Sunn O))): Dømkirke brings out the Doom in Gregorian Chant

With the release of “Dømkirke”, ultraheavy Proto-Doom band Sunn O))) have caught one of their recent live extravaganzas on record. A document from a concert at a cathedral in the Norwegian town of Bergen, it sees the band innitially reduced to the tight trio line-up of Hungarian madman Attila Csihar (frontman of brutal Metal band Mayhem) on vocals, Steve Moore on the church’s sonorous Pipe Organ as well as local hero Lasse Marhaug abusing his electronics. Only later on this Double Disc set does the core of the band join in. “Dømkirke” represents one of the first signs that Sunn O))) are gaining recognition in the field of contemporary composition and new music, as it was commissioned by the organisors of the Borealis Festival in 2007 in reference to its tradition of mediaeval chant. Without a doubt, thanks to tireless touring, a faithful cult following and their very own Southern Lord label, the group has managed to rise from representing a sort of Insider joke to one of the most eccentric projects on the experimental scene of today. As “Dømkirke”proves, they have also turned into one of its most succesful acts: The limited pressing of the album on clear Vinyl with black streaks had already sold out only days after the publication date.