Sunn O))) – Sunn O))) (2xLP, Opaque Blue vinyl)

The first Sub Pop album from drone metal pioneers Sunn O))) is a powerful, atmospheric journey into a world of disintegrating time and space, crackling deep guitar sounds and unexpectedly delicate, naturalistic textures. For fans of Black Sabbath, Earth 2, Slint, early Melvins, Coil, Venom, Glenn Branca, Doom Metal, Ambient, Devotional and Experimental.

For almost 30 years Sunn O))) - Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson - have been pushing the boundaries of heavy music, combining the worlds of avant-garde and rock to create a style that is instantly recognizable as their own. in 2026, Sunn O))) return with their first album of new material since 2019's acclaimed Pyroclasts.

Their tenth album - their debut on Sub Pop - shows how well the duo can handle time and space, light and darkness, and that they are ready to develop their distinctive sound into new, bold forms. The eponymous album "sunn O)))" was recorded at Bear Creek Studios in Woodinville, Washington, with Brad Wood (HuM, Tar, Sunny Day Real Estate, Liz Phair). This location proved crucial to the recording process. "The huge recording space had big windows overlooking trees," says O'Malley. "We were able to go hiking and be out in the woods, spend time outdoors. That was a big part of it."

Sunn O))) have long included contributors in their self-contained world: Previous works have featured Attila Csihar (Mayhem), composer Hildur Gudnadóttir, multi-instrumentalist Steve Moore, polymath Mark Deutrom, Tim Midyett of Silkworm and legendary singer-songwriter Scott Walker. On this album, however, O'Malley and Anderson have discovered new possibilities in the duo's original format, playing all the instruments themselves. "What's happened over the last few years with our performances as a duo and no other collaborators has been really new and exciting," says Anderson.

The compositions on Sunn O))) are expansive and panoramic, yet rich in detail, reflecting the tree-filled environment in which they were recorded. Amidst howling feedback and icy crunch, there are surprisingly tender moments: a field recording of rippling water in the background, piano interludes that create a subdued, solemn mood. In the process, the duo reaches new heights of telepathic intensity while shaping music that breathes the invigorating, earthy air of the Pacific Northwest. Visually, the album is framed by two paintings by the late American artist Mark Rothko. The liner notes are by award-winning British writer Robert Macfarlane, known for his work on landscape and the relationship between man and nature.

Through the work of the band, Macfarlane and Rothko combine sound, word and image to create an all-encompassing experience that is undeniably all Sunn O))).