Sunn O))) - The Gates of Ballard

[@KurtWarnerMovie]

one of the greatest songs of all time

[@therealblackmonolith]

Possibly the most head banging Sunn song

[@hermaeusmora2945]

The rare Sunn drums really add here, i do indeed find myself head bobbing to this one

[@shanepereira5370]

That fat drone after the voice in the start.... holy. This is so good.

[@josephstrausman4941]

Is a drone blanket.

[@shanepereira5370]

Completely!

[@TomDenneyArt]

it sounds like the guitars are in the next building over and recorded through the brick walls during heavy traffic

[@chrishenniker5944]

Could these guys be the Aphex Twin of heavy metal?

[@sebastianjones29]

It took a while to understand their music, until something clicked and I thought dear God this is really intelligent music.

[@gavinsnyder5627]

What do you mean by "intelligent music" exactly? As in the people who listen to it are intelligent? Or are you saying the music itself has a degree of intelligence? I'm just trying to get a grasp on what you mean. What is it that got you to feel as though it just "clicked"? I'm honestly curious. I myself am I guitar player. That being said, I like a wide variety of music. I regularly listen to anything from metal to classical to jazz. So I feel I'm generally open-minded an enjoy a variety of genres and tastes. But I honestly don't understand the hype over sunn o))). I'm not even saying it's bad. As I don't typically judge art of any kind in that way. Now, they're typically seen as a band. An I understand why, but I feel if anything the more prominate aspect of them seems like it may be more along the lines of an experience rather than a significant artistic expression. What I mean is, their following seems to be very into the whole experience of going to one of their shows in a sort of spiritual type way. It almost seems like more or less, people get more of a spiritual value from them rather than a musical thing. Similar to someone who went on to try ayahuasca for a spiritual experience. Which that i can understand in a certain context. However, the experience that I feel people have when seeing a band like sun o)))(a spiritual awakening to some degree) is attainable in other contexts as well. But the general environment at a concert like that has a type of influence that makes the experience more likely. In other words, someone can have a spiritual experience in any given situation. But being at a concert like sun o))) provides a solid basis for the experience It's self. You're at a show that is generally known for inducing that type of result. Plus, there's music, which is fundamentally sound an is often very spiritual naturally. You're just more susceptible in that type of environment. But anyway, I'm not sure if that's it, but that's what I've gathered. As for a purely musical value, I'm not into it. Music to me, basically has two main aspects. Tone and some type of rhythmic element. Now I can agree that sun o))) reaches that basic definition of what we could regard as music. But to say that it is good music to me there'd need to be something easily compelling about it in some sense or another. I don't really understand the significance when people say a acquired taste is necessary. I feel like it's as if you said, "You need to be persuaded to liking it". Which is the impression I get from sun o))) fans. As in it takes a particular degree on intellect to comprehend the genius behind what is sun o))). It's hard to value peoples titles when they give themselves the titles. It's like running around and claiming to be something despite the majority of analysis. So I don't think much when someone says something that implies such things. But any opinion about any of this would be appreciated. I'm truly just curious to what exactly you meant, along with wanting a more in depth description of your liking to sun o))) as a band. I'm curious if you'd agree that there's more of a spiritual element rather than a purely musical one. I'm not claiming that's true, just that from what I've seen they seem to have that type of following. But that's why I'm asking you as you're a fan, to give me your take on it. Thanks!

[@Maxu88]

@@gavinsnyder5627 I think he meant that when people talk about Sunn O))) they describe them as an very slow band that uses one chord for an hour. And when you listen to Sunn O))) for the first time it kind of matches the description. But when you start to dig them you can see that their music is much more than that. Every album sounds different, have different feel to it. Different tone. Some of their tracks are slower, some faster, some have vocals, some are clean and light, some are distorted and heavy. In full perspective they are more musical than a lot of other bands. Their full albums make a lot of sense and it's not some random stuff. Everything is well-thought. And when you are looking for specific type of music Sunn O))) is one of the best I know. It's not dance music or typical pop music. But when you are in mood for some ambient music (like Brian Eno) but with more bite and way more darkness, it's hard to pick up something better than Sunn O))). Music is not only melody and rhytm. Sunn have one of the best guitar tones in the industry. They are one the heaviest. But they can deliver melodic stuff as well - The Sinking Belle for example. And always amazing atmosphere.

