Boar are a band from Oulu, Finland, formed at the end of last decade. They recorded and released a couple of cassettes / EP’s and contributed on some splits, and they performed live on stage with the likes of Conan, Weedeater or Dark Buddha Rising. Last year they started recording Veneficae at their own studio Stoner Katakombs Of Doom. Seen the name of their studio, and seen the label they have released their debut on, you can guess what kind of sonic pleasure this band does perform, I think.
Indeed, this six-tracker brings six lengthy pieces of massiveness, constructed out of monumental mammoth riffing, a colossal rhythm section and deep-throated guttural growls. ‘Boar bends genres and structures to present its hazy, psychedelic vision’ is what the bio says, or ‘for fans of Electric Wizard fucking Kyuss all night long’. It says it all, I guess. Indeed, Boar present little groovy yet ultra-powerful Sludge with elements from (Traditional) Doom and Stoner, and even some (Black) Metal at the one hand, and harsh Post-Rock at the other. Yet above all, as mentioned before: this material is heavy as f*ck!
It starts with the opening track, Old Grey (with its length of 6:19 the shortest piece on this album), which contains all ingredients mentioned in the former paragraph, yet with a focus on Sludge. Witch Woman is more Doom / Psychedelic / Stoner-oriented, with some references to the Seventies, and with splendid grooves and bewitching melodic leads. Pentagram, Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Kyuss and so on; it isn’t but a first glimpse-of-mind (does this word actually exist?). Sand goes on in the very same vein, yet this song even has something progressive, although the traditions of the Stoner / Doom genre remain intact.
Most vocals are of the grunting / blackened-screaming kind, and it might repel some listeners. But it’s one of the details that makes this album more occult and obscure than many colleagues. I do not dislike their choice, for what it’s worth… Another thing that might be confusing, but what undersigned appreciates as well, is the noisy approach, going for both sound (as if it were recorded live) as well as the injection of droning Psycho-Noise elements.
FFO: Saint Vitus, Goatess, Electric Wizard, Ufomammut, Conan, Kongh and the likes…