They’re part Motorhead; part psychedelic, 70s rock; and part indie-electro clash. They’ve opened for Nine Inch Nails on tour and collaborated with drone masters Sunn O))). Are you confused yet? Well, the band’s name is Boris, and they’re one of the coolest Japanese rock bands that you may (or may not) have heard of.
If there’s one word to describe Boris, it’s eclectic. After a few releases during the 90s in which they primarily played heavy, doom-ridden metal ÛÒ a la Melvins ÛÒ the band began incorporating new musical styles into their sound. The band even nods to folk artists—for example, Nick Drake,whom they sample in “Farewell” on 2005’s Pink. Here, Drake’s simple, instrumental piece “Horn” is drawn out into a seven-minute epic that dances a line between metal, shoegaze, and noise rock. Pink gained the group a good deal of positive music media attention, but, despite a greater mainstream appeal and growing fan base Boris, still retains a fairly low profile.
Since Pink, Boris has shifted their sound even further, experimenting with drum machines and synthesizers, such as on their 2008 LP,åÊSmile. Although the band is only a trio, they often work with other artists, and have released a number of collaborative records with the likes of Japanese guitarist Michio Kurihara; Japanese noise artist Merzbow (including a noisy cover of The Beatles’ classic “I Am the WalrusÛ); as well as the aforementioned American drone metaling, amplifier-worshipping Sunn O))). Perhaps they simply don’t believe in labels or genres in music, but this is certainly something Boris no longer has to worry about.
When listen across different albums, Boris may at times seem like a different band, and this is certainly intended. It’s even reflected in the band’s album artwork ÛÒ loud, metal-leaning records often have the band presented as “BORIS” on the cover, while softer or more experimental works feature the name written as “Boris” or even “boris.Û
Gaining a good size following and exposure over recent years, including playing All Tomorrow’s Parties events, Boris seems almost unstoppable. The band’s most recent album ÛÒ very cleverly titled New Album ÛÒ is a continuation of their experimentation with electronic music. It’s a far step from the metal releases in the earlier half of their catalogue, but it is an interesting next step in their evolution as a band. Further, as a assembly of extremely prolific artists, Boris is set to release another two albums this year: one throwback to their metal years and another to showcase guitarist and occasional singer Wata’s lead vocal skills.
Japanese metal may sound like a turnoff for some, or perhaps, if you are a headbanger, it sound like a turn on. Either way, Boris has an offering for really anyone that can appreciate innovation in art and music.