Absolutego Explained

Absolutego
Type:studio
Artist:Boris
Cover:absolutego.gif
Released:1996 (original)
2001 (reissue)
Recorded:1995 (original)
1997 (reissue)
Genre:Drone metal
Length:60:15 (original)
73:24 (Reissue)
Label:Fangs Anal Satan
Southern Lord (SUNN10)
Producer:Boris
Chronology:Boris
Prev Title:Boris/Barebones
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:Amplifier Worship
Next Year:1998

Absolutego is the debut studio album by Japanese experimental band Boris.[1] It was released in 1996 by Fangs Anal Satan. This album shows inspiration from the Melvins and, most prominently, Earth. Excluding the Merzbow collaboration Sun Baked Snow Cave, it is the only "one-long-song" Boris album that is not broken down into multiple parts. A song with the same title also appears in the album Dear and re-appears on the collaboration album 2R0I2P0.

In 2001 Southern Lord Records re-released this album remastered and slowed down, with an alternative cover, and relabeled as Absolutego+ (Special Low Frequency Version) in homage to Earth 2. This reissue included a bonus drone track recorded in 1997; its title would be reused 4 years later for an album also called Dronevil (a trend which continued with three albums titled Heavy Rocks, one in 2002, another in 2011, and a third in 2022) as well as for the original "Dronevil" song, a Heavy Rocks (2002) outtake released on the Mangrove 2002 compilation. Southern Lord also released the 2001 remaster on vinyl in 2011 with new artwork, splitting the title track arbitrarily with cutoffs to fill the first three sides; the fourth side contains the final 9:35 and bonus track "Dronevil 2."

Personnel

On all releases until Amplifier Worship, Takeshi had been referred to as "Ohtani", and was credited as such on Absolutegos original release. This was corrected for the reissue of the album.

Pressing history

YearLabelFormatCountryOut of Print?Notes
1996Fangs Anal SatanCDJapanYesCover depicts a girl holding a large snake; sound quality is tinny and more trebly than future releases
2001Southern LordCD-RU.S.YesOrange jewel box; new cover depicting Wata and guitar; U.S. bonus track
2001Southern LordCDU.S.YesSame cover as limited U.S. pressing, includes bonus track
2010Southern LordVinylU.S.Yes2000 Black vinyl, 1000 red vinyl; New cover; Includes bonus track
2020Third ManVinylU.S.NoOriginal 1996 cover; reissued by Third Man Records; limited edition blood vinyl and standard edition black; includes bonus track

Notes and References

  1. Book: Herbst . Jan-Peter . The Cambridge Companion to Metal Music . 2023 . Cambridge University Press . 252.