The Tokyo Concert Experience

Quoting an artists’s influence in another artist’s work is nothing new, but naming yourself after that influence is the ultimate sign of admiration and respect. Radiohead, for example, did it, when they took their name from an obscure b-side off of a single out of one of Talking Heads’ lesser known albums. This episode, that marked the beginning of the history of that band, ended up being prophetic. In retrospective it was definitely a “passing of the torch” moment. The same could be said about the Japanese band Boris. Their name is taken from the opening 8-minute song of Bullhead , the third, and quite possibly best album of the quintessential sludge metal band, Melvins . I mentioned sludge metal, but the Melvins are much more than that. Not only is their discography eclectic, contrasting complex experimental efforts, like say Colossus of Destiny , with more “accessible” and straight rocking material, like in Hostile Ambient Takeover , the album that followed the aforementioned C

In his book Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult -essential read for fans of the genre- Dayal Patterson opens the chapter about Emperor stating that “if black metal should ever get a hall of fame, there’s a pretty good chance they will be the first inducted”. I couldn’t agree more, they definitely tick all the required boxes. Norwegian origins, antisocial -at times criminal- background, dark spiritual leanings. Above all, they set the bar musically in terms of what the second wave bands were capable of.  Their first album In the Nightside Eclipse is one of the genre’s milestones. There’s hardly a moment as exhilarating in black metal as the transition from the untitled introduction to the relentless assault of Into the Infinity of Thoughts . With a thunderstorm in the background, an ascending chord progression and a blast beat drum pattern that culminates with the introduction of the quintessential black metal vocals. Ihsahn’s shrieks are, in my opinion, the best of the genre.