Boris - NO Review

Don't get me wrong, I love Merzbow, but it is extremely difficult to keep up with his output. For those uninitiated, the one-man Japanese noise artist, according to RateYourMusic as of the writing of this article (it has only increased since), has released 906 different projects. This includes 367 studio albums, many live albums, EPs, compilations, and guest appearances and collaborations. While the complete accuracy of this data may be able to be questioned, Masami Akita is a machine when it comes to output. This, however, does not result in everything he puts out being good, or bad, or even listenable at all. It is so difficult to decipher the discographies of Buckethead and Frank Zappa, who similarly have hundreds of releases under their belts. What often, at least to me, is the case is that a lot of this material isn't worth listening to at all.

Of all of the artists that continue to consistently release high-quality music year after year, Boris is probably the most competent and varied of the lot. With an almost 30 year career under their belt, the three-piece has crafted groundbreaking music in a countless number of genres, from drone metal to J-pop and everywhere in between. While Flood might be my personal favorite, releases like Amplifier Worship, Boris At Last - Feedbacker, and Pink are mainstays in their respective genres. Even their double LP from last year, LφVE & EVΦL, served as a fantastic return to form for the group and validated their relevancy years after their most popular and beloved work. While I cannot say that I have listened to every album from this ridiculously prolific group, NO, has somewhat an oppositional effect to the group's 2019 output. Dipping their scarred heel into the forrays of crust punk and crossover thrash, Boris takes their own sounds from releases like Smile, Heavy Rocks, and the previously mentioned 2005 effort and turns the skank beats and gang choruses to the maximum setting. 

The majority of tracks here do not exceed three minutes, which is absolutely foreign territory for the triplet, but that is made up for in the heaviness and ferocity in the performances from Takeshi, Wata, and Atsuo. Cuts like "Anti-Gone" and "Temple of Hatred" blast through their runtimes with pounding drums and some of the punkiest riffs I have heard in a long time. There are also more harsh vocals on this album than any Boris release I have ever heard, which is an extremely nice touch, as Takeshi's screams and snarls fit the mosh-ready environment that the group culminates here. This continues on songs like "Lust" and "Fundamental Error" where non-stop riffage takes into a crash course of catchy punk songwriting and the heavy side of hard rock.

But Boris' eclecticism is nowhere far, as tracks like "Genesis" and "Zerkalo" serve as reminders to what the group "usually" sounds like, which a mix of fuzzy sludge metal and feedback-heavy drone. Their noisier side comes out on "HxCxHxC -Perforation Line-" and "Kikinoue," with layers of guitar effects serving as a backdrop on the punkish instrumentals. As someone who prefers the more brooding and drawn out sounds this group produces, it's nice to hear their incorporation even in the more aggressive part of their repertoire. "Loveless" is another great example of how NO is an extremely competent blend of genres, taking the opening, a slower, sludgy doom metal riff, and transitioning it flawlessly into driving hardcore, and back again while keeping the energy alive throughout. 

In the single flaw this album has, it needs to be addressed. This album's closer, ironically titled "Interlude," completely ruins the momentum set up by the rest of the tracklist. With haunting vocals from Wata, breathy synths whir while electronic droplets plunk. This is a great track in its own right, but it does not fit following the very noisy and dramatic conclusion of "Loveless" before it. Could it have fit somewhere in the midpoint of the album to break up the non-stop fury of punk energy? Maybe, but as it stands, "Interlude" is a pretty weak closer in the grander scheme of the tracklist. This, however, isn't to say this sours the album in any way, as listening still leaves you thoroughly satisfied with what you just heard.

If you know Boris (which you should), you somewhat know what to expect here. The veterans know how to make kick-ass music is near any style, and NO showcases this perfectly. Their most aggressive release to date, this 11 journey proves once again that Takeshi, Wata, and Atsuo are genius musicians of the highest class, and deserve to be worshipped as the malleable deities of art that they are.

Final Verdict: はい!

Favorite Tracks: "Temple of Hatred," "Loveless," "Fundamental Error" 

FFO: Discharge, Dystopia, Melvins

Track List

1. "Genesis"

2. "Anti-Gone"

3. "Non Blood Lore"

4. "Temple of Hatred"

5. "Zerkalo"

6. "HxCxHxC -Perforation Line-"

7. "Kikinoue"

8. "Lust"

9. "Fundamental Error"

10. "Loveless"

11. "Interlude"

You can support Boris on their Bandcamp.