First pressing of 700 copies. Heavyweight 180 gram vinyl housed in deluxe 350gsm reverse-board triple-fold jackets with black poly-lined inner-sleeves. 1st Press180 Gram Transparent Green /100180 Gram Transparent Red /100180 Gram Black /500 "Refrain", the first conceptual collaboration album from Z.O.A x Boris, is complete. It is a musical suite from both bands that surpasses space and time in a single 33-minute composition. Z.O.A burst into existence in the 1990s, sweeping the scene instantly with their inventive and radical musicality before vanishing just as quickly. Boris emerged right around the same time, almost as if stepping in to fill the void they left. Though the two bands sadly never crossed paths at the time, there was still an undeniably collusion between the two deep beneath the surface. Due to Z.O.A bandleader Morikawa’s participation in Boris recordings in recent years, as well as core members of both bands forming the collective A/N, Z.O.A rose once again, making a complete revival in February 2019. The band swiftly embarked on a solo live tour, which was then followed up with a new DVD and album produced by Atsuo of Boris, who has never been shy about stating how big of an influence Z.O.A has been on him. Z.O.A and Boris only grew more and more tightly connected, and the time was truly ripe for the two bands to perform together. Unfortunately, any such plans were put on hold not once but twice, first due the natural disaster back in October of last year, and again by the global pandemic this March. This album is a recording that was planned for an early release on sale at the the venue to Z.O.A x Boris show scheduled for Sunday March 8, 2020 at Koenji High. "Refrain" is a conceptual collaboration album by both bands that contains a single 33-minute musical suite that transcends space and time. The long, sonic pilgrimage of these two bands of unrelenting heretics resonates here as advance testament to the “inevitability” that has been promised. It is proof of the existence of both bands that have been tossed about once more by the cruel whims of fate. But, their time will surely come again.
