Akuma no Uta

{{Infobox album | name = Akuma no Uta | type = studio | artist = [[Boris (band)|Boris]] | cover = Boris (band) - Akuma no Uta.jpg | alt = | caption = 2005 reissue cover | released = {{start date|2003|6|06}} (original) {{start date|2005}} (reissue) | recorded = January–March, 2003 at Peace Music | venue = | studio = | genre = {{hlist|[[Stoner rock]]|[[noise rock]]|[[sludge metal]]|[[acid rock]]}} | length = 31:59 (original) 39:00 (reissue) | label = [[Diwphalanx Records|Diwphalanx]] (original) [[Southern Lord Records|Southern Lord]]([[Southern Lord Records discography|SUNN41]]) (reissue) | producer = Boris | prev_title = [[Heavy Rocks (2002 album)|Heavy Rocks]] | prev_year = 2002 | next_title = [[Boris at Last: -Feedbacker-]] | next_year = 2003 | misc = {{Extra album cover | header = Alternative cover | type = studio | cover = Boris - Akuma no Uta (Japanese edition).gif | border = | alt = | caption = Original 2003 cover }} }}

{{nihongo|'''''Akuma no Uta'''''|悪魔の歌|The Devil's Song}} is the fourth studio album by Japanese [[experimental music]] band [[Boris (band)|Boris]]. Originally released in 2003 on [[Diwphalanx Records]] with minimalist artwork, it was re-issued in 2005 on [[Southern Lord Records]] with a different cover and more music.

==Releases== As well as running an additional 7 minutes, the opening track of the Southern Lord version is a totally different take; both use the same riff from "Akuma no Uta," but the original, shorter track repeats it far less and opens with over a minute of ambient, resonant amp noise absent from the longer version. An edit of the long version opens 2010 compilation ''[[Boris / Variations + Live in Japan]]'', closely resembling the running length of the original intro, but sourced from a different point halfway through the 9 minute version and with a fade in.

Music videos were made for the songs "Ibitsu" and "Furi" and can be found on the 2003 DVD ''[[Live at Shimokitazawa Shelter]]''. In addition to a short edit of the opening track, an alternate take of "Naki Kyoku" appears on ''Variations''; it and "Akuma no Uta" were also re-recorded with [[Merzbow]] in 2004, for their 2011 collaboration called ''[[Klatter]]''. Another collaboration with Merzbow for the title track – though its arrangement reflects the 9-minute take of "Introduction" more than the title track itself – is featured on their 2016 release ''[[Gensho (album)|Gensho]]'', both as studio and live recordings.

In an interview with Rad Company, drummer Atsuo remarked that the album was recorded on analog tape in one take.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radcompany.net/Storys/NewsStorys/BORIS/BORIS.html |title=Rad Company interview with Atsuo |accessdate=2013-07-22 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051024095418/http://www.radcompany.net/Storys/NewsStorys/BORIS/BORIS.html |archivedate=2005-10-24 }}</ref>

==Reception== {{Album ratings | rev1 = [[AllMusic]] | rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/album/akuma-no-uta-mw0000255797 Review of "Akuma no Uta" on Allmusic.com]</ref> | rev2 = ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'' | rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Mojo">{{cite magazine |last=Male |first=Andrew |title=Boris: ''Akuna No Uta'' |magazine=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] |issue=314 |page=103 |date=January 2020}}</ref> | rev3 = ''[[Pitchfork Media|Pitchfork]]'' | rev3Score = 8.2/10<ref>[http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11696-at-last-feedbacker-sun-baked-snow-cave-with-merzbow-akuma-no-uta/ Review of "At Last: Feedbacker", "Sun Baked Snow Cave", and "Akuma no Uta" on Pitchfork]</ref> }} The album received praise for its cover and use of many distinct genres previously used by the band into a single album. In ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'', Andrew Male said that the album "sounds like a blueprint for every future Boris release".<ref name="Mojo" /> ''[[Pitchfork Media]]'' placed ''Akuma No Uta'' at number 198 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7710-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-20-1/|work=[[Pitchfork Media]]|author=Pitchfork staff|title=The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200-151|date=September 28, 2009|accessdate=October 1, 2009}}</ref> In 2026, ''Rolling Stone'' praised guitarist Wata's solo in the title track as one of the greatest of all time,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2026-05-04 |title=The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-guitar-solos-1235519961/ |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> while ''Consequence'' named that song's central riff as one of the best of the 2000s.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2025-04-17 |title=70 Best Guitar Riffs of the 21st Century (So Far) |url=https://consequence.net/list/best-guitar-riffs-21st-century/ |access-date=2026-05-10 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Cover art== While the original minimalist album cover has been part of Boris' website for an extensive period of time,<ref>[http://www.borisheavyrocks.com/ Boris' website with the minimalist album cover]</ref> its US cover version is a direct tribute to the cover of [[Nick Drake]]'s album ''[[Bryter Layter]]''.<ref name="Mojo" /> The notable difference in the design is Takeshi holding his [[double neck guitar|double-neck]] [[Ibanez]] instead of the [[classical guitar|acoustic guitar]] that Drake holds in his cover. The album's original length was extended on the reissue to 39 minutes, exactly the same length as ''Bryter Layter''.

[[Southern Lord Records]] released a vinyl pressing that had a third cover, in tribute to the band [[Venom (band)|Venom]]. This was released as a picture disc with 700 copies featuring the "Nick Drake" cover, and 300 in the "Venom" style cover.

==Track listing==

{{tracklist | total_length = CD:31:59 LP:39:00 | title1 = イントロ | note1 = Intro | length1 = CD:2:35 LP:9:44 | title2 = Ibitsu | length2 = 3:20 | title3 = フリー | note3 = Furi | length3 = 3:20 | title4 = 無き曲 | note4 = Naki Kyoku | length4 = 12:14 | title5 = あの女の音量 | note5 = Ano Onna no Onryou | length5 = 6:29 | title6 = あくまのうた | note6 = Akuma no Uta | length6 = 4:01 }}

==Pressing History== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Label ! Format ! Country ! Out of Print? ! Notes |- | 2003 | [[Diwphalanx Records|Diwphalanx]] | CD | [[Japan]] | No | Minimalist art; the "original" cover |- | 2003 | [[Diwphalanx Records|Diwphalanx]] | LP | [[Japan]] | Yes | Same "[[Nick Drake]]" art as on the US CD (a tribute to the ''[[Bryter Layter]]'' album); ltd. 500 copies |- | 2005 | [[Southern Lord Records|Southern Lord]] | CD | [[United States|US]] | Yes | [[Nick Drake]] art |- | 2005 | [[Southern Lord Records|Southern Lord]] | Picture disc LP | [[United States|US]] | Yes | [[Nick Drake]] art; ltd. 700 copies |- | 2005 | [[Southern Lord Records|Southern Lord]] | Picture disc LP | [[United States|US]] | Yes | "[[Venom (band)|Venom]]" art (a tribute to the ''[[Welcome to Hell]]'' album); ltd. 300 copies |- | 2019 | [[Third Man Records|Third Man]] | LP | [[United States|US]] | No | [[Nick Drake]] art |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{MusicBrainz release-group|id=75004ff1-1e28-3945-b946-3a46d088f134|name=Akuma No Uta}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akuma No Uta}} [[Category:2003 albums]] [[Category:Southern Lord Records albums]] [[Category:Boris (band) albums]]