Boss Keloid

“Herb Your Enthusiasm”

Album review by Vicky Jackson-Milne

 7.5/10

 Wigan.  Previous popular exports include George Formby, The Verve, Limahl, JJB Sports, Marks and Spencer and now it’s Boss Keloid’s turn to put Wigan on the map with their second album ‘Herb Your Enthusiasm’.

 Opening with ‘Lung Mountain’ you’re briefly led into a false sense of security with the slow bass line intro however, this soon gets thrown out the window when the huge heavy guitars and incredible vocals kick in, backed up by the crashing drums.  What an epic way to start this album off.  Rolling into ‘Haarlem Struggle’, the album takes it’s first turn into doom, with it’s long strummed chords and slower paced hammering drums, the vocals take more of a haunting path sweeping across a doom landscape. Much the same can be said about ‘Escapegoat’, having the same feel as the previous track.

 Following on with ‘Cone’, you are led down a much more sinister path to a very dark, down tuned world.  A very experimental sounding song with several hooks and scale jumping which is most helpful in stopping the monotony of a typical doom song.  ‘Axis of Green’ is definitely a Chameleon song, changing from slow and steady, to a foot stompingly chuggy romp then back again to a proper chug.

 Continuing the journey through to ‘Highatus’, a short interlude in the trip to give you a little rest, well not really as it may be short but really packs a punch.  Fading out to lay way for ‘Lung Valley’, a much more smooth ride and full of slow, sweet groove and cleaner vocals than the rest of the tracks previous, it almost takes me back to my grunge days. Moving on to ‘Elegant Odyssey’, honestly this is very much a heavier version of ‘Lung Valley’ in my opinion however, it does set you up nicely for the final two tracks of this massive album.

 ‘Chabal’ is very much a track that will go down well when played live, though one of the riffs flagged up memories of Silverchair’s ‘No Association’ weirdly.  But a brilliant track full of addictive hooks and vocals.  Ending this groovy ride is final track ‘Hot Priest’.  Probably the most experimental sounding song on the whole album.  9 minutes of pure filth, it’s very dark and bordering on the psychedelic and encompasses sludge, doom and stoner into one heavy as hell wrecking ball.

 This album is definitely not a one dimensional stoner/doom album.  Every track has it’s own uniqueness to it in one way or another.  I can honestly say that I enjoyed listening to this more than I thought I would, as I was initially daunted by the prospect of a 10 track album named ‘Herb Your Enthusiasm’, worried that it might get a bit boring however, Boss Keloid have produced something awesome here that I think will appeal to metal lovers of all genres as it manages to keep you interested right the way through to the end.  Well done chaps.

 LISTEN FOR:  Cone, Lung Valley, Hot Priest

 TRACK LIST:

1.    Lung Mountain

2.    Haarlem Struggle

3.    Escapegoat

4.    Cone

5.    Axis of Green

6.    Highatus

7.    Lung Valley

8.    Elegant Odyssey

9.    Chabal

10. Hot Priest

CHECK THEM OUT:

https://bosskeloid.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bosskeloidband/?fref=ts

 LINEUP:

 Vocals: Alex Hurst
Guitar: Paul Swarbrick
Bass: Adam Swarbrick
Drums: Ste Arands

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