There are certain records that stand out as archetypes in their genre. Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" epitomizes American rock and roll. Slayer's "Reign In Blood" is regarded as the ultimate thrash album. Yes's "Close To the Edge" is one of the apex's of progressive rock music. And now, Electric Wizard's "Dopethrone" takes the crown as the ultimate and uncontested heaviest record ever recorded. I kid you not, this piece of plastic makes Black Sabbath's "Master of Reality" sound like a breezy boy band LP. "Doom" is not the word for this. These three pot-heads from England have unleashed a tidal wave of massive, crushing noise that flattens everything in its path.

Speed has nothing to do with Electric Wizard's assault and battery. Instead, it is monumentally slow, bleak and depressing. Unlike the catchy, headtrip type of doom performed by Fu Manchu or Kyuss; there is not a shred of hope or melody to be found within "Dopethrone". St. Vitus is another band that can be compared to Wizard but even Vitus didn't have a guitar sound as soaked in sonic sludge as this mean mother. Everything is fuzzed out to the max. The bass threatens to blow your speakers to infinity. The guitar sound is pure hell, with lots of feedback and distortion. Even Jus Osborn's vocals sound like they are coming from the dark side of the moon. Riffs are reminiscent of Sabbath in their glory years, but are pounded out with such incredible repetition that a trance-like effect is created. This is doom that drones. This may sound like a negative review but the effect these guys create is awesome and I cannot compare it to anything else. It really does encapsulate everything about true doom metal and amplifies it to a new level. Lyrics are about as gloomy as you could imagine, with plenty of nods to H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, the Columbine massacre and of course, the leafy green herb. I doubt that Electric Wizard themselves (Jus Osborn, Tim Bagshaw and Mark Greening) would consider themselves great musicians but "Dopethrone" emerges as a paragon of the doom metal movement. The antithesis of progressive music, this is so bleak, it's brilliant. See if you can withstand Electric Wizard's spell of doom!

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2001 Year Book Volume 2 at  garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2001-and-2002.