It’s unlike Sunn O))) to do things by halves, but the drone metal mainstays have proven themselves more than capable of restraining their most basic urges (especially volume) in the name of collaboration when it suits. ‘Monoliths & Dimensions’ was a rich, resonant work on which Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley weaved their hefty guitars around the contributions of guests like modern classical composer Eyvind Kang and Sun Ra trombonist Julian Priester.
‘Terrestrials’ perhaps required a different form of collaboration, for Ulver have, over the course of their 20 year career, marked themselves out as one of the most impressively purposeful groups on the face of the planet. Unsurprisingly then, this work fits better into the Ulver discography than it does that of Sunn O))), which may disappoint some of the latter’s fans but, in fact, makes for a perfectly natural step forward for both these pioneering groups.
Opening track Let There Be Light is a textural odyssey reminiscent of Ulver’s most recent effort, last year’s orchestral ‘Messe I.X-VI.X’. Deep drones, presumably courtesy of Anderson and O’Malley, break low into the mix like distant ice peaks slumping into a cold sea. Strings glide glacially overhead and, just occasionally, the sound of horns appear, wraith-like, far off into the distance.
It’s a beautiful piece precisely because every sound present refuses to conform to anything even resembling its expected form, and is at times reminiscent of Æthenor, a project led by Ulver’s Daniel O’Sullivan but regularly featuring both that band’s KristofferRygg and O’Malley.
As with much of Ulver’s recent work, it’s difficult to speculate as to exactly what they’re playing, but they’re welcome to keep on doing it as long as they want. Western Horn, in comparison, is a disappointment. It comes across as an attempt to meld Ulver’s subtler sensibilities to Sunn O)))’s uncompromisingly stubborn approach, eventually falling somewhere in the middle ground between the two. Dirge like in the way that the best of Sunn O)))’s early output was, it simply lacks the sonic depth of the opening track.
When you have experimental musicians of the calibre of those in Sunn O))) and Ulver you want something to push the boat out, but Western Horn sounds unsure of itself. Occasionally there are hints that something more is on the way, but it never arrives, leaving Anderson and O’Malley’s guitars to cut out before much of an impact has been made.
Eternal Return is far more successful. More darkly atmospheric than its predecessors, it sees Ulver’s Coil influence make a welcome appearance. Rygg’s vocals are joined by audible synth and sweeping strings as the record comes to a close in surprisingly melodic fashion. Ultimately, at nearly a quarter of an hour in length, it is perhaps a slightly overwrought closer but, more than either of the previous tracks it sees the groups working in an easily envisioned harmony of performance, which is the end goal of any collaboration after all.
While this makes for a pleasing conclusion to ‘Terrestrials’, it’s hard not to wish that something more had been achieved here. Sunn O))) and Ulver are both fearless bands, but ‘Terrestrials’ doesn’t quite see either stretch themselves as might have been have expected. It is an album full of references to both band’s key philosophies of evolution, but it doesn’t transcend any of them in the way it could have done.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
))_HB_100214.jpg)
))_300x300_HB_100214.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
