Japanese Heavy Rock Hits V.1

We Say...

Review by Frank Neuman

Over the course of their 15-year existence, experimental metal trio Boris have produced more material than nearly any act in the genre. What's more, each release is a completely different experience. The creative minds behind the pseudonym-obscured group have no intention of creating a unified sound. On their latest 7" single — the first in a series of three — the group has yet again tweaked their atmospheric hard rock.

The first track, "8," may open with a thunderstorm of steady, low guitars and soft drumming, but it quickly roars into action until becomes startlingly heavy and fast-paced. Takeshi's ghostly, moaning vocals and Atsuo's fast-n-wild drumming mesh with unusually upbeat, anthem-caliber guitar work by Wata, creating the most heavily-layered, slickly produced Boris track to date. Despite the differences in pacing between a ‘typical' Boris composition and the soaring instrumental themes of "8," the song still offers the avid listener both crushing waves of feedback and the accompanying foam of electronic noise.

Though "8" bears some evidence of branching out, "Hey Everyone" is the track that proves that, when Atsuo, Wata and Takeshi set out to do something different, they pull no punches. Ululating cheers and excited drumstick-clicks set the song apart from the group's decidedly anti-pop norm. The thick guitar strums and the relentless, snare-heavy drumming is framed by another first: all three members sing together. It's an eclectic collaboration, the strange combination of Takeshi's forlorn norm, Atsuo's wild hollering and Wata's soft, folkier approach. The combination of these various voices creates a kind of range and oscillation not found on even their most critically-acclaimed albums.

Don't be too disappointed by the fact that the single's running time will leave you wanting more: nine minutes of Boris at their freshest and most daring should satisfy not only fans of heavy metal, but anyone looking for a different rock sound. If the first foray into this trilogy of singles is a harbinger of Japanese Heavy Rock Hits to come, this first effort may be the perfect introduction for those wanting to enter the always-evolving, ever-challenging world of Boris.