There's one rule that has always worked: if it's Boris, it's worthy of a 10. They could play polka and it'd still sound as awesome as it can get.

Japan's Boris is without a doubt the leading force in both Japanese metal and the global stoner scene. The main difference when compared to other bands of the same style is one, and obvious: experimentation. They've played lots of different styles without ever lowering their quality or getting commercial.

If you've heard their previous albums, you know they never make the same album twice, so the radical change in Pink is no surprise. This time it's a comeback to stoner/doom (yes, a little bit like Heavy Rocks) but with lots of drone and groove added. And, well, this album is just what stoner bands should aim for.

What makes Pink sound like it does, oddly enough, is the production. It's easily the loudest and most saturated Boris album to date.

Think of it as a mix between Boris and Guitar Wolf, minus the rock & roll propaganda. If you've heard Guitar Wolf's Jet Generation, you know what to expect production-wise.

The songs range from melodic, post-rock-influenced drone like "Farewell" and Black Sabbath/Melvins-influenced jams to feedback-based drone (see "Just Abandoned My-Self"). What's common to all of them is the astonishingly heavy guitar tone of Wata, the laid-back kind of technicality, the trademark vocals of Takeshi and the impressive drumming of Atsuo.

As intense as it is because of the production, atmospherically it's probably their most simple album yet. Instead of the complex atmosphere changes of Flood, Pink carries a psychedelic sound, even through its genre changes, for most of its running time.

Pink is one of Boris' best albums, and, no doubt, one of the best albums of 2005. If you haven't heard their other stuff, Pink would be a good start. If you have, then you'll surely love this album. (10/10)