ALBUM REVIEW: Boris - "Dear"

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 14/07/2017

Label: Sargent House |

Daymare Recordings 

From the opening track, “D.O.W.N. –Domination of Waiting Noise–“, Boris conveys punishing volume so effectively that your ears will ache at practically any level.  Every note and every layered vocal has been obsessed over, placed perfectly in the mix, and acts as a distillation of twenty-five years of intense collaborative synthesis.

Dear CD//DD//LP track listing

1. D.O.W.N. –Domination of Waiting Noise–

2. DEADSONG

3. Absolutego

4. Beyond

5. Kagero

6. Biotope

7. The Power

8. Memento Mori

9. Dystopia –Vanishing Point–

10. Dear

The Review

                 

There is a unique feeling of terror when diving into the sprawling works of prolific musicians: where do you start with a catalog as huge as say, Frank Zappa?  Ani DiFranco?  Napalm Death or Earth or Neurosis – bands that have entire ERAS that are written off or championed?  What are the agreed-upon masterpieces?  The overrated tracks?  The overlooked gems?  If you wade into the world of jazz or jam bands or any other artist where specific performances are dissected just as intensely as studio cuts, you may as well surrender yourself to a hermetic life of obsessive collecting and analysis.  Imagine the trepidation, then, for any newbie to Japanese avant-garde metal / electronic / rock / experimental legends Boris, who have, to date, released over twenty full-length records – not counting their live and studio works with fellow musical outlier Merzbow, collaborative efforts with SUNN O))), splits, rarities, remixes, and  compilation albums.  “Dear”, their twenty-fourth offering, was originally intended as a farewell record, marking 25 years since the band’s inception.  It’s also my first introduction to their unique blend of droning, buzzing, melodic, invigorating, and crushing mastery.  God help me… I may need to do a full dive into their discography.

               

From the opening track, “D.O.W.N. –Domination of Waiting Noise–“, Borisconveys punishing volume so effectively that your ears will ache at practically any level.  The sheer amount of space between chords leaves room for sickening, pulsating feedback, brilliantly complimented with the clean vocals.  Remarkably, Boris manages to retain undeniable heft when blasting uplifting, major key progressions.  The turns to sinister, minor key melodies and softy, whispered vocals in tracks like “DEADSONG” or “Beyond” is even more powerful when juxtaposed with the cathartic, rocking crescendos that punctuate the record.

When Boris edges toward the ethereal balladry of Sigur Ros, their dark instincts to destruction and dissonance always pulls the band away from the precipice of twee post-rock.  The sheer filth of the riffs on “Kagero” and “Memento Mori” earn every falsetto phrase, making passages that could be cliché totally sublime instead.  “Absolutego”is the closest to a lead single on the record – a grunge rocker that shares its name with their 1996 debut album.  But then Boris eschew any of this pop rock sensibility on droning, doom instrumental “The Power” or the sludgy title track, opting for sheer sonic bombardment that will rattle the fillings right out of your teeth.  Yet there’s always an uncanny feeling that despite the idiosyncratic rhythms, the synthesized noises sputtering at seemingly random intervals, the feedback so furious the whole band sounds like it may just keel over and fall apart, this is a meticulous production.  Every note and every layered vocal has been obsessed over, placed perfectly in the mix, and acts as a distillation of twenty-five years of intense collaborative synthesis.

If there’s one complaint you can lob at “Dear”, it’s the unwieldy runtime.  At nearly seventy minutes, there are moments that drag slightly.  A two disc version appends three more tracks and over twenty more minutes.  It’s hard to imagine, but enough songs were recorded on top of these for at least two more full-length albums.  At times you can’t help but wonder what the editing process even looks like for Boris when the album itself is so huge, so disparate, and, truth be told, so consistently compelling.  I’m certain that well after Boris puts out that FINAL final album, there will be plenty of outtakes, demos, alternate remixes, and live versions for completists to pore over for years.  With “Dear”as my first entry into their legendary, sublime canon, I may one day count myself among the obsessive’s.

“Dear” is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook