Sunn O)))

Sunn O))) (pronounced "sun") is an American experimental metal band from Seattle, Washington, that formed in 1998. The band is known for a heavy and slow sound, that blends diverse genres including drone, black metal, dark ambient and noise rock,[6] as well as for their very loud live performances.

Sunn O)))
Sunn O))) performing in robes at Brutal Assault 2015
Background information
OriginSeattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres
Years active1998–present
LabelsSouthern Lord
Associated acts
Websitesunn.southernlord.com
Members

The band's core members are Stephen O'Malley (also of Khanate and Burning Witch) and Greg Anderson (of Goatsnake and Engine Kid).[7]

History

Sunn O))) is named after the Sunn amplifier brand, the logo of which includes a circle next to the "SUNN" banner with waves heading off to the right. In interviews, Stephen O'Malley stated that the band's moniker was also chosen as a play on the name Earth, a band widely regarded as pioneers of drone metal throughout the 1990s. Before the band members moved to Los Angeles, they briefly used the moniker Mars.

The band's style is characterized by slow tempos, distorted guitars, lack of rhythm and melody, and alternative tunings. The guitars are notable for their low register, frequently utilizing tunings as low as dropped A. Additionally, the band is known for using resonant feedback to create monolithic soundscapes and eerie atmospheres. Percussion is almost never incorporated, with a lack of any discernible beat. When performing live, the band wears robes, fills the air with fog, and plays at a high volume.[7]

The band releases the majority of its music through the label it founded in 1998, Southern Lord Records. However, the band initially released ØØ Void (its second album) on multiple labels, including Rise Above Records, Hydra Head Records, and Dirter Productions (which pressed it as a double album on vinyl). Additionally, the original pressing of The Grimmrobe Demos was released by Hydra Head Records. It was later issued as a double picture record set by Outlaw Recordings and finally reissued by Southern Lord in 2004.

The logo the band uses is also that of the Sunn amplifier brand.

Sunn O))) experiments with a variety of styles and sounds, progressing beyond the primarily guitar and bass style of The Grimmrobe Demos and ØØ Void. On White1 and White2, Sunn O))) noticeably expanded on conceptualization by inviting several guests, resulting in everything from quiet meditative ambient sounds ("A Shaving of the Horn that Speared You" from White1) to a bizarre bass experiment track ("bassAliens" from White2). Black One continued in this direction, utilizing far more electronics, synthesizers, and other instrumentation than earlier Sunn O))) material, yet still marking a significant return to their traditional sound.

Sunn O))) on stage at the Ritz in Manchester, 11 June 2012

Sunn O))) are widely regarded as leaders in the genre, including by The New York Times Magazine of May 28, 2006, when the band was written up in an article called "Heady Metal" by John Wray.[8] The band was praised in an issue of Wonka Vision, an independent music magazine, as one of the greatest modern metal acts. Sunn O))) also appeared in the August 2007 issue of Q magazine (the "loud issue"), with its album White1 being named the 18th-loudest album of all time, just above AC/DCs Back in Black and below Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced?[9]

In 2008, Sunn O))) released a live album titled Dømkirke and also announced a mini-tour consisting of four concerts to commemorate the group's 10th anniversary, which coincided with the release of The Grimmrobe Demos.[10]

The band's seventh studio album, Monoliths & Dimensions, was released on May 18, 2009, and was acclaimed by both press and public alike.[11]

On December 17, 2009, the song "Hunting & Gathering (Cydonia)" from the CD Monoliths & Dimensions was named the Heaviest Song of All-Time by Jason Ellis on The Jason Ellis Show on Sirius/XM. Greg Anderson then appeared on The Jason Ellis Show on January 12, 2010.[12]

For live performances, Hungarian-born Attila Csihar (Mayhem) has performed as the primary vocalist since 2003.

Attila wearing a costume, Brutal Assault 2015

Sunn O))) released a collaboration album with Ulver titled Terrestrials in February 2014:[13] in October 2014, the band released the album Soused, a collaboration with singer-songwriter Scott Walker.[14] In November 2015, Sunn O))) presented a four-day program at Le Guess Who? Festival in Utrecht, the Netherlands, including Annette Peacock, Magma, Julia Holter and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, and Sunn O))) itself.[15]

The band worked with producer Steve Albini on two albums, Life Metal and Pyroclasts.[16]

Discography
For a more comprehensive list, see Sunn O))) discography and List of songs recorded by Sunn O))).

Studio albums

Collaborative albums
gollark: *Really* exist.
gollark: Do you exist, though?
gollark: Not really anyone to talk to, is there.
gollark: Again.
gollark: Hello. ! ! ! .

References
  1. Roche, Jason (December 7, 2015). "Are Drone-Metal Icons Sunn O))) the Loudest Band on the Planet?". LA Weekly. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  2. Brennan, Colin (May 27, 2016). "Sunn O))) to play metal show in world's largest maze". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  3. Martens, Todd (January 6, 2007). "Indies on the Verge". Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media. 119 (1): 27. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
  4. "Scott Walker teams up with experimental metal duo Sunn O)))". The Guardian. July 2, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  5. Maloney, Ali (28 November 2011). "Sunn O)))'s Stephen O'Malley: "Metal can be absurd and also really profound"". The Skinny. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  6. Monger, James Christopher. "Sunn O)))". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  7. Wray, John (May 28, 2006). "Heady Metal". The New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  8. Wray, John (28 May 2006). "Heady Metal". Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  9. "The 20 Loudest Albums Of All Time". Q. August 2007. Archived from the original on March 5, 2008. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  10. "Sunn O))) Announces US Tour Dates". Metalunderground.com. August 8, 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  11. "SUNN O))): More 'Monoliths & Dimensions' Details Revealed". blabbermouth.net. February 13, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  13. "Sunn O))), Ulver Ready 'Terrestrials' Album for February Release". Self-titledmag.com. November 18, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  14. Minsker, Evan (July 17, 2014). "Scott Walker and Sunn O))) Team for New Album Soused". Pitchfork.
  15. "Le Guess Who? Festival official site". Leguesswho.com. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  16. "Sunn O))), Amanda Palmer, Spiritualized, Saves The Day & more releasing pink vinyl for cancer charity". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
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