Stoner doom metal may not be a certified moneymaker as trends were in the fabled pre-internet age, but there’s no denying that it is a rather trendy genre all the same. It can be exhausting and maybe even groan-inducing to see the latest in a grand slew of bands emulating Electric Wizard and The Sword. But let’s face it, compared to other so-called trendy subgenres, doom isn’t that bad. It’s certainly a subjective view but I don’t think the worst quality or gimmickiest doom bands are anywhere near as offensively awful as the worst of nu metal or metalcore.
Case in point is Dr. Colossus of Melbourne, Australia. The trio’s first full-length album is full of lyrics based on The Simpsons, effectively making me and plenty of others see them as a sort of doom metal answer to Okilly Dokilly of Phoenix, Arizona. But while the Ned Flanders-themed metalcore group is obnoxiously gimmicky even by that genre’s standards and destined to be forgotten by 95% of the people who shared their video on Facebook, Dr. Colossus rewards listeners with genuinely solid songwriting and lyrics that are as thoughtful as such tropes can be.
Even if you’re just here for The Simpsons references, The Dank has got you covered. The lyrics aren’t exactly funny in themselves but songs like the opening “Thrillho” and “Future Bart” will make you smile when you recognize one-liners and references to specific episodes. Plenty of fan favorites are covered and even some deep cuts from the classic run get their chance to shine. You may need a lyrics sheet on standby but it’s more enjoyable and a hell of a lot more intelligent than the Okilly Dokilly method of running a single quote into the ground.
And like any novelty album worth its salt, the music is good even without lyrical context, and the songs on here are pretty varied by doom standards. Goatsnake and Apostle of Solitude make for the best reference points as a healthy blues tint runs throughout the album. “Thrillho” and “Dr. Colossus” are slow and building, “Excellent” and “Lemonade” are steady mid-tempo grinders, and “It’s Still Good” is a fun albeit repetitive slice of percussive boogie.
I’m convinced that the only reason why Dr. Colossus isn’t better known is because they haven’t released any viral videos of them playing in full costume yet. But ironically enough, that lack of overt attention whoring is probably why they’re one of the most enjoyable gimmick bands out there. Even if you’re not on board with The Simpsons lyrics, the music is powerful enough to not be reliant on them and it may even be accessible enough for non-doom fans to try out. Now if somebody could find a stoner rock answer to xSPONGxCOREx, then we’ll really be onto something…
Highlights:
“Thrillho”
“It’s Still Good”
“Dr. Colossus”
“Excellent”
The Dank is now available in a variety of formats from the Dr. Colossus Bandcamp page.
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