Spotlight: Boris

"Maybe we connect to the world with drone music," posits Atsuo, drummer and vocalist for Japanese metal trio Boris, via e-mail and a translator. "It's the impression of chaotic sound. There are no boundaries; everything is connected."

Atsuo has just described the intrinsic beauty of Pink, Boris' 2006 magnum opus. The transoceanic guitar tones in "Just Abandoned Myself" use low-end distortion to rattle your consciousness like a sudden earthquake, while "Farewell" gains temporary transcendence through shimmering, slow-burning textures. The drone bridging the two represents revelation.

"When we play music, we run after the pleasure of the music itself," Atsuo writes. "With down-tuning and maximum volume, we experience great feedback that takes us to heaven."

2001's Amplifier Worship is only one of many routes to that gateway. Taking its name from a Melvins song, Boris formed more than a decade ago, incorporating elements of doom metal, classic stoner rock, and psychedelic pop. They've become a tsunami of sound unrivaled in modern music.

Boris' recent wave of recognition stems in part from some high-profile collaborations: with the dark ones of SunnO))) on the brooding, ominous Alter; their third project with Merzbow, Sun Baked Snow Cave; and the upcoming Rainbow, a series of compositions with Ghost's Michio Kurihara.

"There's always something to gain and surprise with each collaboration," Atsuo says. "Ultimately, we try to make music that lets people discover something new. We aren't expecting listeners to understand our music. We just want to create an experience for them."