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Sunn 0))) / Boris: Altar
18/03/09 || theProphet
You know how some bands describe themselves or are described by others as “extreme metal”. Well, if you take a look at most of these bands you realize that they are, in fact, not very extreme at all. Sure, they got blasts and growls and low tunings and whatever, but within the confines of metal, how extreme is that really?
No children, if you want your shit really extreme, you need to check out Sunn 0))), or drone metal in general.
Now, I wouldn’t want to scare off any of those who aren’t men enough to handle the Sunn at their full potency in terms of draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggggiiiiing songs. Therefore this review will be about their collaboration with the crazy Japs in Boris, namely “Altar”. Bear in mind though that this is not a split-CD but an actual collaboration as in both bands play on the same tracks. I’m aware of the fact that I have been sorta downplaying the role of Boris on this here disc, and this is partially due to the fact that, from what I’ve heard of both bands, the majority of the music on “Altar” is more akin to what Sunn 0))) sounds like than Boris. Besides, ever since Hiroshima it seems only natural for the Japanese to be second.
Jokes about great human tragedies aside, the fact that Boris joined up with Sunn 0))) on “Altar” means a marginally greater amount of accessibility since Boris has actual riffs and melodies in their songs. Thus, the songs here gains something reminiscent of a structure you wouldn’t normally find on a Sunn 0))) effort. Make no mistake though, this is certainly not easy listening and about as far from Britney Spears as you could possibly get. (“Interesting” side note: why do people, cause I’ve heard others do it as well, mention Britney Spears when they want to refer to the poppiest music imaginable? It’s not like she’s all that big right now. Could it be that I’m just getting old, or has she really established herself as such an icon of the mainstream?).
Moving onwards, the songs on “Altar” sounds, as mentioned, more like Sunn 0))) than Boris but the songwriting isn’t really that consistent in terms of style, and it’s apparent that two quite different creative forces have been at work here. Take for example the song “The Sinking Belle”, which to me sounds the most Boris influenced, and incidentally features Boris members Wata and Takeshi on both guitars. However, I’d have to say that this is one of the weaker tracks, not due to the instrumental part, cause it’s all fine. But the song features vocals by Jesse Sykes, and these are not to my liking. Normally I tend to like fragile female voices like hers but coupled with the mighty resonances of the other instruments it feels kinda out of place. Then again, I guess vocals this prominent always feels out of place in this kind of music, like, there’s so much you can do with a Rickenbacker bass that the human vocal chords will never be able to. Another great track is “Akuma No Kuma”, which does not only incorporate the name of one of the coolest Street Fighter characters in its title, but also manages to summon up some serious feeling of weak in the knees when listened to at appropriate levels, as well as the album closer, “Blood Swamp”, which sounds the most like Sunn 0))) does normally.
So, if you mix two excellent and envelope pushing bands, then add an incredible production that actually seems to kill every other sound in your surroundings so that you find yourself in a bubble of balls crushing heaviness of the lowest of registers and slap one of the niftiest album covers I ever saw on this fucker, what do you get? The answer: a very long, cumbersome sentence and a brilliant album.
8 dark hadoukens out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 2006
- Label: Southern Lord Records
- Website: www.sunnborisaltar.com
- Band
- Sunn 0))) and Boris + a fuckload of guests
- Tracklist
- It should be noted that this album has been released in many forms, but I’m pretty confident that this is the standard version.
- 01. Etna
- 02. N.L.T.
- 03. The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)
- 04. Akuma No Kuma
- 05. Fried Eagle Mind
- 06. Blood Swamp
