There are no nice things to be said about SUNN.
It is a project conceived by members of Goatsnake & Burning Witch, who are relentless in their quest to install feelings of utter dread and paranoia into the minds of the listener. Their search for the ultimate low / bottom end frequencies, led them to the 'Bass Guru' himself, one Mr Scott Reeder - late of Kyuss & now in Unida. The original bassline scientist - who agreed to commit the trance like soundscapes of 'øø Void' to tape.
Played at maximum volume 'øø Void' will gloriously descend you into the ultimate nadir of Doom - there is no compromise here, this is truly "physical" experience, of near rapture proportions. SUNN's heavy, unrelenting Bass / Guitar drones expand the bass frequencies to the very limits of what a CD allows. Even at a moderate volume... your flesh will be battered with ENORMOUS subsonic violence. The scary thing is... it doesn't even seem that loud until you turn it off... when the silence will deafen you. SUNN euphorically epitomises the term "downer". Experienced with the wrong hallucinogenic's in a room of dark ritualistic surroundings this will take you to places where you ultimately do not want to go.
The four compositions that make up 'øø Void' all clock in around 15 each... and are intensely hypnotic if not meditative in their minimalism. All selections (except the Melvins "medley", "Rabbits Revenge") were written with the death of a loved one in mind, and are based, mainly around droning Bass & Guitar, but also feature, in places, Pete Stahl on vocals, Petra Haden on Violin & Scott Reeder on yet more Bass and Talkbox. The instrumentation conjures up a certain "Metal" flavour... but no metal was ever, Ever, this HEAVY.
Could it be that SUNN have created frequencies that literally interact with the bodies physiology... effecting breathing and heart rate... and who knows what else?
To date, SUNN have only gathered four times for live performances, at which they have successfully made audience members instantly nauseous, or better still, run for the toilet in terror. Yet soon, you may witness the horror for yourself, when SUNN assault the unprepared UK Shores in May, performing alongside fellow Rise Above heavyweights Goatsnake and Orange Goblin. If you are (un) lucky enough to attend one of these rituals, make sure you wear a diaper... those bass frequencies at concert volumes are likely to flush your system!
Following our previous DOOM offerings, such as Electric Wizard's 'Come My Fanatics' & Sleep's 'Jerusalem'. Rise Above are honoured go one further, and subject you to this tome.
Doom or be Doomed
Posted: 08. 08. 2004. 18:32
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