| The Grimmrobe Demos (CD) | 1999 | HH Noise Industries |
Sunn 0)) do not hide the fact that they are directly influenced by Earth, and in fact the band pays homage to what they see as the masters of the drone sound, with the last track being named after the founder of Earth, Dylan Carlson. Whereas their second album, '00 Void', is an utterly crushing, apocalyptic, sound-scape and 'Flight of the Behemoth' is somewhat more varied, even experimental, on this, their debut, one could be forgiven for thinking that they had mistakenly put 'Earth 2' into their CD player. The production, the song lengths (there are three, just as on 'Earth 2'), and the pervading atmosphere all hark back to that pinnacle of drone. And, in my opinion, this is not a bad thing at all. Sunn 0)) pick up where Earth left off, and are more than worthy of carrying the drone torch into the new millennium. The three pieces here will make you feel as if the weight of the world is descending upon you, that you weigh many tons, and every movement is so laboured, that it is easier to just sit back, and await the inevitable crushing you are sure to receive. The tracks blend into one another, almost seemingly, and, unlike later releases, have more of a Black Sabbath/psychedelic doom feel to them, albeit in the same stripped to the core fashion as the aforementioned Earth. There are some sound effects, but the music is almost entirely just the guitar and bass. I should also note the unique, and intriguing packaging, a cardboard sleeve, encased in a black slip case, that you have to cut open to release the doom within
Sunn 0)), as with all drone doom, will always be an outfit that you either understand, or don't. There are few words that can really describe the power of the music this outfit creates. Certainly, it is not for all, and I could use adjectives like slow, gluey, monolithic, crushing, and transcendental over and over, and still not be close to describing the sound on this disc. It is a cathartic, extremely personal experience. If you can find this release (it was limited to 500 copies), and you don't mind monotony, pick it up. You may find that simplicity can be the most powerful force on the earth - or even the Sunn 0)), for that matter.
1. Black Wedding
2. Defeating Earth's Gravity
3. Dylan Carlson
Approx. 56 minutes
| 00 void (CD) | 2000 | Rise above |
Four songs that last 58 minutes, this sums it up. It takes a lot of nerve and guts for a band to dare explore such dark and oppressive musical realms. No drums, no vocals, not even a hint of melody. Exclusively unbelievably heavy guitar distortion and bass sounds, make even ultra slow masters like Thergothon and Skepticism bow to this band's heaviness and slowness.
This work is the perfect simulation of earthquakes and other natural disasters. The main difference of Sunn O)) with their big example Earth, is that this band sounds even more oppressive and less Sabbath influenced. Exclusively for the more demanding doom fans among us!
1. Richard
2. NN O)))
3. Rabbit's Revenge
4. Ra at Dusk
Approx. 58 minutes
| Flight of the Behemoth (CD) | 2002 | Southeren Lord |
This CD was produced by the legendary master of Japanoise, namely Masami Akita (better known as Merzbow) and you can see his influences showing up in the next 2 pieces, as he does remixes of two Sunn O))) tunes. 'sunnO)))BOW 1 (Merzbow remix)' tones down the bass-heavy guitars somewhat in favour of introducing a noisy toy piano playing some child-like melodies, which really only serves as a prelude for more of an all-out noise assault from Merzbow. The next track 'sunnO)))BOW 2 (Merzbow remix)' goes more or less along the same lines, as Merzbow takes over the landscape with a fairly toned down (by his standards) assault, consisting of nice, crispy fried electronic noise that for the most part overtakes the original guitar tracks underneath. Not bad, but to be honest I've heard Merzbow in more convincing form ('Venerealogy' or even the mind-numbing live 'Akasha Gulva' CD...although he's released literally hundreds of CDs, so I'm sure everyone has their own favourites).
I'm a big fan of both doom and experimental music, so hearing these two combined should have made me extremely pleased, yet somehow I can't say I was fully convinced...the first two tracks are just somewhat too minimal, while the Merzbow remixes...well, they sound a lot more like Merzbow than Sunn O))) and I've heard him do similar material countless times before. However, all of this is forgotten when the last track 'FWTBT: (I dream of Lars Ulrich being thrown the bus window instead of my master Mystikall Kliff Burton)' (great title) rolls in... if the whole album was like it, I would have fallen to my knees in awe. It preserves the main strength of the Sunn O))) style, namely the extremely bass heavy drone-like guitar sound, but at the same time understands that just that alone is not good enough to create a memorable song. So, in what is an amazing move, ultra-slow trip-hop beats that reek of my favourites Scorn are blended in, adding that perfect hypnotic rhythmic element that suddenly elevates everything to a much higher level. Couple that with a simple, yet convincing marching guitar riff and even muffled/growled vocals in the vein of Thergothon and what we have here is doom/drone classic. I hope on their next album SUNN O))) will explore that direction even more, since obviously it is the path they need to take in order avoid repeating themselves.
1. Mocking Solemnity
2. Death Becomes You
3. sunn0)))BOW 1 (Merezbow Remix)
4. sunn0)))BOW 2 (Merezbow Remix)
5. FWTBT: (I dream of Lars Ulrich being thrown the bus window instead of my master Mystikall Kliff Burton)
Approx. 51 minutes
| White1 (CD) | 2003 | Southeren Lord |
The album starts with the very enigmatic 'My Wall', a feedback driven chant that totally emerges you in its sonic doom. The mesmerising spoken vocals combined with slow minimalist drone played in the background, takes you to another world: a tranquil world where monks go on with their daily routine to pray to the great gods of drone. It is a solemn prayer that seems to last for days on end. Just close your eyes and drift away. When the prayer ends, the chants continue, as if they where preparing you for greater things. It is a cleansing to empty your mind and clear your thoughts.
