Gig review: Envy, Bossk

Taken from the official Envy website, found here

One month, two important bands (three if you count the review which will soon follow this one). I could say that I am at a loss for words, but seeing how this prelude is probably going to be followed by a wall of text, I'd be misleading you. Let's just dive into this! 

This magnificent spectacle took place on a gloomy evening, October 25th, at Musikens Hus in Gothenburg, Sweden. I've already attended a concert in this venue on one previous occasion when "Draconian", "Harakiri For The Sky", and "Rome" performed back in 2018, a performance which sadly went undocumented by yours truly. By now I can safely say that I find the venue quite lovely, small enough to be nice and cozy, but also spacious enough to host a vast number of people without everyone being crammed together too tightly. A small flight of stairs takes you to a wardrobe and a space for a big merch table and then one more set of stairs leads you to the actual gig space with a big stage and a bar, lined with chairs at the far left and right ends of the hall. The acoustics of the venue are superb, so far proving the ability to respect a plethora of different sounds, coming from both mellow acoustic tunes of "Rome" and absolute chaos wrought by "Envy". Musikens Hus definitely lives up to its name.

Bossk

First in line for the evening were "Bossk". This UK-based quintet has been killing it ever since their formation in 2005, with numerous releases, music videos, and literally hundreds of live shows to boot. During this time they have continually kept playing to their strengths, dishing out an impressive post-metal/sludge amalgamation, which is all the more powerful when witnessed live. If you want the epitome of "massive", then this band is undoubtedly for you. Wave after wave of heavy riffs, moody bridges, droning swampy tunes which are at times reminiscent of good old "Crowbar", but then also at times refreshed by groovy stoner rhythms, the plate of soundscapes that you're served with is truly diverse, but all neatly packaged. This whole packet lays lumbering when listening live and it is hard to explain just how it feels when their enormous crescendos fall down and just completely flood over you. My own mistake was that I haven't listened to them prior to the gig in ages, so most of the played songs sounded rather unfamiliar to me, so I just tuned my brain out and enjoyed the show. Definitely go and see them live if you have the chance and, in case you haven't already, you can check them out on their bandcamp page, found here.

A short break ensued, just enough time to get a breather and a sip of liquid... and a burning sensation in the chest. Even though I was laughing and talking on the outside, there was some turmoil on the inside. A sense of positive anxiety that crept up on me. After so many years of waiting, almost two decades, they were coming, they were finally here, and I had no idea if I was ready. 

Envy

"Envy". That is all the introduction they need. Simply by uttering their name you invoke a tenure and legacy spanning 30 years, three decades of genre-pushing recordings, international live shows, collaborations with so many other artists of various genres, a seed planted heavily in the post-hardcore genre that never could and never will be underestimated. Their vigor and persistence has arguably granted them the title of the longest active screamo act, hitting the Japanese scene in 1992 and not stopping for a second ever since, a fact that will leave many other important names envious. How fitting. 

To put it in my own personal perspective, "Envy" started playing when I was 5 years old... This blows my mind on so many levels. It was not until 2003 and the release of "A Dead Sinking Story" that I first heard of them, almost by accident since that release was randomly added to a burnt DVD compilation of hardcore bands my older brother made for me. I clearly remember the evening at home when I browsed the compilation and saw a folder named "Envy", the name catching my attention instantly. From the very first second of "Chain Wandering Deeply" I was captivated beyond comprehension, the song remaining one of my all time favorites to this very day. Still it represents an iconic monument of sound that is above anything I ever heard of at that point. The enormity of the soundscape, an inescapable feeling of vastness and melancholy, the sheer talent displayed with every tone and word, it completely obliterated me and hooked me for life.

"Envy" is the same today, bearing the same qualities, the sum of all their individual magnificence, but it would be insulting not to say how much they grew and changed over the years. They always represented progress within the post-hardcore/screamo scene with their exceptional fusion with post-rock, yet it is impressive how much they have evolved while also remaining true to their sound and their roots. The accent is put on those epic post-rock melodies that are worthy of being a movie soundtrack, but with no shortage of the chaos and emotional impact that was omnipresent in their earlier works. 

And after so many paragraphs of praise and "basic" introduction, how do I even describe their concert in Musikens Hus that night? It would be an understatement to say that it was emotional for me. They were there, in front of me, a band so important to the developing of my own musical tastes and education, one that I never imagined I would see live. The first tones flooding from the stage opened a portal and the first words from Tetsuya Fukagawa pushed me through and I was back in my room in 2003 hearing them for the first time, the lyrics I heard back then echoing in my mind again. 

"We are accustomed to the habit of waiting so much..." 

But the wait was worth it in the end. They exploded on stage with "Footsteps in the Distance", later with "Statement of Freedom", "Two Isolated Souls", "Swaying Leaves and Scattering Breath" and so on. I couldn't believe how insanely good they sound live, definitely being an example of a band you love to listen to at home, but are even more so enamored with when seen live. The songs impactful and loud, right at the tipping point where they are perfectly clear, but also so massive that you are absolutely consumed by them. The band's physical performance was entrancing, the swaying and dancing and being one with the music, being unable to look away as a spectator and just completely giving in to the spectacle. 

At some point in their performance they played an unreleased song which is set for release on November 9th, which was a beautiful cherry on top of the whole event. It is unreal to me that they keep being so creative after three decades of work, never shying away from the chance to impress, never losing a milligram of passion and dedication. The song was a wonderful teaser of some grander thing "Envy" has in store for us and it makes me excited of what is yet to come. 

Nearing the end of the set they performed "Farewell to Words" from their 2001 release "All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting Ahead", beautifully going full circle with the showcase of their discography, the song a thrilling and chaotic homage to the band's beginning. Ending with a maddening crescendo the crowd was craving more, thus we were gifted with one more song, "A Warm Room", and a promise that they will be back to Sweden in the future.

If somehow you never heard of "Envy", you can listen to them on their bandcamp page, found here. 

So what to say at the end of it all? It is my impression that I've become a lot more emotional in my reviews lately, as well as with my overall experience and recognition of music. This blog has always been a diary of sorts, but it has become even more so after the Jeromes Dream review back in 2019 and the overall self-reflection and contemplation in the years slightly before and during the pandemic. Life, in general, has been extremely difficult for the past 20 years, but as cliché as it might sound, music has always been there to pull me through, and it is remarkable to me that the older I get the more opportunities I get to make many of my dreams come true, both personal and musical ones. After so many years of struggling, I have found my "warm room", a place where I can breathe and flourish, and surely "Envy" has finally become one of those materialized dreams. 

 "I see the end now. Let's go home."