Boris with Merzbow
Gensho (Relapse)
Reviewed by Michael Toland, Fri., April 29, 2016
Experimental psych-metal act Boris and noise emperor Merzbow shatter sound thresholds at the drop of a megaton guitar pick, but the first disc of Gensho, the Japanese peers' seventh collaboration, is instead surprisingly accessible. Merzbow adds white noise to classic Boris sweetness like the shoegazing "Farewell," droning "Akuma No Uta," and a dreamy "Akirame Flower." Then the sound sorcerer takes lead on disc two, putting his screeching static front and center. Rough going at 75 minutes, but it's as pure an expression of Merzbow's vision as the first half is of Boris'. (Boris only: Sat., 8:25pm, Levitation Tent)
