Boris with Stephen O'Malley

Remember Boris‘ debut masterpiece? It would be such a simple question for most other bands, even the older ones, but for Boris, it seems that their first release came out six or seven lifetimes ago. Literally dozens of records later, numerous collaborations, splits and EPs, travelling between wildly different genre landscapes, the Japanese trio’s discography has expanded to a fantastic, unwieldy behemoth.

So we’ll forgive you if you take a while to remember that it was Absolutego that kickstarted all of this (after a couple of demos) in 1996 and put that strange little band from Tokyo named after a Melvins song on the map. If you further exercise your memory, you will surely recall that Absolutego was – above everything – a drone album, one single 60 minute track that took the listener on a strange, intense and very dark trip.

It was the kind of drone that is infused with the spirit and obscure vibe of doom metal, the kind that has become a staple in our musical diets mainly through Earth, a few early Melvins work and… Sunn O))). If your memory is particularly powerful, or if you’re a massive Boris fan, you’ll also remember Southern Lord has reissued Absolutego twice – originally released on Boris‘ own label Fangs Anal Satan – once with new artwork provided by Stephen O’Malley himself, an appropriate gathering of like-minded individuals, as you’ll surely agree.

So why are we happily hopping along Boris‘ memory lane, you wonder? Well, because we’ve invited them to come and perform that Absolutego giant of sound, and they said yes. But wait, there’s more… Joining them for this performance is none other than Stephen O’Malley – to make it extra special, and exclusive to Roadburn.

We’ll probably be ruining our hearing forever by playing Absolutego over and over until the moment comes when these legends step up on stage together, ready to destroy with their mastery of unholy frequencies.

Boris with Stephen O’Malley will play Absolutego at Roadburn 2018 on Saturday, April 21.

José Carlos Santos / December 2017