Boris

Perhaps the only bigger than life art-school metal band from Japan who match SG's dominant color: ladies and gentledudes, I give you BORIS

I probably should've started this thread last month, when they were starting their US tour to support PINK, in a shade not more than a few hex values away from SG's own hue. The band features Wata, the girl with an amp stack taller than herself, Takeshi, the singer and bassist with the double-neck bass/guitar combo, and Atsuo, the drummer and singer with the big fucking gong.

Maybe you've heard of Boris, maybe you just know some trivia about their bizarre nomenclature and funny record covers, maybe you just waked and baked and need some totally sweet speed metal/shoegaze hybrid to take the edge off. Please, take off your shoes, kick back, and direct all Boris conversation within.

Still haven't decided what I think of PINK yet. I really liked their other more recent stuff ... Akuma No Uta, Amplifier Worship, and the one with Merzbow.

Saw them with Sunn 0))) a few weeks ago. They were filming their set for, what I understand, will be a live DVD in the not-so-distant future.

Here's some crappy phone cam pics ...






He plays the gong in Sunn 0)))'s live set as well.

I saw them with Sunn O))) in Chicago a few weeks ago. I had the tickets for months and was so excited that I had to take the entire day off of work before the show. It was one of the most thrilling, unique, mind blowing nights of music I've ever witnessed.

The two bands have also recorded an album together, due out later this year. My imagination is running wild right now, thinking about how it'll sound.

Yeah, I guess PINK is a bit 'Rough Guide to BORIS'- fast song, sludgy song, fast song, dirge song, ambient song, fast song- but I like that it covers a lot of the bases they'll normally play to. Atsuo said in an interview I can't find right now that since there isn't much of a specific 'metal scene' in Japan, there's very little orthodoxy to follow- hence the combination of speed, shoegazing, drone, etc. in one group.

I also like that they have a great sense of humor- the Akuma No Uta cover ripped from Nick Drake's Bryter Layter was hilarious.

i was there with FritzKD and i felt like i was soaring over the surface of a red alien planet during their set. it was incredible.

and, as i've said before, Wata =

My girlfriend and I unironically referred to Wata's guitar playing as "shredding" at their show in Philly. That woman has total dominion over the riffs.

great way to put it. amplifier worship is still my favorite, though.

I love the "Pink" album. it's the first one i've heard from them and apparently i've been missing out!
Any woman who rocks the Orange amps gets my undying worship

Love love love 'em.

Saw them in Leeds some time in the past few months, and it was amazing despite the crowd's unfamiliarity with the stuff. I confess I'm a more recent convert and currently prefer the titanic riffage of their faster rock stuff than the endless, nuanced drone, but give me time!

A live DVD would be so good...

Also, yes, Wata is gorgeous. Her and Tamaki from Mono are awesome examples of small woman+big instrument being incredibly hot/cute.

Their stuff is hard to get here in Australia,but i have found a source..my kinda noise

I used to make such awesome threads.