Sun Baked Snow Cave

Sun Baked Snow Cave is a collaborative album between Japanese experimental doom band Boris and Japanese noise musician Merzbow. The album consists of a single track that clocks in at over an hour in length. The album artwork was done by Sunn O))) member and regular Hydra Head designer Stephen O'Malley.[9][10]

Sun Baked Snow Cave
Studio album by Boris with Merzbow
Released	August 23, 2005 (2005-08-23)
Recorded	2001–2004
Genre	Drone metal dark ambient noise
Length	62:02
Label	Hydra Head / Double H Noise Industries
Producer	Boris with Merzbow
Boris with Merzbow chronology
04092001 (2005) Sun Baked Snow Cave (2005) Rock Dream (2007)
Boris chronology
04092001 (2005) Sun Baked Snow Cave (2005) Dronevil (2005)
Merzbow chronology
Scene / Early Computer Works Sun Baked Snow Cave (2005) Senmaida (2005)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	D+[2]
Delusions of Adequacy	Mixed[3]
Dusted Magazine	Favorable[4]
Exclaim!	Mixed[5]
LAS Magazine	7.5/10[6]
Pitchfork Media	6.5/10[7]
Prefix Magazine	6.0/10[8]

Composition

Structurally, the album has three distinct sections: the opening 18 minutes consist primarily of quiet, sparse acoustic guitar strums backed by distant whirs and machine noises; a lengthy crossfade shifts the album into drone doom metal, with Merzbow's accentuation via harsh noise layers; eventually, the loud half-hour settles through movements of noise into 6 minutes of a quiet electric guitar and ambience coda.

Release

In 2014, the album was released as a double LP. Released as a limited edition of 1,200 copies pressed on black, white, electric blue, or clear with blue streaks vinyl. Initially available on August 16, 2014 as a limited release on the Hydra Head online store and from Boris on tour.[11] A general release followed on September 23.[12] It was repressed in March 2015 on clear/blue splatter in an edition of 500 copies.[13]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sun Baked Snow Cave"	62:02
Total length:		62:02

Personnel

Boris with Merzbow

• Masami Akita – computer
• Takeshi – guitar, bass guitar
• Wata – guitar, echo
• Atsuo – feedback conduction, computer

Production

• Fangs Anal Satan – mixing
• Stephen O'Malley – artwork

Notes

• Mastering at Peace Music 6 October 2004

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Quantity	Catalog	Notes
United States	August 23, 2005	Hydra Head	CD	Unknown	hh666-92 / 2xh-011
	September 23, 2014		LP	Unknown		Black vinyl
				Unknown		Clear with blue streaks
				Unknown		Electric blue
				Unknown		White
	March 2015			500		Clear/blue splatter

References

1. Sun Baked Snow Cave at AllMusic. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
2. Christgau, Robert (2005). "CG: Merzbow". Robert Christgau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
3. Davenport, Joe (May 11, 2006). "Boris – Sun Baked Snow Cave". Delusions of Adequacy. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
4. Bivins, Jason (October 3, 2005). "Boris with Merzbow - Sun Baked Snow Cave". Dusted Magazine. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
5. Hainey, Kevin (October 2005). "Boris with Merzbow - Sun Baked Snow Cave". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
6. Buchan, Phillip (October 21, 2005). "Boris with Merzbow". LAS Magazine. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
7. Baron, Zach (December 13, 2005). "Boris / Merzbow: At Last: Feedbacker / Sun Baked Snow Cave / Akuma No Uta | Album Reviews". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
8. Booty, Jack (September 26, 2005). "Boris with Merzbow - Sun Baked Snow Cave". Prefix Magazine. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
9. "Boris (3) With Merzbow - Sun Baked Snow Cave". Discogs. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
10. "Boris - Boris with Merzbow - Sun Baked Snow Cave". Encyclopaedia Metallum. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
11. "Timeline Photos - Hydra Head Industries". Facebook. August 16, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
12. "Hydra Head Industries's Photos - Hydra Head Industries". Facebook. August 19, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
13. "BORIS with MERZBOW - Sun Baked Snow Cave 2xLP + T-Shirt". Hydra Headlines. Retrieved March 5, 2015.