Boss Keloid
“Melted On The Inch”
Holy Roar
Released 27th April 2018

Across the UK the heavy music scene is having a purple patch. A brace of unique and talented bands are releasing dynamic and challenging music, laying waste to small venues on a weekly basis. Few have the excellence to grow beyond the scene that bore them however. Those most likely to do it include Conjurer, Grave Lines, Hundred Year Old Man and Elephant Tree. You can now add Boss Keloid to that list.

If 2016’s “Herb Your Enthusiasm” was the album that showed Boss Keloid’s potential, “Melted On The Inch” is the one that realises it. And then some. Forget ‘genre defining’, this is genre creation pure and simple. No one else sounds like Boss Keloid, and that’s surely the biggest complement you can pay them.

The angular riffing Paul Swarbrick has been honing since 2013’s “The Calming Influence Of Teeth” comes of age in the opening minutes of first track “Chronosiam”. He’s enhanced his palate with a healthy dose of Steve Howe-esque string picking and is now writing fully realised musical paintings rather than just pulling together a collection of disparate lead lines into a whole. The addition of keyboardist Matthew Milne is a revelation, as his organs add a whole new widescreen touch to the band’s songs – making Keloid feel fuller and weightier as a quartet than they ever did as a four-piece.

Underpegging everything is drummer Ste Arands mastery of his instrument. His adeptness at switching from a simple groove into a flight of percussive fancy is breathtaking, particularly on the monstrous “Peykruve”. At times this epic tune – and indeed the following cut “Jronalih” - sprawls into territory only Yes have been brave enough to explore before, yet it sounds thoroughly 2018 – making what is at time quite difficult music easily accessible. Now that’s a feat. Bravo!

The aforementioned “Jromalih” is the high-water mark, and its chorus the most sublimely beautiful thing you are likely to hear all year. This is the moment where this band become amazing. Alex Hurst’s voice has never sound better: like a hot bath that takes your breath away initially then makes you feel all warm and fuzzy as you adjust to the temperature.

“Melted On The Inch” is a perfect record. Brave, intelligent, modern, chock full of melodies, and with moments of stunning musicality. There’s not a single wasted or average second. How often can you say that about an album? This really is something very special indeed. Apollo-sized venues surely await them.

10/10