Boris

Some bands are fly-by-night operations, garnering instant fame, critical acclaim and shattering all album sales expectations within their first couple years of operation. You've seen 'em before — they're certainly here today, everyone's darlings tomorrow, and merely relegated to curbside refuse service just before the end of the week. Boris is certainly not one of those spontaneous success stories. Though the thunderously heavy and melodic Japanese experimental rock outfit has only very recently been introduced to American ears — most notably via its groundbreaking 2006 release, Pink — the trio (vocalist/drummer Atsuo, vocalist/guitarist Wata and vocalist/bassist Takeshi) has been steadily grazing its unique sonic turf for well over the past decade. And the release of its latest full-length endeavor, Smile, will force the boundaries of Boris' already-expansive repertoire — which features nearly a dozen albums — into new extremes. But before looking at its illustrious present, it's important to understand where Boris originated. The group came together in the early '90s as a four-piece, formed simply for the sake of having some fun. Each current member had been playing... more...