Metta, Benevolence
BBC 6Music : Live on the invitation of
Mary Anne Hobbs

In late October 2019, following a successful UK tour ending in a sold-out concert at the mythical Roundhouse in London, SUNN O))) entered studio 4 of the BBC Maida Vale. On invitation to record a live session for Mary Anne Hobbs to be broadcast on Samhain via her excellent radio show on BBC6.

To enter the legendary John Peel studios was to enter a temple of music and experimentation, liberty in ideas and sound. The band was nearing the end of a long touring year around the Life Metal and Pyroclast albums. SUNN O))) had developed the compositions extensively, embracing the formative concepts of the Life Metal album conceptually and emotionally, but actualised and evolved into vast, open and bright hypersaturated arrangements. Particularly the pieces the band chose to perform on this recording: Troubled Air and Pyroclasts. The former enriched into a total aspect of the band’s ethos and form in many ways, and Pyroclasts had evolved to become all-inclusive radiation of O))). The radiation embraces collaboration and freedom of interpretation by each player, within a structural format of the massive monuments of sound and distortion which define SUNN O))).
Anna Von Hausswolff and her band had accompanied SUNN O))) on the UK leg, and Anna joined SUNN O))) in the studio on synths and with her tremendous voice on the Pyroclasts pieces.

Credits:

SUNN O)))
Metta, Benevolence
BBC 6Music : Live on the invitation of Mary Anne Hobbs
Gatefold 2xLP

A: Pyroclasts F 15:08
B: Pyroclasts C# 14:11
C: Troubled Air 00:00-19:00
D: Troubled Air (continued) 19:00-31:44

Stephen O’Malley (Electric Guitar, Minimoog Model D synthesizer)
Greg Anderson (Electric Guitar, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 synthesizer)
Tos Nieuwenhuizen (Moog Rogue synthesizer)
Stephen Moore (Trombone, Roland Junior-106 (mod) & Nord Stage (gaffed black) synthesizers)
Tim Midyett (Electric Bass Guitar, Roland Juno-106 synthesizer)
Anna von Hausswolff (Voice & Nord C2D synthesizer on Pyroclasts F & C#)

Written by Stephen O’Malley & Greg Anderson
Arranged by Sunn O))) in constellations

Recorded at BBC Maida Vale in studio 4 on 29 October 2019 for Mary Anne Hobbs’s show on BBC6Music
First broadcast on 31 October 2019

Produced by Mike Askew & Chris Fullard
Engineered by Ross Saunders
Mastered & cut by Matt Colton at Metropolis April 2021

SUNN O))) roadcrew : Chris Fullard, Ryan Rapp, Anne Weckström, Aleš Meduna, Masco Verkuijlen

SUNN O))) Art direction : Stephen O’Malley

Artwork : “A Great Weight Lifting” & ”Cries & Whispers” (2020), “Fiona” & “William” (2018), “Pitch” & “Arise” (2017) Samantha Keeley Smith
2019 evocation by Edwin “Savage Pencil” Pouncey

Very special thanks to Mary Anne Hobbs & Helen Hobday for the invitation, John Peel for the inspiration, Josh Rettallick for the Roundhouse, Lauren Barley for the facilitation

Published by Ideologic Organ (SACEM) & Sabbath Rehash (BMI)