The kings of avant-garde drone metal, Sunn 0))) overwhelms Austin for the first time in 14 years for a doom-heavy bill at Levitation. The gig comes in support of Kannon, the Seattle band’s first non-collaborative album since 2009 and one that hearkens back to its ambient grunge roots.
“It was like, ‘Let’s make some music together again,'” explains guitarist/bassist Greg Anderson. “It was about going back to how we started with the knowledge that we have now. If you listen to the first two records versus this new one, there’s a lot of similarities and common threads, but I think the songwriting, playing, and production are beyond those initial recordings.”
A quote from critical theorist/performance artist Aliza Shvarts in Kannon‘s liner notes summarizes the band’s mission: “It does not simply enter the body, but surrounds it.”
“That correctly sums it up for me when playing live,” says Anderson. “And I feel that way for the audience, too. It’s that sound that’s gonna envelop you and potentially take over. It’s very strange and can be very comforting.
“Sometimes traditional metal or rock music can sort of be distracting – one particular instrument or vocal is making you focus your attention. Whereas with this, I think there’s a lot more space you can sort of fall into. It’s almost like you can be your own guide within the music, whereas traditional rock music is guiding you, taking you somewhere.”
This article appears in April 29 • 2016.