[@gavinsnyder5627]

@@Maxu88 Alot of what you're saying is very subjective based. For instance, to say they have the best guitar tones in the industry. People have different opinions of what the best is with almost everything. So your statement isn't really true. Atleast not objectively. Also, you claim that they are more musical than other bands is another rather subjective claim. It depends on how one defines musicality. I personally don't feel Sun 0)) is more musical than most other groups. But as I said that is more or less a subjective opinion, however the majority of people would likely think the same. But that's where Sun 0)) fans would just elude to saying something like, "you just don't get it". Which is basically going back to what my comment was saying/asking. Lots of different people claim themselves to be something. For instance it's quite common for Jazz musicians to claim only intellegent people can fully appreciate jazz. Anyone claiming some type of superiority over others should at the very least be questioned. I could claim my music of preference takes intellect to enjoy or understand. But I truly believe such a narrow perspective is just ignorant an oozes arrogance. Making a statement like he did, "Dear God, this really is intelligent music", I was curious to what he meant. Your comment answered by basically saying he meant that on the surface Sun 0))) music isn't great or whatever. But on a deeper look it is. However, as I mentioned some key points you made were subjective. Even saying Sun 0)) is intelligent music is subjective. Meaning it's blaitenly founded on an opinion which is inherently bias. I will say that perhaps Sun 0) is artistic in a certain way. But I do doubt most would say it's very musical, or more musical than other groups. That's something that could easily be tested in an objective way. All you'd need to do is propose a question to random, average people. Something like, "Do you believe the band Sun 0)) is more musical than the majority of other music", and have them listen to a variety from their catalog. I feel fairly confident assuming most people wouldn't deny a degree of musicality to sun 0)), but they wouldn't likely say they're more musical than others. I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but I myself am a musician. I play guitar and have played for most of my life. I honestly listened to a wide spectrum of music. I can appreciate almost anything when I'm in the right mood for it. But sun 0)) is one I can't get behind in terms of listening or even imagine playing. The only way I could see it being anything more than what it is to me regularly would be if I took a dose or something along those lines. Other than that these little to no emotional response from me from their music. If I don't feel anything from it or there's no musical complexity that's intriguing, what's the point? I assume you could agree with that. To me, whatever may or may not be there, meaning within the music, is too subtle to just enjoy for most people in a average state of consciousness. Hence the obvious use of psychedelics with their following. All this tells me is that it take a relatively specific type of mindset to get to appreciate their music. But I wouldn't necessarily say this is a superior state or related to higher intellect. But if anything it shows the subjectivity to it all.

[@Maxu88]

@@gavinsnyder5627 Well, everything in this world is subjective, even term "intelligence". For one intelligent person is a genius in physics. For the other is someone with great imagination. The same goes to music, if you ask majority of people who the best artist is, the chances are they would choose some pop artist. And this artist from the perspective of music theory is nothing special. I am a musician too, I play guitar most of my life. Everyone likes different kind of music. I like dark atmosphere in general, so Sunn O))) music makes me feel a lot. I like many other bands, but I think Sunn is really special. And once again, everything is subjective. If you are the specific kind of person some things are intelligent for you, but not for everyone. For instance one man can tell that Nietzsche is intelligent, but for religious person Nietzsche could be stupid. And it goes on and on. One man can tell thant technology is our greatest achievement, but the other think that technology is what is going to end the humanity. Because technology is the cause why our planet is getting more and more devastated. So yes, I and some other can think that Sunn O))) music is intelligent by our point of view, but in our eyes some different artist is not so clever. And other people can judge that Sunn O))) is the stupidest thing in music history and they have a right to think so. Because it's not their taste.

[@gavinsnyder5627]

