2R0I2P0 (Twenty Twenty RIP, Relapse Records)  is a collaboration album from two luminaries of the Japanese experimental music scene, Boris and Merzbow. Boris has released a vast number of albums over the past 25 years, and their sound ranges from psychedelic post-rock to crushing metallic doom riffery. Noise artist Merzbow (the brainchild of Masami Akita) has been even more prolific, having released hundreds of records over a 40-year career.

2R0I2P0 is an album to be listened to as a whole. The tracks fall seamlessly into one another and the whole record has clearly been designed with a structure in mind. Boris begins, on “Away From You”, in slow and sprawling, blissed-out Sigur Rós-esque soundscape mode. Merzbow’s electronics are very obvious right from the beginning, occupying the outer periphery of the stereo spectrum and often sitting at a disconcertingly high volume level on top of the band. This has the effect of making much of this record somewhat akin to a battle between tonal and musically structured elements from Boris, and utterly atonal and discombobulating harsh noise from Merzbow. Hearing this counterpoint play out is compelling.

Gradually, as we roll through the first few songs, Boris build towards a headbang-inducing monolithic doom climax, the likes of which wouldn’t seem out of place on an Electric Wizard record. Scuzz-blues vocals and wig-out guitar solos fade in and out. Then, on track 6 (“Journey”) the sludge falls away and is replaced by tender and sensitive psychedelic drone-rock. All the while Merzbow’s noise continues unabated, the layers of aggressive distortion often working in direct and purposeful opposition to the nuanced and feather-light backing music. The effect could definitely be described as “weird”, but what else would one expect from these two artists?

As we enter the second half of this 78-minute album, Boris themselves start to get a little noisier. “Uzume” sounds like Hawkwind on a lot of downers if they were playing next to two enemy groups of alien space creatures locked in a deadly laser gun battle. Riffs are eventually all but abandoned in favour of a pounding war-drum build which is eventually drowned in the sea of glitchy bleeps, hisses and robotic crashes. “Evol” is a huge and euphoric tidal wave of sound, melodic but as harsh as can be. It doesn’t sound a million miles away from the heavier end of My Bloody Valentine. Here Merzbow’s noise begins at times to complement rather than oppose Boris’ musical sequences. Sometimes it becomes difficult to distinguish between the distorted guitars and the electronic effects. “Shadow of Skull”, the final track, has a majestic, almost meditative, or hymn-like feel. We reach a climax of distorted chaos and disorientating electronics as the drums crash away at their glacial pace. But there is a kind of peaceful, calm feel to be found underneath the layers of devastation. The effect is somehow like being safely cocooned in the eye of a storm as it wreaks havoc all around.

Anyone well-versed in the output of either Boris or Merzbow will surely find a lot to love about this collaboration. It’s long, it’s unconventional (even for heavy music) it’s relentless and it’s uncompromising. But it is also a journey rich with substance and emotional truth. It also doesn’t quite sound like anything else that I’ve heard. Submit to 2R0I2P0’s glorious chaos and find the enlightenment within.

2R0I2P0 by Boris with Merzbow is released on 11th December 2020 via Relapse. Physical Pre-Orders are available HERE and Digital Downloads / Streaming HERE.

9  / 10

DUNCAN EVANS