Boris with Merzbow - Gensho Album Review

I think it's safe to say that Boris is one of the most interesting and unique metal bands in the world today. On "Gensho" they collaborate once again with the legendary avante-garde musician Merzbow. There's a bit of a unique edge to "Gensho"; Boris and Merzbow each recorded their own album to be played in tandem with one another. The listener can raise or lower each side to their own taste. The album can be as clean or as drenched in noise as you'd like! The Boris side of the album is made up of re-recorded versions of old songs minus the percussion. Merzbow composed all-new creations for his side. My first dive into this album was with the Boris side at 100% and the Merzbow side at around 30%.

"Farewell" was once the booming introduction to Boris' beloved classic album "Pink". Now it serves as the equally booming intro to "Gensho". Paired with Merzbow's "Planet of the Cows", this song takes on an entirely new form. The twisting feedback from "Planet of the Cows" actually makes up for the lack of percussion in "Farewell" in an interesting way. With the two overlapping albums, I didn't even notice the transition into "Huge" on the Boris side. "Planet of the Cows" is still running. The squealing feedback intensifies while Boris cuts in with some HUGE guitar chords (pun intended). "Huge" was another opening track back in the day, this time for Boris' second album "Amplifier Worship".

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The Boris song "Resonance" begins at the same time as the second Merzbow composition "Goloka pt. 1". All the sound is coming from Merzbow at this point, from soaring feedback to a marching beat of steel drums. Interestingly enough, "Resonance" is just that. It's just a studio hum which is completely inaudible over the insanity of Merzbow. "Rainbow", from Boris' collaboration album with Michio Kurihara, attempts to break through the chaos with some beautifully harmonious guitar. If you turn Merzbow down just a bit, you can make out the slinking bass and Wata's gentle voice. A massive hit of guitar feedback slides in and becomes somewhat of a solo. The bass carries on even as the feedback abruptly drops out.

Finally it's the moment I've been waiting for: "Sometimes". Boris covered the My Bloody Valentine classic on the tribute album "Yellow Loveless", but this version is something much more powerful. I've kept Merzbow's side a bit lower since "Rainbow" and leave it there for "Sometimes". The vocals echo in the most gorgeous way, barely making a crack in the massive guitars and Merzbow's neverending chaos. What was once My Bloody Valentine's heartbreaking semi-acoustic ballad has become a nearly ten-minute beast. This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs I've ever heard.

"Sometimes" and "Goloka Pt. 1" build into a wall of sound which shatters to pieces in perfect harmony. Merzbow's "Goloka Pt. 2" starts just as Boris' "Heavy Rain" (off of their most recent album "Noise") starts to peek in. Merzbow's side actually slows down to let Wata's voice seep through for just a minute, before Boris' guitars smash through and leave you breathless. This combination had been released earlier in the year, but hearing them as part of the whole just makes it so much better. "Heavy Rain" is one of my favorite Boris songs hands-down, and this is just more confirmation of that point. I have a recommendation for you: don't ever listen to music as loud as I listen to it. My volume is turned way up, and I think I may actually be dying as I write this. There's no other explanation for the way this song makes me feel.

"Akuma no Uta" is an interesting one. Boris actually re-recorded this song once before, in ANOTHER collaboration with Merzbow. Everything has started to go a bit quiet, a bit gentler. Boris starts to fade in while Merzbow starts to fade out. We're barely halfway through "Goloka Pt. 2" so I can only imagine what's in store by this point. The introduction happening here is foreboding and even a little bit terrifying. "Akuma no Uta" was about a four minute song when it was released on the album of the same name. Here, it's clocking in at just under twelve minutes. The song starts to build into a powerful drone, actually drowning Merzbow out entirely.

With no warning, everything suddenly drops. A bassy electronic beat and Merzbow's glitchy feedback together serve as the introductions for "Akirame Flower" and "Prelude to a Broken Arm", respectively. The duet vocals on "Akirama Flower" are emotional and beautiful. I've actually never heard this song, originally from Boris' split release with nine days wonder. It's a gorgeous and powerful song. The melancholy of the vocals pair well not only with the instrumentation from Boris, but Merzbow's slightly more organized noise as well. This is actually my favorite Merzbow composition of the four as well.

The album closes with the classic Boris track "Vomitself". A common closer at their live shows as well, this is a ten-minute sludge monster of drone and feedback. Merzbow's side is starting to pick up speed, and soon the two are an unstoppable and merciless force of destruction. This is pure noise heaven. The chant-like vocals come in at a yell but barely break the surface nonetheless. The song chugs along slowly but heavily. Nearing the end, Merzbow's side screeches towards the finish line. The feedback builds up into a wall of white noise as Boris fades out entirely.

This album was an experience. I don't know what else to say. It's beautiful and chaotic. It's so impossibly loud that I can't even believe I'm actually hearing it. Please give it a listen. If you're not a fan of harsh noise? Mute the Merzbow side! Boris still brings incredible versions of some of their classics to the table. "Gensho" has smashed my eardrums into bits, so I probably won't listen to anything else today.

"Gensho" officially releases this Friday, but can be streamed in its entirety here:
https://soundcloud.com/relapserecords/sets/boris-with-merzbo-gensho

Boris Favorites: Rainbow, Sometimes, Heavy Rain, Akirame Flower
Merzbow Favorites: Prelude to a Broken Arm

-Justin

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BORIS IS:
Takeshi: Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Wata: Vocals, Guitar
Atsuo: Vocals, Percussion, Electronics

MERZBOW IS:
Merzbow (Masami Akita): Electronics, various instruments

GENSHO:

Boris:

1. Farewell (originally on Pink)
2. Huge (originally on Amplifier Worship)
3. Resonance
4. Rainbow (originally on Rainbow)
5. Sometimes (My Bloody Valentine cover, originally on Yellow Loveless)
6. Heavy Rain (originally on Noise)
7. Akuma no Uta (originally on Akuma no Uta)
8. Akirame Flower (originally on Golden Dance Classics, split with 9DW)
9. Vomitself (originally on Amplifier Worship)

Merzbow:

1. Planet of the Cows
2. Goloka Pt. 1
3. Goloka Pt. 2
4. Prelude to a Broken Arm