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Sunn O))) - Black One review



Reviewer:
N/A

105 users:
8.01
Band: Sunn O)))
Album: Black One
Style: Dark Ambient, Drone doom metal
Release date: October 17, 2005
A review by: Herzebeth


Disc I
01. Sin Nanna
02. It Took The Night To Believe
03. Cursed Realms (Of The Winterdemons) [Immortal cover]
04. Orthodox Caveman
05. CandleGoat
06. Cry For The Weeper
07. Báthory Erzsébet

Disc II [Solstitium Fulminate] [limited edition bonus]
01. Wine & Fog [Live at Roskilde 2005]
02. Vlad Tepes [Live at Roskilde 2005]

How can a band be as elitist as Sunn 0)))? that clichéd phrase "love it or hate it" truly reaches a meaning when it comes to this band; albums passed by smoothly and all of a sudden everyone who claimed being grim and depressing was hearing Sunn 0)))'s "White 1" album, one of the most disturbing and experimental pieces in dark music as far as they thought, well?"Black 1" grows in the same line, and actually is even darker than White 1 and 2 combined, a dark offering only suitable for the band's fanatics.

I say only for their fanatics as the rest of the people never understood this band's intention and never will, even aficionados will be playing this only in the background while doing something else, the album is that hard to digest to be honest. This being said I can only assume that the people into Sunn 0))) will be intensely freaked and pleased by this piece, the band did things with a more shivering feeling towards the music and songwriting (if there's any whatsoever), so I can see why their loyal fans are already building altars for this CD.

Apparently the vocals of the last track were recorded by Malefic (Xasthur) inside a closed casket, just imagine the vibe of this thing, not for the weak that's for sure. In the end this album delivers what Sunn 0))) has been throwing since they arrived to our beloved metal scene, scary atmospheres with a slight (very slight) touch of doom.

A shivering piece, the darkest one available, if you can take more than one hour of drone, repetitive chords, muted ambience, insanely low bass-lines and the world's most distressing vocals, "Black One" is just for you.

Written by Herzebeth | 18.04.2007




Comments

Comments: 19   Visited by: 189 users
18.04.2007 - 03:25
Brother Of Steel
Account deleted
Hard to digest indeed, even harder to understand it... like in your review on White 2. a classification can't be found as well on Black. great review by the way
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18.04.2007 - 04:17
Rating: 9
Nèst
I made a song by song review a lot of time ago... It was refused of course... I remember I pointed the same things as you "More darker, more doom, more freaking... But at the same time, a unique piece. best Sunn O)) release by far
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18.04.2007 - 05:50
Southern Wind
Account deleted
a 10/10 masterpiece... this is my favourite Sunn O))) album, a terrifying, shocking masterpiece that grows a lot with time

With I had to make my list of the best albums of 2005, I didn't doubt to mark Black One in the first place.
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18.04.2007 - 07:52
Linak
I Own You Bitch
*shivers* I love your reviews, but not even that would get me to try this album, call me close minded or just a slutty slutty slut but I've learnt that sitting in the dark while listening to this kind of music is -BAD- for sleep, so I will just trust your word this is a scary one.
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Stick this up your fucking pee-aitch-dee.
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18.04.2007 - 13:33
domz
this album gives me the chills.. I love it.. That is pure art.. a pure masterpiece according to me. nice nice review
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18.04.2007 - 13:37
Zombie, M.D.
I never understood people who say this album was the most accessible album by Sunn O))), its a pretty challenging listen as you implied. If I actually focus on the music when playing the cd, rather than listening to it in the background, Im exhausted by the end. One hell of a negative experience, I love it.

P.S - In the bottom of your review it says "Black 1". The album title is "Black One" though, as in "The Black One" rather than a number.
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"I really screwed up this time." - Jeffery Dahmer
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18.04.2007 - 18:26
Herzebeth
Written by Zombie, M.D. on 18.04.2007 at 13:37


P.S - In the bottom of your review it says "Black 1". The album title is "Black One" though, as in "The Black One" rather than a number.

Fixed, thanks
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18.04.2007 - 19:04
Dane Train
Beers & Kilts
Elite
Good review. Short, but right to the point. Sunn O))) is a band that words really can not begin to describe. Same can be said for most bands in this vein of music like Boris, Earth, etc.
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(space for rent)
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18.04.2007 - 20:53
Basso
Account deleted
This is a good album. Have never been a fan of Drone though... Only band I really enjoy within the genre is Boris.
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19.04.2007 - 04:14
Hyvaarin
"that clichéd phrase "love it or hate it" truly reaches a meaning when it comes to this band; albums passed by smoothly and all of a sudden everyone who claimed being grim and depressing was hearing Sunn 0)))'s "White 1" album, one of the most disturbing and experimental pieces in dark music as far as they thought, well?"Black 1" grows in the same line, and actually is even darker than White 1 and 2 combined, a dark offering only suitable for the band's fanatics." is one long fucking sentence...
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"Summoned By Words Never Spoken Before..."
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19.04.2007 - 13:42
Lily_Lazer
Outdated
Written by Hyvaarin on 19.04.2007 at 04:14

"that clichéd phrase "love it or hate it" truly reaches a meaning when it comes to this band; albums passed by smoothly and all of a sudden everyone who claimed being grim and depressing was hearing Sunn 0)))'s "White 1" album, one of the most disturbing and experimental pieces in dark music as far as they thought, well…"Black 1" grows in the same line, and actually is even darker than White 1 and 2 combined, a dark offering only suitable for the band's fanatics." is one long fucking sentence...

This could be splitted into many many smaller ones =P
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-Lily
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23.04.2007 - 15:59
Dub
Account deleted
Might be worth mentioning its completely different to anything the band have ever done before...I mean It Took All Night to Believe has tremelo picking!!11 SHREDDING ON A SUNN O))) ALBUM?!?!?!

Definatly has a more distinct black metal element to it. What with Wrest and Malefic being added to the mix this time.

Nice review though and a brilliant album.
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24.03.2008 - 00:14
Rating: 10
Empty Spaces
Unburied At Dusk
Great review man! I love this album! I have fallen asleep while listening to this in the night, it's a very strange thing.... hahaha!
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18.12.2009 - 17:17
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
Great review. And this album really is a grower... it took me the night to believe One of Sunn O)))'s best.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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25.12.2011 - 21:25
JD
Account deleted
I totally agree with everything you said in your review.
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08.05.2012 - 22:30
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
I love this album, and review. Nice Job Herz (even though you won't see this)
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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08.05.2012 - 22:48
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Decent Sunn O))) album but still amongst my least favourite. It's quite inconsistent and the black metal elements are forcibly introduced here which doesn't always work for me. Not to mention the gimmicky side of Wrest and Malefic's inclusion, the Immortal cover, silliness with the coffin. Kinda screams acceptance from the infinitely more popular black metal community.

It Took The Night To Belive is a great song though.
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08.05.2012 - 22:52
Rating: 9
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Meh. I really like it. Like I give a shit if they wants acceptance from a group or not. To me it doesn't feel that forced. It's a great album

Damn I still don't own any of their albums. They aren't really cheap here.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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15.08.2012 - 03:03
Rating: 9
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Quote:
Damn I still don't own any of their albums. They aren't really cheap here.

...and I got it a few months ago and finally was able to give it the listen that I always wanted. With all the lights out and computer off at midnight.

Such a haunting and negative experiencie. Love it.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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