sunn o))) & Boris performed Altar @ ATP (pics), in NYC tonight
words and photos by BBG, more photos by Samantha Marble
“Altar is a collaboration album between Japanese doom band Boris and American drone doom duo Sunn O))), released on October 31, 2006 through Southern Lord Records. A limited two-CD edition was released on October 23rd via Southern Lord with a 28 minute bonus track with Sunn O))), Boris, and Dylan Carlson, titled “Her Lips Were Wet with Venom”. Inoxia Records released their own two-CD version in 2006 which features a bonus track on the first disc, “The Sinking Belle (Black Sheep),” and also features “Her Lips Were Wet with Venom” on disc 2. The triple-vinyl edition by Southern Lord contains all of the songs from their two-CD edition, additional pictures, and liner notes by Kim Thayil. The Daymare 3LP version was released March 23, 2007 and features a bonus track not found on any other version of this release: “The Sinking Belle (White Sheep).”
In addition to major players Sunn O))) and Boris, Altar also boasts an extensive roster of guest musicians/collaborators such as Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Joe Preston (Earth, Thrones, Melvins, High on Fire), Phil Wandscher and Jesse Sykes (both of Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter) as well as long time Sunn O))) collaborators TOS Niewenhuizen and Rex Ritter.” [Wikipedia]
Going into the Altar set Sunday night, I was admittedly not that excited; of all of the tracks on the LP, only the ethereal and melancholic “The Sinking Belle” featuring Jesse Sykes had left a truly indelible mark on me. Punishing and powerful, sunn o))) and Boris were joined by Sykes, Joe Preston and others, who added Moog, trombone, upright bass, and much more to the jet engine roar. Their set at Kutsher’s, much like Sonic Youth the night before, was the single greatest show that I have ever seen sunn o))) or Boris be a part of.
And they do it again, in Brooklyn, TONIGHT (9/7). More pictures from the ATP show, below…
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pics by BBG…
pics by Samantha…
and in NYC:
