Boris - The Black Box, Belfast

[Faustus]

Strange Victory in assoc with CQAF Presents

BORIS
The Black Box
Thursday 4 May, 8.00pm

Japan's legendary BORIS are greeting their 30-year career as one of experimental music's most forward-thinking, heavy, and innovative bands.  Continuing to expand their prolific catalog, the group returns with Heavy Rocks (2022) (via Relapse Records) and once again channels the classic proto-metal sounds of the 70's into something all new.
Boris formed in 1992 and eventually arrived at the band's current lineup of Takeshi, Wata, and Atsuo in 1996.  In the years since, Boris has tirelessly explored their own rendition of what is heavy through methods entirely their own.

Though the depths of their "heaviness" may intensify, their unique musicianship defies classification in any one genre or style, so let's just call it real "heavy music" in extreme color. Their music has been called a "game changer" - at the leading edge of the world's rock scene, and that influence is limitless.

They enter realms that cannot be described simply in terms of the "explosive sound" or "thunderous roars" that have become their trademark.

Recently, the group ramped up during the pandemic and released the most extreme album of their long and widely celebrated career, NO, a self-released the album, desiring to get it out as quickly as possible but intentionally called the final track on the album "Interlude" while planning its follow-up.

It's successor came with W, their 2022 release for Sacred Bones Records. NO and W weave together to form NOW, a duo of releases that respond to one another. In following their hardest album with this sensuous thundering masterpiece they are creating a continuous circle of harshness and healing, one that seems more relevant now than ever and shows the band operating at an apex of their musical career. 



Tickets £20.00

Doors 7.30pm | Mostly Standing

https://cqaf.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873643869

[mickO)))]

Playing Dublin and Cork as well. Saw them playing Pink in full a few years ago.

[ldj]

Anyone at these shows?

Was at the one in Dublin last night, absolutely class, leave it to a drone band to give the best rock n roll shows I've seen in years.

[pete]

Yeah was at Dublin gig. Was great with the focus on Heavy Rocks and No.

[Squigs]

Yep was in Dublin last night, had a great time - 2nd half especially was killer. Surprised at the age profile, seemed to be loads of 18-22 year olds about the place giving it loads. Wouldn't have thought Boris would have that sorta base, cool to see.

930pm on a Wednesday is a wild time for a headliner to start though 

[ldj]

Yeah was fairly surprised at the age range too, openers were a bit metalcore for my tastes but the young bucks seemed to enjoy them.

The drummer is some frontman, epic stuff, enjoyed the sprinkles of drone mixed into the metal and punky stuff too.

[Pentagrimes]

I went to the Dublin show on a whim. Can't say I enjoyed it a whole heap,they weren't awful or anything, just didn't click with me really.I haven't really paid much attention to much since "Pink" and there was little in there set last night to encourage me to change that (nice to hear "Farewell" all the same). As a mate said, it was like watching Poison play d-beat for an hour.

I'm afraid contrary to the praise above I found the frontman hugely irritating, he was like a fucking pantomime dame, and seemed massively contrived - the piano song before the encore was particularly woejaysus. That Takeshi lad is clearly the talented one in that band. Secondly, for a band with so much fancy expensive gear that was the muddiest guitar sound I've heard in years, though that seems to be depending where you were stood  - I was talking to a couple of people after who said they thought the sound was shit too, then other people who were nearer the front seemed to think it was amazing.

I'm bemused and inpressed by the  Taylor Swift-esque devotion they seemed to inspire. Cool to see a band around that long attract a younger crowd (can't help but think Pupil Slicer might have helped).

[ldj]

I was going to say it was like watching Axl Rose front Motorhead in my post actually  , I thought it was great craic, but I am partial to a bit of cheesy rock theatrics if it's done well.

I'm not a massive drone fan so hearing them just rock out was great, and I think it actually made the short droney parts more epic when used.

Would Pupil Slicer be that big? Never heard of them, not my scene at all was surprised to learn they're doing the whole tour, bit of an odd fit.

[nukeabuse]

Japanese Steve Tyler was my thoughts, wouldn't really listened to them much on record but thought it was a great show.