You see the dark woods, the home of the “Altar”—a place of worship for all those who praise heavy music. It’s said these woods contain great mystery, with haunting drones that reverberate through the land. They’re created by the forest’s sages: drone-doom masters Sunn O))) and experimental auteurs Boris. You scan the tree line and find a path; you take a breath and enter.
The first few seconds of opener “Etna” pull you into an otherworldly space. Altar’s air is chilling and mystical, dark and enchanting. As one traverses the ancient woods, the consistent roar of distorted droning—the darkness—brings a certain imagery to the mind’s eye. As one moves forward in Altar, what else is there in the dark?
The music created by Washington’s Sunn O))) and Japan’s Boris challenges listeners as much as it captures their imagination. Both acts have dedicated themselves to experimentation, finding ways to subvert the listener’s understanding of how heavy music can be experienced. Sunn O)))’s Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson commit themselves to the art of drone, building ambiance that entrances through a mesmerizing immensity. While Boris’ Wata, Atsuo, and Takeshi are no strangers to drones themselves, their approach to performance is considerably more eclectic. Boris refuses to limit their sound, pushing the limits on distortion, volume, atmosphere, aggression. Their art is that of chaos, ensnaring listeners with dualities of ugly and beautiful sound.
Both Boris and Sunn O))) are drawn to collaboration, each working with artists across varied genres. Prior to their collaboration, Southern Lord—the label founded by Sunn O)))’s Greg Anderson—reissued some of Boris’ previous albums. With this new partnership, as well as a shared kinship in creating uniquely experimental art, the two acts came together for a new project of their own. The result of that partnership would be released on Halloween 2006 in the form of Altar. Speaking about the album in 2023, Anderson said, “Altar is a monumental documentation of some early experiments with collaboration. We learned a lot from working with Boris and engineer/producer: Randall Dunn as well as Bill Herzog, Jesse Sykes, Joe Preston etc. We definitely carried those ideas and spirit into recordings that followed Altar.”
Throughout its nearly hour-long runtime, Altar is a staggering work of atmosphere; Boris and Sunn O))) employing their unique abilities to create something visceral through drones—from the eerily serene, to the downright nightmarish. In “N.L.T.”, a low drone rumbles alongside waves of metallic ringing. This actually accurately describes several tracks on Altar, but the minimalist approach here warrants deeper attention from listeners; in Sunn O))) and Boris’ compositions, the more closely you listen, the more you discover intricate shifts of sonic inflection. These various technical touches come with a power to paint fantastical imagery, further deepening one’s connection to the world of Altar.
“The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)”, featuring vocals from Jesse Sykes, marks a shift toward the serene. Here, the low guitar drone is lighter, a touch melodic. This change doesn’t subtract from the overall horror atmosphere of Altar, but rather welcomes additional depth to Altar’s cinematic scope. A powerful quality among each act’s performances is how they approach balance—tonally, atmospherically, and kinetically. Sunn O)))’s sound maybe that of a consistent drone, but it’s often morphing, evoking different shades of feeling, rising and falling in volume. Likewise, Boris’ approach covers a wide spectrum; they may start a song with crushing delivery, only to ease into serenity. After years of experimentation under each group’s belt, Boris and Sunn O))) have perfected the art of dualistic feeling—meditative and extreme, harrowing and serene.
Sunn O))) and Boris don’t go back into full darkness territory with the following “Akuma No Kuma”, instead opting for a more bombastic performance, the two bands at their most kinetically heavy. Atsuo wails on the drums as Joe Preston speaks through a vocoder; synthesizer effects introduce an electronic, metallic energy as harsh noise distortion rises throughout the performance. Meanwhile, “Fried Eagle Mind” sees the two bands weave back into calming, creepy territory—we are deep in the woods now, nearing the altar.
Altar concludes with the chilling “Blood Swamp,” wherein another drone rises from the swamp, a high-pitched guitar twang ringing out, eventually accompanied by a richer array of sound. It’s a staggering performance that stretches to just shy of 15 minutes, highlighting Sunn O))) and Boris’ incredible abilities to conjure such overwhelming sounds.
And here, brave adventurer, you arrive at the altar. But as you bask in the dissonant drones, something catches your ear. Something much, much darker; the 28-minute-long “Her Lips Were Wet With Venom,” a bonus track released as part of a limited two-set CD, ensnares the listener in a near suffocating presentation of tension. The overwhelming sonic wall and distorted tones wash over with a presence that’s meditative yet unnerving.
In the 20 years since its release, Altar remains one of drone metal’s greatest works. It’s a grand work of hypnotic heaviness; Boris and Sunn O)))’s performances ooze with unnerving energy, and yet, those performances are nothing short of alluring. Through Altar, Sunn O))) and Boris display the magic of drone and its power to stir the imagination and enchant the mind.
The music has you. You are enchanted by this dark wonder; the sounds pull you deeper into the woods, until you are one with it.
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