Queen Margaret Union, GlasgowAnyone can play loud, but the Seattle masters of slow metal turn noise into an overwhelming physical experience
Surrounded by amplifier stacks towered high like ancient monoliths, dressed in druid cowls and robes, shrouded by a thick fog of dry ice, and laying down primal slabs of guitar and synth at geological pace, Sunn O))) are, to put it mildly, a vibe.
Kings on the throne of drone for 20 years, the Seattle instrumental ensemble command a realm at the nexus of metal and noise art, with their low, humming heaviosity apt to get head-bangers scratching their chins and chin-strokers banging their heads (very slowly). Bleeding their compositions dry of melody, beats, rhythm and any obvious structure, Sunn O))) chew on the leftovers most musicians carve off and discard: a throbbing gristle of sound. Across a near relentless 90-minutes they progress through chord changes at a rate some bands get through entire songs.