Reviewer’s note: this review is for the digital edition of Bright New Disease. The physical edition also includes the additional track “Angels in the Abyss”.
It’s wild to think that the heavy rock titans Boris almost retired in 2017. Instead, they’ve released six “mainline” studio records and a plethora of other EPs, archival or live records. Releasing yet another album is a victory lap. Bright New Disease is their new collaboration where much of Boris‘ audience can meet Uniform for the first time, a band that makes grimly industrial and furiously noise rock. It’s a match made in heaven, as both artists share in pure noise-maker distortion and dependably thrashy riffs. The two bands toured together and became such good friends that they embarked on this trans-Pacific collaboration. It’s a thirty minute, whistle-stop tour of all the things Boris and Uniform can do.
We start out with the noise rock tracks, a genre Boris have specialised in since the release of 2022’s Heavy Rocks, and its subsequent touring cycle. “You Are the Beginning” shows us the kind of to-and-fro collaboration that Bright New Disease brims with. Michael Berdan (Uniform) and Atsuo (Boris) trade vocal lines, and Ben Greenberg and Wata duel with solos and exchange riff ideas. The interaction between bands in the melodies and performances substantial, preventing approach from feeling rote. The track raises its tempo in the spin-kicking second half, where the vocals follow the speed metal riffs in intriguing ways. Overall, the track is a roaring success that crystallises the energy of both projects.
If the “You Are the Beginning” felt more ‘Boris’ than ‘Uniform, “Weaponised Grief” flips this around. It’s fuelled by noise machines that are mixed way louder than any guitar. “No” is similarly built on a Uniform-style thrash riffs, and (if I’m not mistaken) Boris bassist Takeshi also takes the mic. “Endless Death Agony” is another trasher that comes late in the tracklist with more blistering solos. It’s uncommon to hear such carefully orchestrated noise rock that balances contributions from two distinct bands. Perhaps it’s over-designed for what ought to be more messy; it’s up to you if this detracts from how hard these songs go.
The straightforward punk-metal songs are outnumbered by the more off-the-wall tracks, whose experiments find mixed success. “The Look is a Flame” starts as an aimless jam that flounders for direction until its second half. Atsuo sings wavering falsetto followed by Berdan‘s unhinged harsh vocals in the chorus. Speaking of twisted jams, “The Sinners of Hell (Jigoku)” is the interlude between side A and B, full of threatening textures. Its pure sine waves will gently scintillate in your brain, but rather than continue to damage it, the following tracks ease the tension. “Narcotic Shadow” jives on an arpeggiated synth and looping, screw-driving noise. “A Man from the Earth” could be a lost track from Boris‘ New Album sessions with its enchanting pop chorus. Both electronically driven tracks are short and sweet.
The final track (and second single) is another experiment that really works. “Not Surprised” is based on a terminally ‘doom’ riff, heavy enough to remind me of “Untitled” from Boris‘ Smile sessions. The intensity undulates carefully and upward toward the conclusion. A magical moment is when the whispered vocal from Atsuo hushes the guitars momentarily, just before the song’s final burst. The vocals become vengeful and acrid, singing “Go fuck yourself until you smile“, as the background noise becomes increasingly pitched and fuzzy.
Bright New Disease suffers from all the directions it pulls itself in, as the short runtime means each idea is only practised for a few songs at most. It also doesn’t manage to overcome the “significance” problem that collaborations tend to have: a one time effort that won’t see live play, and that feels somewhat artificial in its writing process. These issues fall away when you focus on any one track, and realise that the record isn’t trying to be the greatest of both discographies. It’s another example of both bands practising their craft, and revelling in the backgrounds musicians (and music fans) can share over time and space.
7/10
Boris and Uniform‘s collaboration Bright New Disease releases on Sacred Bones Records and can be pre-ordered here.