Sunn 0))) – Life Metal

Sunn 0))) – Life Metal

Southern Lord – 2019

Metal, Drone

Rated: ***

Sunn 0))) has been relentlessly droning on ever since their inception around 1998. Life Metal is there eight full-sized album and a ninth is set to be released later this year. And even since their first release the drone has been the same, intense entrail shaking chords that seem to reverberate on and on and on. Loose teeth and churning stomach contents, the savage translation of how pre-earth might have sound, how tectonic plates roared and crashed into each other. That backdrop has never really changed. Dark and ominous, twisted and creepy. But we are talking about Sunn 0))) here and the devastating waves of sound we are referring to you might only truly experience live. On record there is, among the instrumental mass of deep, low and powerful guitar violence, a bit of room for shading and gradation. Guest spots by Hildur Guðnadóttir, Tos Nieuwenhuizen, Tim Midgett and Anthony Pateras are responsible for most of that small amount of color. Intense once again and devastatingly heavy!

(Written by JK)

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Sunn 0))) – Kannon

Sunn 0))) – Kannon

Southen Lord – 2015

Rock, Drone, Metal, Doom

Rated: ***

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Sunn 0))), there will not be no need to start at the beginning of the band’s discography. Nope, you can just pick up their new album Kannon and slowly be taught about all that Sunn 0))) is. Three short, cause only about ten minutes each, tracks filled with droning guitar feedback. Ever since their foundation the boys in robes have been filling our gut with their abstract take on drone and doom metal and have never steered away from leaving out completely useless beauty like vocals, drums or rhythm. Sure, we can count those low growling and grumbling murmurs as vocals but that would not do any justice to the sinister qualities that they are aimed at. An ominous celebration of resonance and reverberation, a superb quest to find new hope, something light and melodic in their twisted realm of low frequencies. And yes, it turns hypnotic and mesmerizing; especially at loud volumes. But then again, wouldn’t every kind of noise and shambala turn into prosaic trance when listened to it four thirty minutes on end? Don’t get me wrong, I understand what Sunn 0))) is doing and appreciate it a major extent. But it might be the kind of season I enjoy a simple song more or it might be that I am losing interest in this kind of sound adventure? Whatever personal view is turning me away from Sunn 0))) should not deter any of you dark art lovers out there, cause without a doubt, the boys in robes have definitely delivered some glorious and imposing unholy noise vibrations once again…

(Written by JK)

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Goatsnake – Black Age Blues

Goatsnake – Black Age Blues

Southern Lord – 2015

Rock, Doom, Metal, Stoner

Rated: *****

After fifteen years we finally see the return of the holy Goatsnake with their third album Black Age Blues. Ofcourse, the fans were present at their first reunion gig on Roadburn 2010 in Tilburg, which may have spawned the true resurrection of the band. Cause after the show all of us started praying for a follow-up to the amazing Goatsnake I from 1999 and Flower Of Disease released in 2000. With Sourvein-bassist Scott Renner as new blood in the formation and with original drummer Greg Rogers (The Obsessed) back on the force we are finally there. Guitar fiend Greg Anderson (Sunn0)))) punches out the most magical riffs and rattles, churns and flutters as he delivers his wizardry without every pushing himself into too much of a leading role. It seems that this part was reserved for vocalist Pete Stahl (Scream, Earthlings?) who expertly surfs across all that we hear. And everything that was intended with this record seems to come to a head on the Grandpa Jones track, just as catchy as the rest of the album, with perfect vocals and stomping drums, it delivers exactly what they wanted and what we needed: blues for the dark dark days…

(Written by JK)

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Scott Walker & Sunn 0)) – Soused

Scott Walker & Sunn 0)) – Soused

Beggars/4AD – 2014

Rock, Pop, Ambient, Noise, Drone, Doom

Rated: ***

What a possibly brilliant or 'highly unlikely' combination or perhaps even completely logical. The honorable Mr. Scott Walker and the drone metal masters of Sunn 0)). We love Walker for his meanderings on the edge, his walk on the fringes of rock. But to combine that heavy abstract side with the slow dragging monotonous drone of Sunn 0)) seems like an even wilder and more dangerous endeavor than Metallica and Lou Reed. But we are in luck. It is not as horrible as Lulu turned out to be. In fact, there are moments when the match becomes a heavenly blend of extraordinary weirdness. And whether you’d like it or not; you will get sucked into their ominous and dark universe. A world filled with fear and loathing, with black hearts and oppressive atmospheres. You are not just being Soused into submission but truly walloped. And still this beating is well dosed and you imagine yourself being able to take a tiny bit more before you would have died from the pain and exhaustion. And then there are those miniature inflaming sparks of identity, the ones that whip you into an unholy frenzy. It will leave you hearing bells…

(Written by JK)

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Scott Walker & Sunn 0)) - Brando

Scott Walker & Sunn O))) - Brando 

First track taken from the album Soused by the damn fine combination of Scott walker and Sunn 0)) ! Film by Gisèle Vienne.