Headbanger is a hybrid crossed from Biker Kush and sativa favorite Sour Diesel. It was created by Karma Genetics, the same breeders responsible for award-winning strains like Dominator and Happy Kush. So named for its genetic similarity to the legendary strain Headband, Headbanger offers users a strong, clearheaded high and a robust OG flavor. Its potency won it the title of Third Best Sativa in the 2013 High Times Cannabis Cup and Second Best Sativa in the 2015 IC 420 Growers Cup in Amsterdam. Its THC content has been measured at between 20% and 28%.

Headbanger has small to medium-sized flowers that cling together in dense, popcorn-like clusters. This strain’s Kush genetics are plainly seen in its thick, solid buds, composed of resinous, densely-packed leaves. These curly leaves are a bright shade of lime green and are threaded through with hairy, rust-colored pistils. The flowers are dusted with milky-white trichomes, accounting for Headbanger’s psychoactivity and giving a very sticky texture. Sour Diesel’s lineage is immediately apparent as a faintly chemical, fuel-like tang that emanates from the cured flowers. This diesel smell mixes with a sharp, skunky odor. Grinding up or breaking the buds yields notes of sweet citrus. Headbanger burns with a smoke that is surprisingly smooth, considering its hashy flavor profile. On the exhale, this strain has the sour-sweet taste of overripe fruit. Anyone smoking in public should keep in mind that this is a particularly pungent variety; those concerned with discretion should take any necessary precautions.

Headbanger has a “creeper” of a high, often taking several minutes after smokers have savored its rich taste before taking effect. Users may become gradually more perceptive of their surroundings, with sights and sounds beginning to seem sharper. Eventually, a more cerebral mindset takes over, triggering freely-associative thoughts and conversations. Users looking to accomplish creative or analytical work can benefit from the surge of energy that this strain provides. When combined with trippy, atmospheric music or other stimuli, it can take on powerfully psychedelic dimensions. Headbanger can even help everyday tasks like laundry or cleaning seem more bearable. Heavy physical effects are not commonly reported and users rarely feel drowsy or couch locked. Headbanger is therefore best suited for daytime use; its buzzy head rush is not well-suited to bedtime. The high is said to be long-lasting even for more seasoned cannabis smokers.

Because its recreational effects are primarily mental, Headbanger’s medical applications are more psychological than physiological. Its mood-boosting effects can temporarily help those with mild to moderate cases of stress and depression. Headbanger’s enduring sense of lucidity may also help those with attention deficit disorders to sustain focus on single tasks. Because initial effects can lead to an overwhelming sense of “mind race,” Headbanger is not recommended for patients who are prone to panic or who have a low tolerance for THC.

Producers Karma Genetics has made seeds of Headbanger available for sale online. The strain can be grown indoors or out, although outdoor cultivation calls for a humid, Mediterranean-like climate with daytime temperatures in the 72 to 80 degree Fahrenheit range. Grown indoors, its tall plants (which can reach heights of 6 feet) should be kept under control by regular pruning and trimming early in the vegetative stage. As is typical of sativas, Headbanger has a very long flowering time of 10 to 12 weeks when grown indoors and is ready for harvest from late September through early October when grown outdoors. It offers growers a high yield for their efforts. Finally, Headbanger is as pungent when grown as it is when smoked; growers who are looking to keep their operations under the radar should invest in odor control measures like carbon air filters.

Growers should also take the time to cure their harvested flowers to preserve their potency and unique flavor, first hanging and drying the buds for a week and then sealing them in airtight jars, checking regularly for mold.

The epitome of a wake-and-bake strain, Headbanger is a great way to enhance productivity, accompany a long walk outdoors, or set the tone for a social gathering. Its high resin production may also be valuable in the production of hash and other THC concentrates.