Flight of the Behemoth, released in 2002 on Southern Lord Records, marks a turning point in Sunn O)))’s evolution from drone doom revivalists into true sonic sculptors. The duo of Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson use amplification, texture, and sheer volume to create an immersive experience where tone becomes architecture and distortion becomes meditation.
The album’s five main pieces unfold slowly, moving through vast stretches of feedback and sub-bass. Tracks like O)))Bow 1 and O)))Bow 2 build massive walls of sound that shift almost imperceptibly, while the collaboration with Merzbow on F.W.T.B.T. injects raw electronic noise into the band’s dense drones. The result is an intense, almost spiritual confrontation between noise and silence.
Recorded by Scott Reeder, Flight of the Behemoth captures the physical force of Sunn O)))’s music it doesn’t just sound heavy, it feels heavy. This record also defined much of their later mythology: the robes, the fog, the slow ritualistic performances. Its influence extends across drone, doom, and experimental music, shaping a generation of artists who see sound as a form of presence.
While its minimalism and length may alienate casual listeners, its power lies in complete immersion. It is not an album to be played in the background it’s a space to enter and inhabit.
