Experimental sludge rockers Boris and drone masters Sunn O))) have finally combined forces to create an entirely new sonic adventure of experimental antics in Altar. While implementing similar techniques of their previous works, the groups bring a wealth of new features that really give this album a whole different atmosphere than either band has ever exhibited before. Altar ‘s actual composition, however, seems to lack any sort of real consistency. While the album contains some astonishingly creative pieces, there are others that are, quite frankly, rather useless. This lack of focus may very well prove to be a temporary setback in making Sunn O))) & Boris the experimental super-group that so many have been waiting for.
With effective arrangement and a great diversity of style, the first three tracks of Altar prove to be by far the better half of this release. The opener, “Etna,” successfully draws the listener, slowly but surely, into the surreal atmosphere of the album. “Etna” is a classic drone piece much like something off of Sunn O)))’s White2 or Boris’s Amplifier Worship. Equipped with multiple layers of droning distorted feedback and waves of cymbal crashes, this opening track is a great start that both intrigues the listener and sets the overall tone. The second track, “N.L.T.” emerges from the dense encompassment of the opening track and takes on a more textured tone. The track features a crisp, super-low bowed bass, in addition to sampling effects that give off quite an eerie ambience. Altar’s shining moment, however, comes with the third and most impressive track, “The Sinking Belle.” Featuring soothing melodic vocals by Jesse Sykes in addition to soft, undistorted guitars, this track’s graceful tranquility will seem quite foreign to fans of Sunn O))) or Boris. Much unlike the heavily distorted, sludgy nature of either band’s typical work, “The Sinking Belle” creeps along quietly, as the gentle guitar melodies and Sykes’ calming vocals lull the listener into a bone-chilling, dream-like state. This very unusual but strangely effective piece serves as an indication that the creative capabilities of both Sunn O))) and Boris may be even more boundless than ever expected. With such an immense stylistic variety in just the first three tracks, Altar brings quite a lot to the table right from the start and shows that Sunn O))) & Boris aren’t just up to their usual business.
While the first half of Altar is a skillfully crafted and well developed in composition, the following portion of the album doesn’t seem to live up to those standards at all. The album’s fourth track, “Akuma No Kuma” can be described as basically another “Etna”-type piece but with obnoxious synth effects and overly effect-laden, erratic vocals that would make even the most trained ear cringe in disgust. Track five, “Fried Eagle Mind” starts out like another mellowed-out piece, with soft tones and undistorted guitar, and eventually ends up in a barrage of static-y synths and distorted guitar effects that don’t really add up to anything other than a headache. The vocals on this track resemble something from a drug-induced paranoia trip, and get quite aggravating to listen to after the first couple minutes. The album then moves into its sixth and final track, “Bloodswamp,” which brings generic drones that don’t build or progress in any way over the entire 14 minutes, other than the addition of more aimless, ear-piercing effects. As a whole, the latter half of Altar seems to only bring more of the same elements contained in the earlier tracks, and in a much less effective manner. Perhaps Sunn O))) & Boris let their creativity get a little out of control when they created these tracks, or maybe Altar just wasn’t meant to drag on for as long as it does.
Having both released profoundly ground-breaking albums on their own, Sunn O))) and Boris naturally had quite a reputation to live up to in their creation of Altar. With such great individual success, it would only be sensible to expect an album of at least equal, if not extraordinary quality from a collaborative effort of both bands. To be fair, Altar does contain plenty of musical exploration and artistic expression, which is certainly to be expected, and is quite effectively delivered in the first few tracks. The combination of their classic super-dark, super-heavy sounds with a new, gentler atmosphere is quite surprising and a great deviation from both bands’ comfort zones. The latter portion of the album, however, seems to be much more carelessly composed and doesn’t really develop into anything worthwhile. This weak, drawn-out finish unfortunately detracts from the album’s overall credibility and makes Altar feel somewhat like a guest that has greatly overstayed his welcome. Having been the first collaborative attempt between Sunn O))) and Boris, Altar contains some impressive new elements that are definitely worthy of recognition, but the release as a whole just doesn’t stack up to the artistic capabilities of either band.
| Reviewer: Sean Butze Added: November 2nd 2006 |
|
