No, Boris haven’t gone Merzbow. The boundary-blurring Japanese metal overlords have titled their upcoming album Noise, but — paradox! — so far it looks like it might have their highest signal-to-noise ratio yet. “If we had to suggest just one album for those unfamiliar with Boris’ music, we will pick this for sure,” the band says of the June 17 release via Sargent House, in a statement. After a discography-ranging 2013 tour, the trio of drummer Atsuo, guitaris Wata, and bassist/guitarist Takeshi (all sing) certainly has plenty of weapons at its disposal; 2011’s New Album delved into a funhouse version of house, while earlier that same year Heavy Rocks evoked both Blue Öyster Cult and Funkadelic right as Attention Please silded up alongside the xx. Their 2005 touchstone Pink, meanwhile, concocted a powerful brew out of shoegaze and sludgy metal. “Quicksilver,” the first track from Noise (via Pitchfork), is a mercury-revving seven-minute opus that defies categories once again. Let the record show: The title element itself is a heavy, albeit liquid, metal. Perfect.
Boris’ Noise track list:
1. “Melody”
2. “Vanilla”
3. “Ghost of Romance”
4. “Heavy Rain”
5. “Taiyo no Baka”
6. “Angel”
7. “Quicksilver”
8. “Siesta”
Boris tour dates:
April 27 – London, England @ Desertfest
June 14 – Tokyo, Japan @ Fever
July 24 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
July 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
July 26 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
July 28 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
July 29 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
July 31 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
August 1 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
August 2 – Washington, DC @ 930 Club
August 3 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
August 5 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
August 7 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
August 8 – Buffalo, NY @ Tralf
August 9 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
August 10 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
August 11 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
August 12 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
August 16 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
August 17 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Rickshaw Theatre
August 18 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
August 20 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
