Boris are a Japanese heavy rock band. Known for their volatile sound, encorporating elements of heavy metal, hard rock, ambient music and psychedelic rock^[1], the band are regarded by many to be one of underground metal's most prolific bands. As of 2008, personnel are drummer Atsuo, bassist/guitarist/vocalist Takeshi, and guitarist Wata. Tokyo (東京; Tōkyō, lit. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Stoner music, stoner metal and stoner rock are interchangeable terms describing a sub-genre of rock music. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Sludge metal is a form of heavy metal music that is generally regarded as a fusion of doom metal and Stoner metal[1], often incorporating southern rock influences. ... Alternative metal is an eclectic form of music that gained popularity in the early 1990s alongside grunge. ... Hard Rock redirects here. ... Neo-Psychedelia (a. ... Experimental rock or Avant rock is a type of art music based on rock and roll which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, and/or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Southern Lord is an American record label, founded in 1998 by Greg Anderson and Stephen OMalley, specializing in doom, sludge, drone and experimental metal. ... Hydra Head Records is an independent record label which was set up in New Mexico by Aaron Turner in 1993. ... Inoxia Records is a Japanese record label that is closely related to the Japanese band Boris. ... Diwphalanx Records is a Japanese punk/metal record label. ... Sunn O))) (pronounced simply sun) is an American drone metal band, in its broadest sense; however, it incorporates elements of the dark ambient, metal and drone doom genres as well. ... // Merzbow (Japanese; メルツバウ) is the name used by Japanese musician Masami Akita (秋田昌美 Akita Masami) for most of his experimental noise records, and is considered by many to be the earliest project among others in what has become known as the Japanese noise scene. He has released many CDs, LPs and cassettes... Keiji Haino (灰野 敬二 Haino Keiji) born 1952 in Chiba, Japan, and currently residing in Tokyo, is a Japanese musician whose work has included rock, free improvisation, noise, singer-songwriter, solo percussion, psychedelic, minimalism and drone styles. ... Ghost is a free-form rock/improvisation group formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 1984. ... This article is about the genre. ... Heavy metals, in chemistry, are chemical elements of a particular range of atomic weights. ... Hard Rock redirects here. ... Ambient music refers to a kind of music that envelops the listener without drawing attention to itself [1] // The term ambient music was first coined by Brian Eno in the mid-1970s to refer to music that can be either actively listened to with attention or as easily ignored, depending... Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs. ...

Boris take their name from a song on the The Melvins' Bullhead, and released their first album Absolutego on their own label, Fangs Anal Satan. Since then, they have released 17 studio albums (including such acclaimed works as Absolutego and Heavy Rocks), a number of EPs, 7" singles, and full-length collaborative recordings, on various record labels around the world. The Melvins are an American rock band/ metal band that usually perform as a trio. ... Bullhead is an album by The Melvins, which was released in 1991 through Boner Records. ... Absolutego is the debut album by Japanese experimental doom band Boris. ... Absolutego is the debut album by Japanese experimental doom band Boris. ... Heavy Rocks is the fourth album by Japanese band Boris. ...

History

Boris were originally a four-piece, with Nagata on drums. Nagata departed in 1996 leaving Atsuo to take over drumming duties and they have remained a three-piece since.^[2]

From their formation, Boris's members have made deliberate efforts to avoid being pigeon-holed, or too strongly associated with any musical style. "Having some kind of preconceived message or theme is very boring to me," noted Atsuo, the band's drummer. "It becomes a crutch. Just say what you want to say."^[3]

The band's influences are eclectic, with Sleep, Nick Cave, Nick Drake, Venom, and the Melvins being a few of the more important ones. The group quickly realized that they did not fit in with the Japanese hardcore punk scene that birthed them, though they retain a fondness for the scene and its music. Sleep was a stoner and doom metal band from San Jose, California. ... Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional actor. ... Nicholas Rodney Drake (June 19, 1948 – November 25, 1974) was an English singer-songwriter and musician best known for his acoustic, autumnal songs. ... Venom are a heavy metal band, formed in late 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. ... Melvins are an American rock/metal band that usually perform as a trio. ... Hardcore punk, now commonly known as hardcore, is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America in the late 1970s. ...

