By: Ernesto
Aguilar
Album Type: Full length
Date
Released:
03/11/2017
Label: Anxious &
Angry Records
Where a lot of
new bands want to indulge themselves, Boson exhibits dazzling song IQ on its
debut and at around 40 minutes, "Domain of Ember" may be one of the
most brisk doom records you will hear in 2017
"Domain of Ember" DD//LP track listing
1.
Shadowlands
2.
Mass of the Phoenix
3.
Echo of the Mute Stars
4.
Heavens Black Corner
5.
Eye of the Augur
6.
Prayer of Ash
The Review:
Heavy
music owes a debt of gratitude to Minneapolis.
In addition to the bands that put the state of Minnesota
on the metal map, like Powermad and Disembodied, Minneapolis became its own pole in the punk,
crust and grindcore scenes with the Profane Existence zine and label. In the
1990s, where MaxmiumRockNRoll attracted bands and fans to its San Francisco
base, Profane Existence made Minneapolis its home, and became the oasis for
political punk and, a little later, the crust and grind subcultures that
interspersed with metal on many occasions. It is nevertheless surprising to
find how often Minneapolis'
place in the hard rock and metal history books is overlooked. That neglect has
certainly carried forward for the few doom and sludge performers to ascend in
recognition. A new entry could shift those perceptions.
Minneapolis sludge
four-piece Boson
just issued its debt album to some regional renown. Despite being saddled
possibly with an unfortunate choice in names – if you are not paying attention,
you could mix the word up for hard rock mainstays Boston,
Portuguese dance DJ Bosom or Swedish singer-songwriter Bosson – the quartet represents
its city and the music well on its first release. Extensive gigging, a guest
verse from Gatecreeper's
Chase Mason on the engrossing "Mass
of the Phoenix,"
and some media attention have
paid off. Boson
parlays it all into a six-song album
that goes full sludge without the bloat. At around 40 minutes, "Domain of Ember" may be one
of the most brisk doom records you will hear in 2017.
"Shadowlands" is a fitting start to
this release, with its themes of darkness, the Occult and misery emerging
frequently across songs. The bass and drums, by Ryan Janssen and Rob Schmidt
respectively, are disconsolate in their heaviness. The vocals are similarly
downcast, while introducing backing vocal and hints of harmony at points. Dan
Jensen and Jim Adolphson share the guitar duties and singing in Boson,
and their chemistry is undeniable on the opener. There is good command of the
mic that does not overwhelm the rest of the track, recalling perhaps some of Weed Demon's
better work this year, or Bloodmoon. Boson take the solid start and
run with it throughout "Domain of
Ember."
"Echo of the Mute
Stars," the second track, contains a building chorus to begin the
song before the ferocious vocal lunges in. Guitar progressions in the track
build on those intense vocals as well. "Heaven's
Black Corners" is an understated contemplative cut that shows the band
at its best. Supple guitars wrap up about a quarter of the way in, until the
quicksand of distortion, guitars and weightiness takes over for the rest of the
song. "Prayer of Ash" ends
the record on a similarly contemplative and thick note.
As
a developing band, Boson has an intriguing future before it. Its
members do a variety of things well, including overall song construction and
pacing. It is refreshing to have a band that knows itself well enough, even
this early, to not overextend into 20-minute-long songs that may not work as
well or play to the band's strengths as, say, a six- to eight-minute selection.
Where a lot of new bands want to indulge themselves, Boson exhibits dazzling song IQ
on its debut. Where the group goes after "Domain of Ember" will be worth hearing.
"Domain of
Ember"
is available here
