Trying to categorise Japanese musical pioneers, Boris, is as difficult as trying to figure out the meaning of life. No one really has the answer, and even trying to put them under the all encompassing banner of a ârock bandâ doesnât really do them justice. Whether itâs avant-garde, noise, doom, sludge, drone, indie rock, j-pop, metal, shoegaze, Boris have just about done it all. In fact they may as well have their own genre, simply known as Boris.
If ever there was a record in their lengthy back catalogue that comes close to defining who or what Boris are exactly, its their 2006 release, âPink.â To celebrate the 10th anniversary of this milestone record, it has now been given a deluxe reissue, which has opened up the world of âPinkâ more than you could possibly imagine. The inclusion of nine additional tracks from the original âPinkâ sessions, known as âForbidden Songsâ, gives you the complete picture of where the band were heading 10 years ago.
The original eleven tracks still sound as fresh and relevant as they did back in 2006. Drawing from the heavier side of their influence â while flecked with humming ambience, it plays out like sonic assault of shredding leads, earth-shattering bass lines, and frenetic drumbeats.
Wataâs monolithic guitar riffs are at times droning through âFarewellâ and âBlackoutâ, before dropping into white-hot punk-metal during âWoman on the Screenâ and âPsuedo-Breadâ. The dual vocal of Atsuo and Takeshi wail through âAfterburnerâ, and the gritty distortion that shrouds âSix, Three Timesâ sounds even more blistering.
While âPinkâ was an aural endurance test in its original incarnation, the 10th anniversary edition is even harder to digest. Ultimately the end result is worth putting yourself through it, even after the nineteen minute closing track of the original, âJust Abandoned Myself.â
The haunting, shoegaze-tinged âYour Name Part 2â bleeds into the crushing âHeavy Rock Industryâ, in which some of the biggest riffâs in Wataâs arsenal collide into one another. The slower tracks, âRoom Noiseâ and âN.F. Sorrowâ are just as menacing as any of the metallic tracks that permeate âPinkâ, before the beautiful instrumental track, âTiptoeâ, decays until the final moments of the album.
Even if you are already familiar with âPinkâ, the 10th anniversary edition is still an essential and worthwhile investment. The addition of âForbidden Songsâ alone makes it feel like an entirely new record. Where Boris head from this reissue is anyoneâs guess, and given that this is their second release in six months, the creativity that spills from this band will surely mean a new record is right around the corner. For now, relive one of the most inventive albums from their illustrious career.
GLEN BUSHELL