Inner label artwork for many Boris LPs by fangsanalsatan

In Japan, Boris release most of their music on the indie label Inoxia Records. Though relatively unknown in their home country, a recent series of reissues on US label Southern Lord Records has seen their popularity in North America increase dramatically, even gaining them widespread recognition in the mainstream music press. Many of Boris's vinyl releases feature similar artwork for the inner label of the record (pictured). This is a parody of the original Roger Dean artwork that Virgin Records used for many of their releases (seen here). An independent record label is variously described as a record label operating without the funding (or outside the organizations) of the major record labels, and/or a label that subscribes to indie philosophies such as DIY and anti-corporate art. ... Inoxia Records is a Japanese record label that is closely related to the Japanese band Boris. ... Southern Lord is an American record label, founded in 1998 by Greg Anderson and Stephen OMalley, specializing in doom, sludge, drone and experimental metal. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Music critic. ... Freyjas Castle, 1987 Roger Dean (born August 31, 1944, in Ashford, Kent) is a contemporary English artist best known for his work on album covers, which he began painting in the late 1960s. ... Virgin Records was a British recording label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... Image File history File links Virginrecordlogo. ...

2005's Pink was met with considerable critical praise and a strong response from music fans when reissued in the US on Southern Lord Records. Blender magazine and SPIN magazine both named it one of 2006's best CDs.^[4] The album also topped the metal section of Canadian magazine Exclaim's 2006 Reader's Poll, and was in the top 10 of Pitchfork Media's Top 50 Records Of 2006. Original cover Diwphalanx Records, 2005 Pink is an album by Japanese band Boris, released in 2005 on Diwphalanx Records in Japan and subsequently reissued in the US on Southern Lord. ... Southern Lord is an American record label, founded in 1998 by Greg Anderson and Stephen OMalley, specializing in doom, sludge, drone and experimental metal. ... Blender is an American magazine that bills itself as the ultimate guide to music and more. ... Spin is a music magazine that reports on all the music that rocks. Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione, Jr. ... Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork, is a United States-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. ...

Boris's recent vinyl-only release, Vein, focused on a sound derived from classic Japanese noise and crust bands, such as Gloom, Confuse, and Gai. Vein is the 15th (counting the alternate version of Soundtrack from Film Mabuta no Ura) and 16th (Counting both versions of this particular release) album by Japanese experimental doom band Boris, released on a special printed vinyl (1500 copies) on October 2006 for $30. ... Noise music is music composed of non-traditional musical elements, and lacks the structure associated with Western Music. ... Crusty redirects here. ...

Sound

A Fangsanalsatan concert poster from 1998 featuring Boris.

Boris began their career as a hardcore punk band before quickly changing to a drone metal group. Their debut album, 1996's Absolutego, clocks in at well over an hour in length, yet features only one "song," essentially a collage of shapeless guitar noise -- with single chords sometimes stretching past the 4-minute mark -- and screamed vocals. Throughout their career, they would continue to dabble in this style; their albums Flood and Feedbacker also consist of single epic-length songs, though typically broken into smaller parts, and their The Thing Which Solomon Overlooked series could be described as being recorded experiments in the drone genre. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Absolutego is the debut album by Japanese experimental doom band Boris. ... Flood is the third album by Japanese band Boris. ... The Thing Which Solomon Overlooked is an album by Japanese band Boris. ...

However, since about 2000, Boris has become more often seen as an updated version of the blues-rock power trio, influenced heavily by late-'60s and '70s groups such as Motörhead, Blue Cheer, and Cream. Boris first made use of this sound on their album Heavy Rocks, which has since become a fan favorite. This album marked a major shift in tone for Boris; comparing Absolutego to Heavy Rocks, it is as if one were comparing two very different bands. The power trio is a rock and roll band format popularized in the 1960s. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... This article is about the band. ... Blue Cheer is a San Francisco-based rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s, who helped to pioneer heavy metal music. ... Cream were a classic 1960s British rock band, which consisted of guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker. ... Heavy Rocks is the fourth album by Japanese band Boris. ... Absolutego is the debut album by Japanese experimental doom band Boris. ... Heavy Rocks is the fourth album by Japanese band Boris. ...

Boris has collaborated with fellow Japanese musicians Keiji Haino, Michio Kurihara, and Merzbow, and also collaborated US drone metal band Sunn O))), for the well-received Altar, which was released on October 31, 2006. Keiji Haino (灰野 敬二 Haino Keiji) born 1952 in Chiba, Japan, and currently residing in Tokyo, is a Japanese musician whose work has included rock, free improvisation, noise, singer-songwriter, solo percussion, psychedelic, minimalism and drone styles. ... // Merzbow (Japanese; メルツバウ) is the name used by Japanese musician Masami Akita (秋田昌美 Akita Masami) for most of his experimental noise records, and is considered by many to be the earliest project among others in what has become known as the Japanese noise scene. He has released many CDs, LPs and cassettes... United States may refer to: Places: United States of America SS United States, the fastest ocean liner ever built. ... Sunn O))) (pronounced simply sun) is an American drone metal band, in its broadest sense; however, it incorporates elements of the dark ambient, metal and drone doom genres as well. ... Boris chronology Japanese Version Cover Inoxia Records version cover Altar is a collaboration album between Japanese sludge/doom band Boris and American drone doom duo Sunn O))), released on October 31, 2006 through Southern Lord Records. ...

