Review: Boss Keloid ‘The Calming Influence Of Teeth’ [Reissue]

I am often sceptical about bands re-issuing certain albums from earlier in their careers, but this seems like a really good time for Boss Keloid to do so, as it not only coincides with the 10th anniversary of the album’s original release but also comes as a timely reminder to people that they bring a heavy and progressive sound to the musical arena.

As was witnessed recently by those people who saw them support Green Lung, their Manchester appearance was quite excellent by the way, it got people talking about Boss Keloid once again and they were able to showcase what a phenomenal live band they are.

For this release, they’ve collaborated with the superb Church Road Records, and for the first time, the album is available on vinyl, having been newly mastered for all formats by James Plotkin (Khanate, ISIS, Earth) and from the word go, with the sumptuous Winehorse bellowing out, their distinct sound comes through but never gets repetitive, as the riffs are varied across the board, with Locking Stumps and Skipper’s Pipes being evidence of this.

The songs have a certain individuality about them, with the bass from Liam Pendlebury-Green being given a certain amount of freedom to not only drive the songs but to shape them as well, whilst not being submerged and hidden in the background. And it all compliments the riffs that are brought by Paul Swarbrick and Alex Hurst, whose vocal range is impressive from start to finish.

progressive, groove, sludge, all appear in some forms across the ten tracks…

If you haven’t listened to this album for a while, then it’s definitely worth digging it out or getting a copy of the new reworked version, as they are a band who are hard to define; progressive, groove, sludge, all appear in some forms across the ten tracks with Manson Lamps being a particular favourite of mine, and demonstrates what a fine band Boss Keloid are.

As debut albums go, it certainly proved that the band were ready to take on the world, and they didn’t compromise as their groove fitted perfectly with the heavy sound that they wanted to create, whilst also showcasing the individual talents, take One For The Floorboards as an example, where Stephen Arands’ drum fills are immense.

It’s good to be reminded of earlier genius, and for that purpose alone, it’s great to see Boss Keloid back touring and wowing audiences with their unique sound of progressive, groove laden melodies.

Label: Church Road Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Twitter | Instagram

Scribed by: Matthew Williams