In 2002, BORIS released the excellent Heavy Rocks and now in 2011, the band is back with yet another album titled Heavy Rocks. To put it bluntly, the former is flat out superior to the latter. It’s not because it’s heavier. The songs are just better.

In general terms, the new album is more about “rock” than “doom.” Heavy Rocks is also less serious or weighty in its delivery and displays the more playful, fun side to the band. But once the listeners gets to fifth track, “Missing Pieces,” the tone gets very somber and dreamlike. “Key” follows and serves as more of a segue piece before the band gets back to rockin’ on the uptempo “Window Shopping.” “Tu, la la” is by far the best song on the album. The excellent main riff just propels the song as it effortlessly glides by. “Aileron” brings things back down in the same fashion as “Missing Pieces” before the band decides to ends things on a metal note with “Czechoslovakia.” Soon after the song reaches a thrash crescendo, it simply fades out.

Overall, Heavy Rocks is a mixed bag and as a whole, doesn’t rise to a compelling level of quality. If you take the album for what it’s worth as a “light” album, then it might be sufficient. However, we’ve heard much better from BORIS and should not expect anything less. (Sargeant House Records)