#demonsmoke

426. Resin Wrought - Demonsmoke (Sludge Metal, 2025)

Dopethrone x  Demonsmoke

Get Wasted With Demonsmoke's 'Morphine Moonshine'

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goat

-Concert Photos by Arielle Rodriguez-

"My rock 'n' roll is not to entertain, but to annihilate," declared the infamous GG Allin. "I'm trying to bring danger back into rock 'n' roll, and there are no limits and no laws and I break down every barrier put in front of me 'till the day I die."   Those words could very well be the credo of Cali's DEMONSMOKE.   Before us is their debut album, 'Morphine Moonshine' (2017) -- a hazard to man, woman, and child alike.

Demonsmoke are a relatively new face, holed up in one of the smaller dwellings near East Bay.   "We stay out in a forgotten poverty town called Antioch," I'm told.   "Everything is pretty shitty out here, including the mass amounts of tweakers and just the general atmosphere.   We try to do what we love and have a good time in amongst all this bullshit that's going on in the world."

The gang of four encompass Cam's roaring vox, Vinny's laser sharp guitar licks, Boug's ground-shaking bass play, and Mitch driving one damning drumbeat.   "Boug is actually my uncle, as well," Mitch tells me, "so we have the family connection in the rhythm section."

Demonsmoke have been doing their thing since 2015, dropping a demo and the appropriately titled single, "Spewing Disgust" (rebooted for this record and the track most likely to cause a riot).   "Tons of Sabbath worship bands are out now with clean vocals and nice tones," Mitch reflects.   "We are about the gritty side of the scene.   Chunky, pounding, fuzzed-out music with a harsh dose of vocals."

"We love the heavy blues southern style of music and feel that aggressive vocals are key to that style."   Having just borne witness Birmingham's Midmourner touring these parts, I know folks like these take their sludge very seriously.   That's why Morphine Moonshine is such an appropriate title for Demonsmoke.   These hill-born roughnecks don't give a fuck about you, but if you play your cards right they just might invite you onto the cabin porch for a taste of the good stuff.

Dan Kaufeldt's loathsome album art captures the mood and attitude perfectly.   The vibe really comes to life, though, in the album's title track, which is just plain punishing.   I felt stigmatic bruising all over my body after repeated exposure, and by the end of the album I was looking to borrow my dad's blood pressure meds (he's not sharing, so reefer it is).   "Through The Sun" brings the whole clan together with the most infectious, hell-yeah riffs of the record.

Well, maybe I spoke too soon.   You see, each song on Morphine Moonshine just ups the ante.   I'm listening to "Sever" now and realizing that Demonsmoke have been storing up a lot of anguished rage over the years (see: "Set In Stoned") and have finally found their outlet.

The opening "Alriiiiight!" of "Junkie" signals the pit for action.   I can see this one raising a lot of ruckus.   Live shows, it is rumored, can be downright frightening. Rule #1: don't get in Demonsmoke's way, unless you enjoy a good knock in the noggin (and some of you no doubt need it).   Morphine Moonshine is bedlam at its best.   I imagine if this played out in one of those fabled chicken-wire covered stages, there'd be bottles and French fries flying everywhere.

The first thing you're likely to notice is how pristine the recording sounds.   "We recorded the album in October at Earhammer Studios in Oakland with Greg Wilkinson, bassist of Brainoil," the band says.   Greg's singular vision gives the album remarkable continuity.   "He recorded, mixed, mastered the whole thing."

Every note comes across with vibrancy and clarity -- no muddy middle, no muted bass, no scratchy treble, just gloriously fuzzy low-end and beautifully raging vocals (if one can even call them beautiful).   In "Creeping Down Your Neck," Cam sounds as if he's spilling every ounce of venom in his soul on some forested cliff, pronouncing judgement on the world.

Morphine Moonshine is everything I could want in a sludge metal album and is without controversy one of the year's standout releases.   There's not an ounce of fat on the record, just lean, mean madness.   Or my favorite description: exquisitely ugly.   Fans of Dopethrone, Weedeater, and Gurt should be all over this like flies on filth.

Today, Doomed & Stoned is giving Demonsmoke's Morphine Moonshine its North American premiere (partnering with Sludgelord for its European debut).   The album releases in digital format on May 2nd, with CD and limited edition cassettes (just 40 produced) following on May 23rd (pre-orders here).

And now...give ear.

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