End Of Level Boss Interview

Those who crave metal-edged material that are looking for something that is a bit different from the standard metal fare will revel in the latest grooves from the UK's End Of Level Boss. A band that is unique in a familiar way, EOLB meld plodding Soundgarden-style discordance with the technical wizardry of Viovod to tremendous effect on their latest, "Prolouge". The Gauntlet's Erin Fox catches up with EOLB's mainman Harry Armstrong for the lowdown on the band's debut.

The Gauntlet: Firstly, what inspired the band's rather unusual name? Are you video game fanatics?

Harry Armstrong:We're not really 'fanatics' but we all enjoy a good shoot-em-up as much as the next man! Basically we like the idea of the End of Level Boss being the last man standing. The one that must be destroyed to complete the game. Once we started thinking about it, it became kind of apocalyptic, which is the perfect accompaniment for our noises!

The Gauntlet: Is your songwriting process such that you consciously think about the various time movements and different textures or does creating this style of music simply come natural for you?

Harry Armstrong: It's a very natural process really. We're fans of off the wall timings and structures, and so we twist every different possibility out of our riffs. Then we decide which one has the right level of bizarre discordance, while trying not to lose too much of the head nodding groove.

The Gauntlet: Do you find that playing this style of music is the most accurate reflection of your artistic intentions?

Harry Armstrong: Definitely. There are other styles of music that we listen to once in a while, but nothing beats the energy that comes from blasting some killer metal riffs.

The Gauntlet: Should EOLB be lumped into the "stoner" band category, or do you see your creative output as being something that has more to offer than the groups of that scene?

Harry Armstrong: Who knows? There are so many sub-genres these days that I find it difficult to keep up. We just do what we do without much concern for categorys. I love cranking out a bit of Kyuss or Atomic Bitchwax alongside some Voivod or King Crimson, but it's all just good music to me.

The Gauntlet: Why did you choose to record on analog equipment now that we are so firmly entrenched in the digital age of music production?

Harry Armstrong: We wanted to catch the fully live vibe of the band, to capture the complete energy. The Analog studio we used was closing down and being taken apart as we recorded. It gave us a real feel for what we were doing. Also we didn't want to have the option of fixing things in the mix. We want our music to be exactly what it is, without any computer assisted fakery!

The Gauntlet: Were you looking for a warmer sound than digital recording provides?

Harry Armstrong: Yeah. If it wasn't so damn expensive, we would have released the album on vinyl too! There's something magical that gets lost in the transfer to cd.

The Gauntlet: Tell us about some of the equipment used to record the album. Were all of the effects used analog as well or did you use digital outboard gear?

Harry Armstrong: There were one or two bits of digital delay going on, but on the whole it was just a few mics shoved in front of our amps while we did our thing. It helped that the engineer we used really knows his shit when it comes to analog noise-making!

The Gauntlet: What types of music influence the sound of End Of Level Boss? Do you mind the comparisons to bands like Soundgarden?

Harry Armstrong: Not at all - as long as it's a comparison to stuff like 'Jesus Christ Pose'. That's a killer tune. I wouldn't say that Soundgarden are a big influence on us though. I think we get the comparison mainly on the vocals, but there's not a lot I can do about that as it's just my natural voice. I can see why people draw that comparison, but we're far more influenced by bands like Voivod, King Crimson and the Atomic Bitchwax. Although we are definitely trying to make a sound that is uniquely ours.

The Gauntlet: Do you feel that the album is a good representation of what the band sounds like during a live performance?

Harry Armstrong: Yeah. Although we do tend to play around with stuff and jam a little live. I don't think we've ever played 'Disjointhead' the same twice! Sometimes it's 10 minutes, other times it can go on for 20 minutes. It just depends on the mood and how good the ale is!

The Gauntlet: As the album is entitled "Prologue", can we expect that this is just a taste of what is to come from EOLB?

Harry Armstrong: Definitely. That's why we used Prologue as the title. This is just the beginning. Something to prepare your ears for what's coming next! I've just started working on some new ideas for the next record. It's already getting weirder!!

The Gauntlet: Are there any plans for a video from the album?

Harry Armstrong: No. We spoke to some people who wanted to make one, but it's not really something we're concerned about. If we made a video it would definitely have to be something that we'd get heavily involved in and create a complete concept around. I doubt we'd even be in it! At the moment we're concentrating on getting out on the road and playing. We want to meet new people who are just as riff-hungry as us!

The Gauntlet: Tell us how the song "Step The Mind Gap" came to fruition.

Harry Armstrong: It was just an idea I had for a bass-line that we kept piling stuff on top of until it took on a life of its own! It was one of the last songs we wrote for this album, so maybe it's a stronger hint of what's coming next. Then again, maybe not! We'll have to wait and see!

The Gauntlet: What is it that makes being an artist worthwhile for you?

Harry Armstrong: It would be easier to list the things that don't make it worthwhile as there are far fewer of those! Basically I love it all. Rehearsing new songs for the first time always brings a big smile, but so does recording a killer take, or blasting our noise into room full of grinning faces. It's all good. Touring maybe gets the top spot as it involves a lot of foolish drunken behaviour! Plus we get to hang out and meet all kinds of people. Music is a great aphrodisiac, man!