Bongzilla

Bongzilla is an American sludge, doom and stoner metal band from Madison, Wisconsin, formed in 1995 and active since then. Their music is closely tied to marijuana themes, and many of their songs address cannabis use and support its legalisation.

Style and subject matter

The band plays thick, heavy stoner metal with sludge and doom metal elements, built around large riffs, distorted low-end guitar tones and slow, crushing rhythms. Their songs often combine aggressive passages with hazier, more experimental sections. The material is strongly associated with hemp culture and pro-legalisation politics, and the group regularly appears at hemp-related events such as Weedstock and Harvestfest.

Early recordings and label releases

Bongzilla forms in 1995 and spends its first few years recording and issuing a dozen songs across EPs and split singles. In 1996, the band records a demo at Austin Enterprises with Steve Austin of Today Is The Day overseeing the session. That material helps bring the group to Relapse Records, which signs them in 1998.

Through Relapse, Bongzilla releases four studio albums and a live album. Their 1997 release Methods for Attaining Extreme Altitudes presents early examples of their heavy stoner-rock sound, including the track pair “Smoke/I Love MaryJane”. Stash follows in 1999, while Gateway shows a more aggressive and more mellow version of the band’s sound, with prominent percussion, smoke-heavy vocals and fuzzed-out riffs. Amerijuanican appears in 2005 and becomes a release many fans regard highly.

Live activity and touring

Bongzilla tours the United States multiple times and plays alongside acts including Today Is The Day, Unsane, Noothgrush, Logical Nonsense, Dystopia, Grief, Zed, El Dopa, Cattlepress, Ire, Cave-In and Spazz. The band also makes a notable appearance at Milwaukee Metalfest in 1998 and tours the Midwestern United States with Unsane in the same period. Their live performances are known for combining heavy sound, intense vocals and extended improvisational passages.

Hiatus and side project activity

The band later takes a hiatus while Dixie works with another band, Weedeater.