Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Breathtaking, destructive ambience, 9 Aug 2006
I went to see Bossk live after a recommendation from a close friend, i was completely unaware of their music up until that point but was already a really big fan of bands like ISIS, Pelican, Mogwai, Old Man Gloom and Cult of Luna.
Bossk played both the songs on this CD and i was completely blown away. Dark, brooding yet strangely uplifting at times i recommend this CD to anyone who is a fan of bands such as Pelican and Cult of Luna, especially after Bossk have supported both the bands just mentioned.
And to top it all off the Artwork was created by Seldon Hunt, and is quite frankly stunning.
Buy. Play. Repeat
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The British Variation Of Isis?, 31 Mar 2009
I've had the first Bossk demo for quite some time, but never actually listened to it until recently. I thought they were just some American band and I can't seem to remember how I came across them. To my surprise, I recently learned that Bossk are actually from Ashford, in Kent, in the United Kingdom which isn't actually that far from where I reside. I literally had no idea that they were from Britain, let alone that they were from near here. I actually found out that piece of information after I had finally decided to listen to the first demo, which had been gathering dust for some time.
My initial reaction wasn't too positive, but it wasn't negative either. I was sitting on the fence for ages, but that is probably due to the fact that whenever I seem to listen to a new band for the first time, i'm never paying attention to them completely. I'm always in the middle of doing something else and it restricts a bands potential from being truly revealed to me. So, I decided to give Bossk another shot on a cold November night, here in Kent, the home to this British outfit. One thing i've come to realise about Bossk is the fact that they aren't essentially a night-time band. I tend to listen to certain bands during a certain period of the day, or when i'm feeling a specific emotion. However, Bossk don't fit into either of those categories. Instead, they depict a style of atmospheric sludge which can be listened to any time of day, or night and my mood doesn't hinder my enjoyment of this demo.
One thing I know for sure now, is that Bossk are a mood controlling and a mood enhancing band. Atmospheric sludge is a fairly predictable, but suitable term nevertheless. Atmospheric tendencies are frequently used. Bossk are completely instrumental for the most part, although vocals do play a rather insignificant role on the second song on this demo and therefore, Bossk rely heavily on atmosphere. There are no vocals on which to fall back on. Some might find the appeal of Bossk rather limited due to this fact, but I find them ever more intriguing. Musicianship is really put to the test whenever a band uses instrumentals, or is completely instrumental. So, musicianship is high on the agenda. Bossk, despite this being their first real test, have excellent musicianship skills. The assortment of the instruments is top notch. Their class oozes through the seemingly impenetrable atmospheric nature of this demo. The guitarists are especially important as Bossk tend to dwell on the use of guitars. The guitars are the primary source of atmosphere.
Bossk use two guitarists, which to me, is a wise idea. One plays a different set of chords to the other. The first, plays a heavy, more sludge-esque riff. The second, plays a higher toned riff which is where the best part of the atmosphere comes into play. The usage of different tones and textures is superb. Bossk are a naturally gifted band in terms of guitar innovation. The first song, in particular, highlights this fact. Especially the second half of it, which tends to be more focused towards atmosphere than the first half which focuses entirely of creating that typical sludge backbone. Sludge is most notable for it's thick sound and heavy progressionist style, Bossk are no different. The first guitarist is the main outlet for this. Creating thick sounds, which underlay the second guitarist. The bass is a good back-up for the first guitarist. The bass enhances that heavy sound to good effect. As well as this, the immense musicianship of the band allows the percussion to also play a significant role in entrancing the audience with a harsh, heavy sound.
As I say, vocals do come into play, but Bossk are creative enough to be able to completely rid themselves of vocals and still put on a great show. At times, they remind me a lot of 'Panopticon' era Isis. Especially on the second song, which is fantastic, but not as important as the first. Luckily for me, I realised in time that this is a British band. Their end of year show is something I will be attending as it is local to me. If this demo is anything to go by, it will be a fantastic show. Well worth your time and effort.
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