Sunn O))) + Ulver - Terrestrials

I first saw Sunn O))) at All Tomorrow's Parties in 2009; I had no idea what hit me and it took years to decide if I actually liked what I heard or if it was just a thoroughly overwhelming gimmick. In 2015 I saw them again at Primavera Sound and decided that not only do I actually like Sunn O))), but they were a hugely impressive band. After a day of drinking in the sun, they sobered me right up as they rattled my bones for an hour. There was a dude onstage waving his hands at a microphone for half the set - when he finally opened his mouth it scared the shit out of me.

For a long time I thought I should get a Sunn O))) album, but never got round to it. My friend Aled saw them with me at ATP and immediately bought a copy of The Grimmrobe Demos, the album we saw them play (they also played Monoliths and Dimensions that weekend, but I wanted to watch The Mars Volta in the main room; I think Aled watched a bit of both bands). A couple of months after Primavera Sound I was in San Francisco for work and took my usual trip to Amoeba Records. I decided that I'd finally buy a Sunn O))) album, and picked up this copy of the record they did with Ulver.

In hindsight, I probably should have bought one of the albums I knew to be amongst their best, or at least one of the well-known ones. I think I went with this one because it was cheap. I can't remember what other ones were there to choose from, but there wasn't a huge selection either way. It's not a bad release just somewhat underwhelming, which is a shame given how entirely overwhelming their live shows are. Maybe I'm just not playing it loud enough. It didn't come with a download code, so it's not spent a huge amount of time in my ears, which is a shame - I could see myself getting on well with this whilst working.

The third and last track, Eternal Return, is the most interesting. I remember being confused by the printed lyrics on the back of the sleeve because I had no memories of there being any lyrics on the first few listens, such is the trance Sunn O))) leave you in. I'm probably downplaying the role Ulver have in this record, but that's only because I have no knowledge of them at all. A few years ago I recommended Sunn O))) to a colleague who had very strange taste in music and his first reaction was "they remind me of Ulver". Needless to say, I sent him a link to this album.

I'm still keen to get into Sunn O))) properly, but I wonder if I just enjoy songs too much; I get a lot out of someone singing with an acoustic guitar. I get something out of this, but I doubt I'll ever be a fan of drone metal as a genre. I foresee a future here I have two or three Sunn O))) albums and consider that all the drone metal I need. I'm going to try to choose them wisely, I think that'll be key.

Format: 12", insert
Tracks: 3
Cost: £10.77 new
Bought: Amoeba Records, San Francisco
When: 08/07/15
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: none