Review Summary: Like chasing the dragon, only it gets even better each time.
If you’re a fan of music that is the sonic representation of a swamp, then look out for the name “Boss Keloid”, as this quartet hailing from Wigan, England are fast becoming a serious contender in the stoner/doom district of metal. As with most new bands, their 2013 debut album “The Calming Influence of Teeth” trudged by relatively unnoticed by the scene. Nevertheless, with elephantine riffs and a knack for a story-telling vocal approach, similar to Neil Fallon of Clutch, Boss Keloid’s debut showed large potential.
After touring with bands such as Raging Speedhorn and Slabdragger, as well as a mighty performance at Bloodstock Festival [subsequent to this album’s release], Boss Keloid’s sophomore album, “Herb Your Enthusiasm”, sounds like the awakening groan of a slumbering giant. The album is far more expansive than its predecessor and develops a spacious tone, whereas before, the band heavily relied on jagged riffs and lumbering grooves to portray their immensity. Each song on “Herb Your Enthusiasm” inhales a typically doomy atmosphere but deeply exhales a twisted breath, tinged with a scent of psychedelia.
The archetypal aspects of any stoner band are present in “Herb Your Enthusiasm”. The bass heavy ‘Chabal’ and ‘Harleem Struggle’ both feature a grim, commanding tone that dynamically plunges between riffs slower than a broken milk float and grooves furious enough to stir Cthulhu. Furthermore, the overall production of Boss Keloid’s sophomore album exhibits a misty atmosphere that evokes a sludgy aspect, but each note pierces this veil with distinctive clarity. Sometimes, a closer look is needed to understand what makes Boss Keloid’s music sound so interestingly inventive, compared to their peers. ‘Axis of Green’ and the jazzy ‘Hot Priest’ are both dimensional songs. They stand on layers of murky bass that are contrasted against sudden spikes of Paul Swarbick’s guitar hooks and riffs, which fluently shape-shift from everlasting drone to thunderous charges to ponderous melodies.
Alex Hurst’s vocal performance is nothing short of monolithic. He has total control over his powerful groans throughout “Herb Your Enthusiasm”, which perfectly suits the monstrous instrumentalism flanking him. ‘Lung Valley’ is one of the slowest tracks on the album that display’s Hurst’s ability to captivate through emotive, clean singing where he torpidly drags out every note in each verse that emits a cavernous effect . ‘Lung Mountain’, on the other hand, is increasingly discomforting as the ascending trek is a harsher environment. Whereas the (assumedly) sister track was vast yet undeviating, the course of this track constantly alters through Tool-esque twanging, impervious riffs and authoritative howls. Alex Hurst has a skill in hooking onto your interest, but doesn’t stop reeling you in.
Stoner metal can sometimes fall into a repetitious void; Boss Keloid steers clear of this road. Rather than make an album that sluggishly hammers itself into your consciousness, they feed you several courses of enthusiasm in each song. This brilliantly titled album doesn’t challenge your attention span; it enhances it, and all while pushing the boundaries of stoner metal to uninhabited territories.
