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Although Sunn O)))'s 7th studio album Monoliths & Dimensions may not be as commercial and accessible as their 2005 release Black One, it definitely deserves as much media attention and credibility. Now, Sunn O))) (pronounced "Sun") is most definitely NOT for everybody. For huge metalheads, maybe. But nonetheless, it's a little too "out there" and "left-field" for a lot of people to enjoy. Sunn O))) is known for creating long-winded drones that fade and elaborate over a 10-15 minute range. Sounds accessible? Didn't think so.
Now, to really get the most out of Monoliths you need to really go outside and get some atmosphere to go along with the music. If you live in a more woodsy area, like me, I recommend that you go into the woods and sit under some creepy tree on a cloudy day. I tried it, but I'm such a pansy that I decided to lay down on my deck and look at the trees as my eyes closed. It may seem impossible to hear an album asleep but with this, it's totally possible. Monoliths suddenly becomes the soundtrack to your dreams/nightmares. And while being asleep you can definitely take a listen and observe all the layers of the tracks as your dreams are projected. I had a dream that some big-foot looking dude was talking a walk around an empty village where cornfields and houses were burned and torn to the ground. Scary stuff.
To go in depth with the album, the first track may turn you off EASILY. It's got a classic, foreign "I don't know what this means but it's Sunn O))) so I like it anyway" name, "Aghartha". Average dirgey and bassy guitars but the turn off is the German-accented monologue roaming over a grueling 17 minutes. But the music is great, there's some weird trumpets, broken violins, floorboards creaking, and some backing female vocals that are really frightening. Now, Southern Lord mentioned that this album is not "doom metal meets orchestra" but I have to say that this definitely has a more orchestral feel than other Sunn O))) releases. The second track "Big Church (reallylongforeignnamethatprobablymeansnothingbutithasaccentmarksyou'rewelcome)" is a perfect example. These women start singing and you're thinking, "what is this?" but of course, the boys f with it by adding a huge guitar fart to the mix with some male chanting and then... everything stops with a church bell.................AND THEN IT STARTS AGAIN! This happens one more time making this a nice pattern to the track. "Hunting & Gathering (Cydonia)" is my least favorite of the four. It's the same as everything else, just not diggin' the synth. The last track "Alice" is a perfect outro to Monoliths by adding a bluesy sounding guitar with a horn section. Towards the last few minutes, it becomes kinda dreamy. And a soft saxophone solo finishes off the record and executes it perfectly.
Overall, great drone record. Sunn O))) is the best of all doom metal bands out there so, that's a definite plus.
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