I’ll be the first to admit that I nearly rolled my eyes to the back of my head the first time I heard about Australia’s Dr. Colossus – a Simpsons-themed, stoner doom, power trio. There’s no shortage of gimmicky heavy metal bands, but fusing desert rock with America’s favorite yellow family sounded like an especially bad combination. Then I listened to the band’s 2015 single “Stupid Sexy Flanders.”
I’m not going to pretend the music of Dr. Colossus is for everyone, but if you enjoy quality stoner doom and/or classic 90s Simpsons, the band’s perfectly cromulent debut album The Dank will surely embiggen your soul. The Dank opens with the one-two punch of “Thrillho” and “Future Bart,” and, if you aren’t a convert by the time the band’s vocalist Dr. Jon starts wailing “I wash myself with a rag on a stick,” then I question your ability to experience fun. Maybe you’re still skeptical. I get it. But let me assure you that, beyond funny Simpsons references, The Dank is jammed with crunchy riffs-a-poppin’. Dr. Colossus is indeed a gimmick band but they have the musical chops to write songs that hold up to multiple listens, too.
If you don’t believe me, listen for yourself. Below you’ll fund a full album stream of The Dank ahead of its release this Wednesday September 6th. If you like what you hear, head on over to Dr. Colossus's Bandcamp page to pre-order the album on CD, vinyl or as a digital download.