Sunn O))) / Boris - Altar [Collaboration] - review
Sunn O))) / Boris - Altar [Collaboration] - review
Album
Altar [Collaboration] Release date
October 31, 2006 Tracklist
01. Etna02. N.L.T.
03. The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)
04. Akuma No Kuma
05. Fried Eagle Mind
06. Blood Swamp
A review by
Herzebeth January 16, 2007
First of all, many people disliked this album because they were expecting a "Black One" follow-up, let's face it, the majority of people who found themselves interested by "Altar" were Sunn O))) fanatics. So, when the album starts and shows a different (in few ways) scheme of what "Black One" or "White Two" were, people get disappointed indeed, and I can't blame them, Sunn O))) used to deliver 20 minutes songs with repetitive as hell chords and really long passages remember?
This album is way more digestible than any of the Sunn O))) albums, it even features calm, melodious and not scary vocalizations, it also has shorter songs and even some "Pop" (don't let this word scare you!) structures in "The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)" for example (just read the name of the singer). The vibe is neither dark or grim, I think this "new" sagacity was the work of Boris actually, then everything obviously runs in a less sadistic way.
What's the problem? I think each track has an obvious "thing" which depicts who actually was in charge of the songwriting. I might be wrong as I don't know this for a fact, but the palatable songs ("The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)", "Etna", etc.) are perceptibly cuts that Boris crafted, and the darker tunes ("Akuma No Kuma", "Blood Swamp", etc.) are the ones which Sunn O))) might have shaped, so in the end this album sounds a little polarized if you know what I mean.
I still think this album will please many avant-gardists out there, even though this album has little replay values (with the exception of the already mentioned "pop" song) and it slowly falls down with each listen, it is a very interesting record (the best of its kind this year at least), and let me tell you one thing, the first listen is one blasting experience!
Best Tracks: "The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)", "Etna"
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written by Herzebeth | January 16, 2007
Comments
Comments:
19
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| Basso
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although this album does not deserve an 8, the review is good. congrats. 
---- Blessed is he that murders Christ in himself and in his fellow men.  Written by TheBigRossowski on 10.02.2009 at 16:01
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Posts: 1859
Disagree with the rating and a fair review although I personally don't agree with it. I was among the category that were disappointed I guess lol..
---- To be Draped by the Shadow of your Morbid Palace. Ohh, Hate Living...The only heat is warm blood So Pure... So Cold Transilvanian Hunger
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| Jesus_Puncher
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Posts: 40071
I didn't like this album at all at first. But once I got the 2 CD version (which is apparently limited to 5,000 copies) and played it over and over again, I really dig this album. CD 2: "SatanOscillateMyMetallicSonatas" 1. Her Lips Were Wet With Venom (this track is a 28 minute drone piece that features Sunn O))), Boris and Dylan Carlson from Earth) This is a totally awesome track and has a slight country feel to it (probably due to Dylan Carlson having worked on it) I agree that The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep) is a brilliant song. I agree with Herz that is almost a pop song even though it is one of the most intense songs on the album. Pop can also be intense. Oh yes, I forgot to say. I just LOVE the cover art.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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Posts: 5537
Maybe the rating does not suit with the review, I understand... but I just followed the tags of the rating system, and I do not feel that a 7 fits better in any of those tags  and yes, Pop can be very intense at times, don't you know about Kaada?
----
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| Jesus_Puncher
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| Dr4Wazo
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Posts: 13427
And that is THE single most great thing about music, it has no boundaries.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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Posts: 18615
I dislike this review. It's mostly talk about how is Altar compared to other Sunn O))) albums and that's unfair since this is NOT a split album but a collaboration. So I don't understna dwhy is so much talk about Sunn O))) but not about Boris. I also wonder why this review it's not showed on the Boris page.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Posts: 13427 |
Posts: 13427 Written by X-Ray Rod on 02.01.2009 at 16:22 Fixed.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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Posts: 18615 Written by Lucas on 02.01.2009 at 16:38 Sorry if I sounded like a bitch whining  ... But thanks
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Still available. 2-disc numbered and still sealed. Rare nowadays--3 years since release. Starting at purchase price--cheap: http://cgi.ebay.com/sunnO-Boris-Altar-Ltd-Ed-2CD-drone-doom-New-Southern_W0QQitemZ300367651917QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_CDs?hash=item45ef4ea44d#ht_500wt_1182 
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 Posts: 2955 |
Posts: 2955
Funny that the japanese track looks more Sunn O))) than Boris shaped. This album is simply amazing. The drums on ''Etna'', the beautiful melodies of ''Sinking Belle'' and the crazy ''Akuma no Kuma''. Simply beautiful. One of Sunn O)))'s best.
----  ---- 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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Posts: 18615 Written by Uirapuru on 19.12.2009 at 04:29 Wll... you can't write that it's Sunn O)))'s best technically speaking since it's a full colaboration with both bands involved in all tracks XP.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Posts: 2955 Written by X-Ray Rod on 19.12.2009 at 12:30 Haha. yeah, that would be technically correct. Im commenting through Sunn's page, so it was in my head that it was a Sunn album with Boris touches... but it is truly a co-album.
---- ---- 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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 Posts: 9575 |
Posts: 9575
"Her Lips were Wet With Venom" is easily one of my favourite songs. I was very surprise upon hearing it the first time.
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| !J.O.O.E.!
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