@@Maxu88 i agree 100% . I was more or less asking in what way the origional commenter meant by his use of intellegent music. Like you said, even the way someone distinguishes intelligence is subjective at the root of it. But it's easy to understand the bias that comes with proclaiming something you're personally invested in as being intellegent. Especially as in an objective sense. Anyone can say virtually anything is whatever. But generally speaking, most objective facts for example are things that aren't reasonably disputable. For instance, the influence of gravity on objects in relationship to their mass. Gravity is something that is still rather strange to us. But the way objects behave in relationship to their mass is an objective observation. No sensible person would dismiss the effects of gravity in our typical realm of experience. Theoretically there may be ways to logically argue gravity. But not for those operating in this life. Anyway, it's been nice talking with you. I was really just curious to the guys perspective. In otherwords, I myself don't experience sun 0))) like most of their fans. I myself belive it's just a perspective thing. So I figured if I could get some insight from a fan who claims they "get it", whatever that may mean, I might be able to better appreciate their music. I don't believe it's necessarily an intelligence thing. As in anyone who doesn't believe sun 0)) is genius level music is incompetent. I just thing it's perspective. Which also plays into how many of their fans are into psychedelics. Most psychedelics open your mind in a different way compared to average consciousness. They also highten your senses. Which both those aspects make perfect sense to me atleast in how I mentioned a particular perspective is optimal and how Sun 0))s music is very subtle. If you did a tally to see what percentage of Sun 0)) fans do psychedelics or atleast have, I'd bet the majority do/have. I myself have, but not in years. So it's not like I just don't get it. I completely understand that element in any way. But without psychedelics I'm guessing their following would be almost none exsistant. I'm not really sure, but I'd assume their following is rather few to begin. Though the fans they do have speak very strongly and highly of them. Same goes for other groups like Dead heads, Phish or Zappa fans. Some other these groups are more popular than Sun 0)) but they have similar die hard loyal fans.

[@HikoSeijuroXIII]

One of the songs of all time

[@timpressey6096]

That percussion is so sick. Subtle but on point, even when the riffing is out of time

[@Sunn_on_my_D]

Joe preston on drum machine. I wish sunn play more to drums

[@LiarOfAngmar]

Unique tyle and music .. some of the greatest ambient doom there is .. love it ♫

[@longgone696]

Still heavy in 2021.

[@shizukaPNW]

i used to live near ballard, washington lol

[@rocky9659]

Incredible sound design. Those vocals could not have been placed better in the mix.

[@michaelamorim8410]

Damn this percussion is good.

[@psicologoagustin]

IS GOD

[@lanceuppercut2013]

Michael Amorim courtesy of Joe Preston...check out Thrones

[@dillingerteeth]

Trve Slvm

[@r.l.lawrencejr.6283]

MANY A TRIP THREW THE GATES[LOCKS]OF BALLARD. SUNN O}}}., IS WASHINGTON STATE.......EXCELLENT CHOICES BROTHERS. THANKS, BUD,JR.

[@enriqueducasse9754]

SPEED METAL!!!

[@untitledfan3660]

I'm sure this isn't the only song that has percussion. I know there's a few songs that has signing like this one

[@bigbertampsly1775]

This that Morbid Angel-obssessed Carlson sound

[@psicologoagustin]

CHINGONSÍSIMA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@dustincole7805]

Does anyone have the lyrics (original and translation)?

[@survivalist74]

lyricstranslate.com/en/håvard-hedde-havard-hedde.html

[@lukeleonardrasmussen3550]

hmm...would rather drone metal of Sunn o))) than some fucking commercial for Kars 4 Kids

[@admit2nothing]

neato i just made it 666 'likes'.

[@tengobotas]

ahhhh Ballard how i miss you /watch?v=hGlDVmBLibg

[@ingomalmstein2799]

STORM's "Håvard Hedde" is countless times better!

[@yuyunull]

Sunn 0)))'s rendition of "Håvard Hedde" is respectable as well lol

[@ab4845]

Sunn 0))) is much, much more interesting as a concept and as an idea than as an actual band making music. Just to put an example the Melvins' 'Joe Preston' and 'Melvins' albums and especially the Magnificent 'Mirror Reaper' by Bell Witch make everything (or almost everything) Sunn0)))'s ever done seem just boring and unoriginal and pedestrian and silly and a chore to listen to. Just **my very personal opinion** .

[@GREENWARRI0R]

Your opinion is wrong but thank you for sharing.

[@nealeshaffer3140]

Damn you keep sharing the exact same very personal opinion, I believe that is known as oversharing

[@mellowcorpsep6665]

its nicer when youre tired and want to zone out a bit

[@shallot6183]

The only song by Bell Witch that anyone likes is Mirror Reaper, and even that song isn't very interesting. It's only held up by the amazing feeling payoff in the latter half of the song.

[@horse_dog]

Shallot I’m sorry, what? I thought their second album “Four Phantoms” was pretty popular? Same with their collaboration with Aerial Ruin