To release two albums at the same time is nothing for prolific Japanese experimental noise rock trio Boris, whose sound moves from thrashy punk through to psychedelia and ambient drones.
Heavy Rocks and Attention Please are the band's 16th and 17th albums, the former the heavier of the two, and the latter a more poppy and easier listening experience.
At least in Boris terms it is, because the fuzzy groove of Party Boy, the shattered glitches of Les Paul Custom 86, and the dingy and dangerous atmosphere they create on Tokyo Wonder Land is still enough to curl and crack your big toenails.
What makes Attention Please - sung entirely by lead guitarist Wata for the first time - distinct, is that they rein in their sound, so there is a more consistent mood than you're used to from Boris.
Which means Heavy Rocks is more liable to tear your head off as it moves from grinding Sabbath moments to melodic metal riffs accompanied by Wata's cooing vocals. And even when things are seemingly calm, there is always that unnerving inevitability that the song will veer off into mortal dissonance, like on 12-minute epic Missing Pieces.
Then there's the chaos of space metal punk ditty GALAXIANS (yes, shrieked in capitals), Dinosaur Jr-doing-shoegaze on Tu, La La, and Window Shopping is more like the soundtrack to a kill 'em all shopping spree. Smashing stuff.
Stars: 3.5/5
Verdict: An ear bashing and a cleansing from Japanese trio
Buy Heavy Rocks
- TimeOut
Album Review: Boris, Heavy Rocks/Attention Please
Japanese band Boris. Photo / Supplied
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