Another important concept in the band's aesthetic is the idea of "uppercase" and "lowercase" Boris. According to Atsuo, if the band's name appears as "BORIS" on the record cover, the music is a relatively conventional dose of rock or metal. If the name appears as "Boris" or "boris," then, the music is most likely an experimental recording.^[2]

Instrumental setup

As mentioned, Boris play music in a variety of genres. This dictates that their setup in a live environment be equipped with many different effects pedals and other guitar accessories. Wata uses an E-bow to achieve bow-like sounds or to manipulate feedback; this device is held in the hand, like a pick, but relies on a strong magnetic pull to move the guitar's strings. An EBow The EBow or ebow (brand name or E-bow, for Electronic bow or Energy Bow)[1] is a hand-held, battery-powered electronic device for playing the electric guitar. ... Various guitar picks. ...

Further allusion to the sound of '70s hard rock is made in the band's exclusive use of Gibson guitars such as the SG and Les Paul models. Takeshi sometimes plays a double-necked Ibanez SG-style bass/guitar live, which allows him to drone away on the guitar during longer numbers but quickly switch to bass without needing to switch instruments. Wata uses the Orange cabinets and Matamp heads also favoured by stoner metal groups Sleep and High On Fire; Takeshi uses Ampeg bass amps, a trademark of desert rock legends Kyuss, and influential Palm scene guitarist Josh Homme. The Gibson Guitar Corporation, of Nashville, Tennessee, USA, is a manufacturer of acoustic and electric guitars. ... The Gibson SG is a popular model of solid-bodied electric guitar that was introduced in the early 1960s. ... The Gibson Les Paul is a solidbody electric guitar originally developed in the early 1950s. ... Steve Vai playing a twin-necked Ibanez A double neck guitar is a guitar that has two necks. ... Corporate logo of Orange Amplification Orange amplifier and cabinet with the distinctive tolex Orange Amplification is a British electric guitar and PA amplifier manufacturing company, famous for its distinctive bright orange tolex covering on amplifier heads and speaker cabinets. ... Sleep was a stoner and doom metal band from San Jose, California. ... High on Fire is a heavy metal band from Oakland, CA, USA. Their music is generally classified as stoner metal or doom metal. ... Ampeg is an instrument amplifier manufacturer. ... This article is about the band. ... Joshua Michael Homme (born May 17, 1973[2] in Palm Springs, California) is an American Rock musician. ...

In the studio, Boris records on analog equipment. They record as much as possible live, with minimal overdubs and as few takes as possible.^[3] A reel-to-reel tape recorder (Sony TC-630), typical of those which were once common audiophile objects. ...

Members

The members of the band each go by one name only. However, it has been revealed in recent years that Atsuo's surname is Mizuno, and it is possible that Takeshi's surname is Ohtani, as he was known until 1998. Fans often assume that Atsuo is the leader of the group, but since Atsuo speaks near-fluent English, he may be over-represented in English language interviews and press releases.

• Atsuo - lead vocals (1992-1996); drums/lead vocals (1996-1998); drums/backing vocals (1998-present)
• Wata - electric guitar (vocals on 2006 release Rainbow)
• Takeshi - bass guitar/rhythm guitar/lead vocals
• Nagata - drums (1992-1996)

For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... An electric guitar An electric guitar is a type of guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into electrical current, which is then amplified. ... Rainbow is a collaborative album between Japanese experimental doom band Boris and psychedelic guitarist Michio Kurihara. ... A sunburst-colored Fender Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass[1][2]; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ...

Discography

Main article: Boris discography

Listed below are the major releases from the band. For most collaborations, singles, and splits, see the main article. The discography for the Japanese band Boris. ...

References

1. ^ York, William. Boris > Biography. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2008-02-16.
2. ^ ^{a b} Altar liner notes (Daymare 3LP pressing)
3. ^ ^{a b} "Atsuo - BORIS/boris." Rad Company. Date unknown. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
4. ^ "The 50 Greatest CDs of 2006." Blender Magazine Online. Jan/Feb 2007. Retrieved on February 9, 2007.

The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

External links

• Boris Official site
• Southern Records: Boris Bio
• The StonerRock.com Guide to Boris