Out of Left Field - A Review of Boris' Live in Japan

Boris is a trio whose music is quite unique. The band members from Tokyo and Hiroshima play psychedelic alternative rock with thunderous drum play, distorted guitar sounds and emotional melodic vocals. This hypnotizing style unfolds its magic very well on stage throughout this concert featuring eleven songs with a running time of ninety-six minutes. Live in Japan also includes three bonus tracks as additional gimmicks. This live document has been released individually and as a collection with the recommendable compilation Variations.

Highlights include the aggressive, discordant and noisy ''Floor Shaker'' based upon energetic male lead vocals that is then immediately contrasted by the elegiac, psychedelic and simple ''Rainbow'' featuring moody female lead vocals. Several songs combine such extremes on their own like ''Ka Re Ha Te Ta Sa Ki - No One's Grieve'' that starts on a calm ambient note before it evolves into chaotic alternative rock patterns inspired by dirty grunge sounds.

The setup for this concert is much simpler than the music that has to be digested here. There are no gimmicks whatsoever and simply three musicians playing their music which is only supported by a nervous light show. Ohtani Takeshi is moving the most while playing bass guitar, electric guitar and performing vocals. Drummer Mizuno Atsuo is a powerhouse behind the kit, playing his heart out and performing a few backing vocals in form of energetic screams. As a stunning contrast, guitarist and female vocalist Mizuno Yoko barely moves and shows few to no emotions while performing the songs with the programmed precision of a robot. Live guitarist Kurihara Michio makes a few guest appearances ti increase the sonic mayhem efficiently. The crowd is in amazement with what is offered to them but barely cheering, moving or reacting much at all. This release is certainly not interesting for its live aspects but for its haunting psychedelic atmosphere from start to finish.

At the end of the day, Boris' Live in Japan serves as a good introduction to a band that has released an elevated number of studio albums, singles, extended plays, splits and live records that make it tough to figure out where to start. This record features ninety-six minutes of psychedelic alternative rock with haunting atmosphere that meanders between calm and elegiac tunes and aggressive and chaotic jam-like outbursts. This isn't the kind of record one could easily listen to on a regular basis but it's certainly creative, energetic and unique enough to be revisited when you feel like listening to something that walks off the beaten path. Fans of bands such as Sunn O))), Sleep and Kyuss should give this a try but I could even imagine open-minded fans of groups such as Muse or Soundgarden appreciating this kind of release.

Final Rating: 80%