CD edition: Pan Sonic space explorer Mika Vainio and Sunn 0))) strongarm Stephen O'Malley rock our world to the foundations with this anticipated union of electronics and guitars recorded as ÄÄNIPÄÄ, featuring vocals by Alan Dubin (Khanate) and string arrangements from Eyvind Kang.
In gestation for some years now, the results are little short of a modern doom masterpiece; a bracing exposition of cold, condensed, rage and stoic passion delivered like a slow, internally bruising hate-f**k to the head, blowing metallic smoke and blinding with its blackened brilliance. Their journey takes place over four extended sections. Khanate vocalist Alan Dubin intensifies the opening and closing chapters with harrowing screams reciting the writings of modernist Russian poet Anna Akhmatova against Vainio's robo-Bonham boulder drums and O'Malley's exorcising riffs whilst the central pieces are eerier, more spaced-out. Vinyl comes in a double gatefold jacket, mixed by Randall Dunn and mastered and cut by Rashad at D&M.