Demonic Death Judge – Absolutely Launched
Release Date: 30th April 2025
Label: Suicide Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Stoner, Sludge.
FFO: Kylesa, Torche, Baroness, Red Fang.
Review By: John Newlands
Demonic Death Judge, if you haven’t heard of them before (I hadn’t) are here with their 5th full length album Absolutely Launched. The Finnish stoner/sludge quartet have conjured up what they describe as their “filthiest record ever made” which is “filled with blues, petrol and violence” and I must say, I agree, and it’s pretty damn good.
I was sent an email by Suicide Records a while back, advertising the bands single 90s Violence, and decided to check it out. Within 30mins of checking out the YT video (which is awesome) I had spun the track perhaps 6 times back to back. It is an absolute ripper, and super fun. The video (check it out) is full of 90s nostalgia from popular action movies and is an absolute joy to watch. Go check it out!!
So from there, how is Absolutely Launched? For me, it starts of strong with the riff heavy vibes of 90s Violence, Natural Wine Guy and You’ve Got Red On You (I think of the 3 red dots from Predator every time I read the title) before slowing down and leaning into the more stoner side of the bands sound with Goner, and to be honest that is kind of where the band sits for the remainder of the release.
Dead Dogs and Spliffhanger (gotta love that name) are perhaps the most grimy, dirty and blues soaked sounding offerings on Absolutely Launched. I would perhaps have enjoyed a little more variation in pace through the release. However, the band do manage to sink their weed soaked blues hooks into your brain on every track, which really gets your head bouncing to those delightful fuzzed out stonery, blusey riffs on each and every track. To that end, I cannot, and shall not, complain.
Production is solid through this release, Jaakko Heinonen on vocals sounds like he smokes 20 a day and rips from a bong in between, while all instrumentation is clear yet suitably fuzzed out. Every time I listen to the album, I feel it’s time to go plug in my Bigg Muff and try and replicate some of these fun, fuzzed out riffs!
To close out, this is probably one of the most fun and enjoyable stoner style albums I’ve heard in some time and I wish I still smoked weed and then I’d probably have really fully appreciated this release, but with that said, this still fucking rips! Great job guys!!
(4 / 5)
