End Of Level Boss

Prologue
Exile On Mainstream Records

Once again, here's a case where the expectations surrounding the band are far loftier than they should be. "Sounds are being moulded, inverted, re-arranged," says the promo sheet. This suggests that they are some sort of highly experimental, abstract new group that likes to manipulate their Metal environment to create a fresh, unique sound. However, such is not the case. I'm not even exactly sure what that quote is referring too, other than the atmospheric (for lack of a better word) electronic effects between and amongst some of the tracks. Sure, they have some odd time signatures and rhythms, but at heart they are Grunge. Not Alice In Chains Grunge, but more along the lines of the bands who tried desperately to revive the dying Grunge scene in recent years with an off-shoot dubbed "Neo-Grunge". Those bands should have let the genre die, but even they managed to create something that End Of Level Boss fails to: a fresh take on a floundering sound.

I never paid too much attention to the whole Neo-Grunge scene, mostly due to how cliché I found it, but I do have CDs by a couple of different artists who managed to at least create tracks that get stuck in your head once the stereo has been shut off. EOLB seems to be too caught up in trying to push the envelope to put a lot of effort into making memorable songs. Sadly, it's a sacrifice that doesn't pay off. What remains are eight passable Neo-Grunge tracks with some haunting effects and off-kilter rhythms. By no means am I saying that their musical skills are lacking, though. All members seem to know what they're doing, and they pull it off as best they can. The problem lies with their song-writing abilities. They have good lyrics, good core music, but nothing exceptional is built around it. "Disjointed" goes on for a whole ten minutes and as a listener you really feel it. The psychedelic and bluesy latter-portion of the track really drags things out, and there's no point to it. Long Grunge songs aren't good at the best of times, but this sort of thing is really tiring on a sensory level. I applaud them on their choice of cutting the album off after forty-two minutes, because any more would have been far too much.

My final words on this band: if you enjoy Grunge/Neo-Grunge, and if are dying for a progressive take on the two genres, then by all means grab this disc. You most likely won't be disappointed. Just don't buy it hoping to hear some kind of abstract arty Metal, or even something that will get you singing along, because you won't find it here. If you're into the aforementioned genres at all, you will undoubtedly already know of far better bands.

Stu Patterson