Sunn 0))) & Boris - Altar [Southern Lord - 2006]Altar is the first eagerly anticipated sour black fruits of the Southern Lord'ss tow big doom drone hitters Sunn 0))) & Boris. Sitting very much in the feeling of small town American dread, Like a middle ground between Lovecaft and lynch. Both surreal and potent in its execution. It also brings into focus a more emotional quality, not really seen much in either artist's work. Sadly though, like most of Sunn 0)))’s album's, they throw in a couple of clunky ‘don’t fit in’ tracks, that rather skews things off its grim course. First culprit is the second track N.L.T, which seems to go nowhere, in its near four minute running time - just dwelling in reversed cymbal work and uninspired drone really lessens the atmospheric built up by the dark regal corn field by night dread of Enta. The next offender is Akuma No Kuma, which features plainly silly and rather annoying vocoder vocals, and dire attempts at Celtic Frost horn horror. Right that’s the bad stuff out of the way and we’re left with some really breathtaking atmospheric and haunted dark soundscapes, mixing perfectly the two projects best elements. There’s the Sinking Bell’s - dry plains country come slow dark riffing, which soars to great grim heights with elegant melancholic piano and haunted female vocals, courtesy of Jesse Sykes. The body floating in black tar water of Fried Eagle Mind, lit by creepy psychedelics and darkly sensual female vocals, plus eerier noise elements and all manner of atmospherics which lay heavy on ones mind. Lastly we have the highlight of the whole project Blood swamp – a monster 15 minute track heaving with deeply toned dread and heavy with the scent of death - really the atmosphere feels like a rich and chocking black fog crawling into your head, bitter guitar picks hover and wonder over sack of bodies heavy doomy bass admissions.Really a flawed masterpiece, that could have flowed and worked so much better if the dead wood had been cut from around it. Nevertheless Altar is an album that fans of both groups and newcomers alike will want to be dwelling in and worship in for many hours to come.    Roger Batty
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