Boris are a band that not only lie outside the bounds of definition, they redraw the lines.
Formed in 1992 in Tokyo, the trio have established an artistic synergy that has seen them remain together for the last 31 years, and counting.Always evolving and embracing their passion for free expression, Boris have charted their multi-decade course through dozens of genres, from sludge rock to drone metal, psychedelia to minimalism, even exploring dream pop in 2011's 'Attention Please'.
Boris have always been prolific, but something must be in the water for the band, who have released ten bodies of work in the past six years alone.
July of 2022 saw the first ever international release of their 2002 album 'Heavy Rocks'. The album was originally slated for international release in 2002, but fate saw an accidental fire break out at the pressing factory, destroying the 'Heavy Rocks' stamper alongside decks of already pressed bright orange vinyl copies.
After 20 years of waiting and with a fresh remaster, "we're incredibly happy that the world can finally hear it," drummer Atsuo told Post Trash.
"We are not really recognised as a genuine Japanese band even among the Japanese, so most people don't really understand Boris." - Boris
Fans wondered what surprises 2023 would hold for the cult-followed band, and were served up not only a new album, but one co-created entirely with Boris' touring mates Uniform, a grim industrial, noise rock band from New York.
The two bands met while touring the United States in 2019, and were instantly drawn to each other's creative philosophies, leading to the Trans-Pacific creation of 'Bright New Disease' earlier this year.
"On tour, we learned more about the depth of their musicality, which we felt was compatible with our own expression," Atsuo and Takeshi told Stereo Gum of Uniform.
"They are a band that can be described in many ways – punk, metal, industrial – but they truly excel because they are not locked into any style. They are always experimenting and innovating."
It's not hard to see how these two aligned so easily. 'Bright New Disease' is less of a melding of creative styles, and more of an oscillation between distinctive styles. Michael Berdan of Uniform and Atsuo of Boris trade vocal lines, while the guitarists bounce between duelling and sharing riffs.
Boris hadn't anticipated double drums on the album, but after hearing Uniform's drummer Sharp perfectly sync his drums to the demo, which had been recorded without a click track, they confidently moved forward with double percussion.
The album was written and recorded during "the darkest days of the pandemic," Takeshi told Sweetwater, a shared experience despite the 6,000 miles lying between the vastly different nations.
"We were confronted with the reality that individuals cannot survive unless they think and make decisions for themselves," he says. "We asked, 'what do we do to ensure our way of expression stands strong in this type of situation?'
"This work is significant and produced great results precisely because it was not face-to-face. We're not interested in collaborating for the sole purpose of business and/ or hype.
"Friendship and respect for each other – that's where the collaboration always blooms. Uniform had aesthetics and values we could relate to. Creating work with them has been fun and brings happiness."
Boris' name came from a love of American rock, specifically a well-known State of Washington band by the name of Melvins. Their third studio album 'Bullhead' sported the track 'Boris', unknowingly inspiring a trio of young Japanese rockers, still as devoted as ever.
To celebrate the international release of 'Heavy Rocks' and the subsequent US tour with Uniform, Boris reached out to their biggest influence via singer-guitarist Buzz Osborne, to see if their heroes would consider joining them, and their heroes graciously obliged.
"It's quite an honour,” Atsuo shared with the Washington Post. "When Boris first started out, [Melvins] were our biggest influence. To think that we're touring the US together, it's an unbelievable thing.
"We said, 'We'd love it if you could perform the album 'Bullhead', since it's the album that has the song 'Boris' from which we took our name'. Buzz kindly agreed, and then it became a full tour.
"We're watching them perform and absorbing their show every night, and that reflects in our own show," Atsuo added. "We've already learned so much from their working methods and their playing."
When asking the band to define themselves, Boris relinquish the role of musician, choosing instead to consider themselves visual artists. "In certain aspects we are not really recognised as a genuine Japanese band even among the Japanese, so I think most people probably don't really understand Boris," Atsuo told Post Trash.
"While we basically don't refuse any interview offers, we don't really answer substantial parts of most questions. Most interviewers approach us as musicians, and expect a particular answer a musician might give.
"We don't fill those expectations. Our way of thinking and approach is closer to that of a visual artist. For that reason, we're probably hard to figure out when looked at as musicians.
"We feel that the visual side exists to add a degree of freedom to the image of the music. We have no desires about how we want to be perceived.
"People have many more chances to encounter visuals first, more than music itself. That is why we think the visual side is extremely important. Time is needed for music recognition, whereas a visual image seeps into one's consciousness instantaneously."
Boris will be hitting Australian shores in March 2024, including the ΩHM Festival of Other Music, a multiple-month programme alongside Yothu Yindi, Drab Majesty, and Michael Rother, as well as many other musicians, dancers and visual artists.
"From Japanese metal gods Boris to electronic Krautrock luminary Michael Rother (NEU!) and legendary Australian First Nations collective Yothu Yindi, OHM 2024 presents the most influential artists in contemporary art today," Brisbane Powerhouse Arts Program Director Brad Spolding says.
"After a massive first edition, we are excited for OHM's return with a bigger free programme, inviting locals to catch artists like WITCH (We Intend To Cause Havoc), Penelope Trappes, The Wilds and Chunky Move at no cost.
"For our second festival, we have also added an extensive programme of new contemporary dance soundtracked by composers like Anna Whitaker and Robin Fox, featuring local company ADC alongside the stunning Stephanie Lake Company. Rounding out the multi-art form celebration, Sonic Youth founder Kim Gordon presents her first-ever exhibition in Australia."
Boris play ΩHM Festival of Other Music at Brisbane Powerhouse on 7 March. They'll be joined by Kiyoharu.
Boris 2024 Tour Dates
Wed 6 Mar - Manning Bar (Sydney)Thu 7 Mar - ΩHM Festival @ Brisbane Powerhouse
Fri 8 Mar - The Corner Hotel (Melbourne)
Sat 9 Mar - Golden Plains Festival (VIC)
Sun 10 Mar - Lion Arts Factory (Adelaide)
Tue 12 Mar - Freo.Social (Fremantle)
ΩHM Festival of Other Music takes place at Brisbane Powerhouse between 28 February and 20 April.
ΩHM Festival of Other Music 2024 Line-up
MUSIC
Yothu YindiDrab Majesty
Boris
Michael Rother + Friends
The Necks
The Veils
Lydia Lunch & Joseph Keckler
Erin Fitzsimon & Matt Hsu's Obscure Orchestra
Tim Hecker
Franck Vigroux
Antoine Schmitt
CORIN
Arka Kinari
The Wild
WITCH
Dots+Loops
MOVEMENT
Colossus by Stephanie Lake CompanyTHREE by Australasian Dance Collective
Universal Estate by Chunky Move
VISUAL ART EXHIBITIONS
Kim Gordon's Objective ProjectionKim Gordon's Proposal For A Dance
