bong Wizard comes to Salt Lake City metal haven Ace’s High Saloon. The power trio will bring new music from their latest, Transilvanian Munchies which was just released four days ago. The group is essentially a parody band, taking black metal classics and making them their own with sludgy, doom metal treatments to the songs. The thing is, despite Bong Wizard’s irreverence, their music is perfect for fans of crushing, downtuned riffs. Tickets for their show with Simian and GRGL are available directly from Ace’s website.
After the new record released last Friday, we took the new tunes for spin. Here’s the thing, yes, Bong Wizard make irreverent, fun stoner metal with punny lyrics that makes the listener smile but this band is also comprised of talented musicians who excel at their craft, With founding member, Justin Liles (guitar, vocals) along with Ronny Spera (bass, vocals) and Thomas Meeks (drums) this trio nails the heavy, sludgy, doom metal sound while screaming punny, weed-infused lyrics. Any fan of hard, driving, stoner metal can appreciate Bong Wizard’s material purely on a musical level. The fact that they don’t take themselves too seriously makes the band all the more appealing as far as we’re concerned.
The dummer explained to the Houston Chronicle recently, “Basically with this band, it’s almost a parody band,” Meeks said. “It’s doom metal but like all of the song names and everything is kind of based on other songs. So, this whole album is kind of like a riff on black metal. And our last album was called Vulgar Display of Flower, so that kind of gives you the idea.
“This one’s kind of making fun of an album called Transilvanian Hunger. We’re calling it Transilvanian Munchies. It’s all silly and fun and games but then the music is just like this heavy, crushing, doomy kind of psychedelic stuff usually. So, it’s kind of cool, man. This whole band has a really fun schtick and I think it works.”
We tend to agree with Meeks. Check out the official video for single, “Bluntlust” which is the sixth track on their latest. We’ll think you’ll agree the riffage is righteous. From the video’s description:
“Follow Bong Wizard as the boys stumble across the deal of life time and buy a magic car that turns their 420 dreams into a wheelin’, dealin’, police evading reality”
Grab a copy of Transilvanian Munchies on white vinyl with black splatter paint then head to Ace’s on Wednesday to join the fun.
Featured photo courtesy of Bong Wizard
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