Saturday 13 August 2016

ALBUM REVIEW: Bossk - "Audio Noir"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 01/04/2016
Label: Deathwish Inc


The shimmering soundscapes of “The Reverie” gently ease the album into life. The track glides through waves of serene guitar atmospherics, before being crushed under a slab of molten distortion. Even though the classic quiet/loud dynamics of post-rock are employed here, Bossk manage to avoid the obvious, telegraphed crescendos by taking a more understated approach, conversely when they crank up, Bossk prove that they have honed their riffcraft to perfection. “Heliopause” is a relatively short burst of stoner aggravation while “Atomsmasher” fully delivers on the cataclysmic power of its name.  In summation, Audio Noir” is a triumph for Bossk that sees them comfortably deliver on their fans’ anticipation for a full-length.
“Audio Noir” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Reverie
2). Heliopause
3). Relancer
4). Kobe
5). Atom Smasher
6). Nadir
7). The Reverie II
The Review:
Expectation lies heavy on “Audio Noir”, the debut LP from Bossk. The Kent post-metallers have garnered a devoted following since their inception in 2005 but hard-touring and lengthy periods have inaction have kept them from crafting a full album until now.
Bossk’s early EPs were solid releases that showcased the band’s epic sonic ambition without quite capturing the thunderous onslaught of their live shows. “Audio Noir” adeptly captures the colossal weight of the band in full flow and features their strongest material to date.
In the past, Bossk were clearly in thrall to post-metal titans like Cult of Luna and Isis. “Audio Noir” finds them again drawing on familiar influences but now they have remoulded them to create their own distinctive sound.
The shimmering soundscapes of “The Reverie” gently ease the album into life. The track glides through waves of serene guitar atmospherics, before being crushed under a slab of molten distortion. Even though the classic quiet/loud dynamics of post-rock are employed here, Bossk manage to avoid the obvious, telegraphed crescendos by taking a more understated approach. Heavily-reverbed guitar lines, brushed drums and what sounds like an accordion fuse to create a subtle epic on the awesome “Relancer”. A strange but effective combination of Earth, Beirut and Mogwai it shows that Bossk don’t need to resort to cacophonous volume to yield impressive results.
When they do crank up, Bossk prove that they have honed their riffcraft to perfection. “Heliopause” is a relatively short burst of stoner aggravation while “Atomsmasher” fully delivers on the cataclysmic power of its name. The first half of the track delivers a barrage of riffage that Sleep would be proud of before falling away into a hazy nocturnal coda. “Kobe” is a more restrained beast but still packs a ferocious punch. The first half of the track echoes the effects-heavy psychedelia of Baroness’Yellow & Green” while the second half recalls the glorious complex sludge of early Baroness.
Audio Noir” is a triumph for Bossk that sees them comfortably deliver on their fans’ anticipation for a full-length. The band seems to have found their voice and hopefully they won’t take so long to deliver their next release.

“Audio Noir” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

RIYL: ISIS || Cult of Luna || Mouth of the Architect || Callisto