BONG – Stoner Rock

BONG have always considered themselves a separate entity from the so-called "stoner rock" scene; their sonic manifesto is less aggressive and direct than most bands gathering together with down-tuned guitars and copious amounts of weed. Comprising of two 35-minute pieces, their fourth full-length seeks to drive that point home.

Polaris piles on thick, transcendental guitar tones. Pulsating riffs and bass drones ring out endlessly. It's twelve minutes before any hint of percussion appears. Shamanistic spoken word parts occasionally rise from the pit of deafening sludge, but, as with BONG's other work, the name of the game is euphoric repetition, and they're masters of the art.

 

Out Of The Aeons is more heavily textured than what came before; a shahi baaja can be heard floating around the mix, giving the sounds a tribal edge. The drums are also more active, resulting in a satisfying, slow-paced groove for those who prefer to bang their heads. Slow, ponderous and majestic, this is soul-engulfing stuff. [Ross Watson]