Sunn 0))) — White 2

One year after the first volume in the White serie, Sunn are back with episode 2. Building from where they left off, this is probably their most accomplished work so far.

When I reviewed White 1 (here) I thought it was their most varied release. They managed to change that with this one. And while my opinion on its predecessor changed in the matter of 12 months (from excellent to good), it seems very unlikely that it will on White 2, such a vast musical territory they managed to cover.

White 2 was partly recorded during the same sessions as White 1 and partly over last summer. Once again, it features quite a few notable guests. The album once more features Rex Ritter (Fontanelle, Nudge) and Joe Preston (The Thrones, ex-Earth, ex-Melvins), alongside the core duo of Greg Anderson and Steve O’Malley. Although she played live with Sunn on a few occasions, it’s the first time that we get the occasion to hear a studio recording of Dawn Smithson’s collaboration to the band (on bass, ex-Jessamine). However, Metal fans will be more interested in the presence on the last track of no less than Attila Csihar (Aborym among others, but most notably vocalist on Mayhem’s monstrous De Mysteriis dom Sathanas).

First track Hell-O)))-Ween is typical Sunn. Guitar and bass drones, reminding me of some tracks on Flight of the Behemoth. It’s more dense sound wise than what we got on White 1, but less heavy, less dark, less claustrophobic than FotB. The Sunn sound si definetly opening up more and more. In a way, this track enables the band to welcome listeners on “deflowered” grounds in order to hit him on the neck even harder with the next track. But saying this would be denying the qualities of the song: it’s a really subtle work, showing Anderson, O’Malley, Smithson, Ritter and Preston as masters of the craft.

Up next is bassAliens, an amazing work dedicated to Wendy Carlos (composer of the Tron soundtrack). For once I have to go with the press release description: it’s for fans of Coil and Keiji Haino. The guitar playing will be considered unconventional by rock fans, so will be the “laptopized” background by mainstream electronic music freaks. But those who love Haino and Coil will feel more than at home. The track is incredibly rich in sounds, the production is top notch and so is the musicianship. To me, it’s the most refined track they ever committed to CD. The mood is creepy, most unsettling, almost a mystical experience.

Talking about mystical, you have heard nothing in that field before you listen to Decay2 (Nihil’s maw), featuring Attila on vocals. His mantra is taken from the Shrimad Bhagavatam, written in Sanskrit and one of the oldest books of mankind. As dark as on the previous track, the music sounds a little simpler maybe, actually more focused on awaking a spiritual feeling in the listener’s mind. And it does:  it’s one of those pieces that, when played at appropriate volume in a room full of people, causes instant silence. It’s music that you will feel deep inside, that will move you. Even more than House of low culture’s Edward’s Lament, it’s the perfect soundtrack to Danielewski’s House of the Leaves.

Something primal yet godly awakens inside of you. The room is locked, you can’t get out. It doesn’t matter: you’re at one with the less known sides of the universe.