'The Gates of Ballard' hails the return of the great priestess. Her prayers sound distant, yet you cant escape and need to give them your full attention. The sonic monks of Doom praise her in their play as the music gets more shape and body. The ritual has begun. The solemn possession and prayers of 'My Wall' set the mood perfectly for 'The Gates of Ballard'. The ritual remains one of careful movements and thought out patterns, but there is more pace in the music compared to before and your blood starts to flow a little faster as you listen in awe to this monolith of a track. Every movement becomes clear, every action has a reason, blood flows, pupils widen. Until finally all is silent, only a last tone remains, together with a distant drumbeat. Time seems to stand still in one perfect moment and it is as if all sound has ended, except for some residual feedback. And then, the ritual continues, as if nothing has happened. The religious experience continues, for sonic doom is the essence of all that now still is.
'A shaving of the horn that speared you' starts in almost complete silence, as a sole and silent aftermath of the great ritual. A gathering of musical thoughts and reflection upon all that was. Slowly the guitars come back in tune and a musical sigh is released over and over again. Do not kid yourself, for the religious experience is not over yet, it is simply gathering its strength and showing you a time of reflection and introspection. The drone gods quietly hum in a contempt residue of feedback. A fragile feeling of tranquillity now sets the mood. When the musical sigh transforms itself into a verbal one and not soon after the chants begin again, you cant help but somehow feel transformed, enlightened and cleansed. Until all you can hear is the sound of the wind blowing and your cd-player switching off .. the lesion has ended.
`White1' is the temple of Sonic Doom and SUNN0))) are its caretakers: peaceful monks who spend their days worshipping the gods of drone. The music found within this temple is like a ritual in 3 stages. Each of them is well-thought and in perfect harmony with the others: a musical journey in search of enlightenment. The atmosphere created on this album goes beyond that which can be described with normal words. This is the ecstasy of feedback, the religious motivation of doom, a divine motion in which all time seems to stand still. Some things simply pass beyond mere words, mere sounds, and you can not describe them anymore within these boundaries and simply have to let them take a hold of you and guide you. `White1` is one of those rare albums. You will either get it, or be left in confusion and disbelief.
1. My Wall
2. The Gates of Ballard
3. A Shaving of the Horn that Speared you
Approx. 59 minutes
| Black One (CD) | 2005 | Southeren Lord |
Moving on to the song ‘It took the Night to Believe’; this song has two different dark soundscapes playing in unison to form a very grueling piece. Followed by this, the song ‘Cursed Realms (of the Winterdemons)’ manages to give the Immortal’s beat the Sunn O))) beating. One thing that really stands out about these songs is the poetic verse, written just like an H.P. Lovecraft novel. ‘Orthodox Caveman’, ‘Candlegoat’, and ‘Cry for the Weeper’ compliment the album’s infancy to turn it from a journey into the throes of agony, to a horrific plague that seems indescribable with words. Reading the lyrics puts some perspective on the mental image given by the music, but cannot come close to describing the feelings that the soundscapes give the listener. Oren Ambarchi, the acclaimed guitar genius, lends a hand to Steven O’Malley and Greg Anderson to help create sounds that you would never think possible to create with guitars. Famous for his extremely innovative guitar techniques, Ambarchi gives this album something extra. In my opinion, the extra something that Ambarchi adds may be detrimental to the listener’s sanity.
’Black One’ is crowned by the song ‘Bathory Erzsebet’. This song, for a period of time that seems endless, pushes a very thick, yet hardly audible background bass sound into your ears while the occasional ring of what sounds like a very large bell wanders on in the foreground. After this time, the crushing sound of the tubes rings out once again. More than in other songs on the album, the sound hits like a freight train. Over broken breathing you hear Malefic’s voice. The man behind Xasthur, who happens to be extremely claustrophobic, was put into a casket in a hearse when recording the vocals for this song. This effect, although almost comedic, gives us some of the most frightening wails ever recorded. Black metal musicians play a very large role in this album. Not only Malefic, but also Wrest from Leviathan lends his hand, err… voice, in the vocals department.
Overall, this is one of the most terrifying albums I have ever heard. Sunn O))) once again gives new insight into the concept of music; in a disturbing way. The artwork is also a thing not to be ignored. Reprehensible black anomalies cover the front of the album, and the cover of the CD. The insert is filled with blank black pages with the same small design in each corner. An eerie silhouette of a renaissance-looking man is present on the back of the leaflet, in front of two dark pillars on a gray background. The artwork as a whole adds a lot to the malignant droning enclosed in the packaging. My last word on this album is: if you feel you are not as sane as many others, do not listen to this album. It could very well push you over the edge.
1. Sin Nanna
2. It Took the Night to Believe
3. Cursed Realms (of the Winterdemons)
4. Orthodox Caveman
5. Candlegoat
6. Cry for the Weeper
7. Bathory Erzsebet
Approx. 67 minutes