Live Review : Sunn O))) + Black Mountain @ The Dome, Liverpool on June 30th 2026

John Peel used to describe his beloved The Fall as being “always different, always the same”. This similia also works for Sunn O))). Their approach is now part of metal mythology; two hooded figures play a scant set of notes glacially slow and in doing so create a monolithically heavy sound that you feel as opposed to hear. For near on thirty years Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson haven’t deviated from this formula, ploughing a blazingly inventive and individualistic furrow. It might be distinctly challenging and discombobulating, but you know what you are getting with Sunn o))).

Yet they still retain the ability to confound expectation. The majestic Dome in Liverpool is full with the converted, a bevy of space cadets that have in the vast majority experienced Sunn O))) before. Yet they keep coming back because every performance by this indescribable act feels different. It has its own unique textures and vibe. Hidden within the punishing monotony are heaps of spontaneous flourishes and it that constant fluctuations that keeps the faithful coming back. 

Sunn O))) have a long held tradition of providing a more cleansing and sedate support act. A calm of tranquillity before their storm of unrelenting noise. Tonight it is the turn of a stripped-down version of Canadian psychedelic pioneers Black Mountain. Core mainstays Amber Webber and Stephen McBean perform a seductively intimate set under the moniker of "Twin Oscillations". It is raw and beguilingly beautiful. Even though the approach is accessible and non confrontational, there is a weathered aesthetic. They are publicly displaying emotional wounds that are still painful, and that vulnerability burns through the set. There are hints of electronic and flutters of feedback, but in the main it is a heart-wrenching display of subtle power. A timely reminder that the most effective things sometimes take the least effort. 

Tonight is all about glimpses. Within the all-consuming smoke that shrouds Sunn O))) for most of the show, we get mere glimpses of the band and the faces behind the cloaks. The music itself may initially feel impenetrable, but there are glimpses of fluctuation and, dare we say it, melody. It is those fleeting moments of recognition and serenity that make the near-two-hour experience so engaging and enticing. The intro is the infamous recording of Venom frontman Chronos’s befuddled and clumsy attempts at stage banter. It might be a nonsensical piece of silliness, but it operates as the last relatively normal and formulaic thing we hear for the next two hours. Sunn O))) take no prisoners, and from the off they are brutal and penetratingly protracted.

The best way to deal with Sunn O))) is not to view it as a formulaic concert. There are few discernible breaks between the tracks, and the first pause for any form of audience response comes over an hour in. It is more of an art installation than a rock n’ roll show, and part of the joy is watching (when you can) Stephen and Greg create. Through the imposing haze, there are windows when it is possible to observe them hold infinite notes, left hands raised as they coax out the constantly gyrating sound out of their strings. We also get to spy on their relationships with their amps. They are surrounded by a circular henge-like structure of imposing amplifiers. On various occasions, they wander up to respective speakers, bringing their instruments close to the valves. This creates colossal feedback loops that makes fillings and fixtures alike shake. 

As ever the venue operates as a third member of the band. The ornate dome above us beautifully intensifies the sound and sends it swirling around the room. The compact space in the downstairs area offers no respite or hiding spaces. Instead, the audience is at close quarters, continually pummelled by the never-ending torrent of low-frequency sound. It is gloriously heavy and unrepentant, working its way into every pore of your body. A woman who has made it onto the balcony gives the impression that the monotonous intensity is bringing her to a sexual climax, whilst the back of the auditorium is littered with those shattered by the persistent and perpetual corrosive power.

But in the middle of all that unremorseful noise, there are slivers of joy and celebration. Towards the end of the set, they both begin to hoist their instruments high above their head in joyous abandonment. It feels like a transcendental commemoration of the sheer thrill of being alive. And that is the point of Sunn O))). They are not actually angry or nihilistic. Instead, this is meditation for the jilted generation. An all-consuming flurry that assaults the senses, but does so to make you realise the beauty of all around you. At the end of the day this is life affirmation by way of unadulterated and unfiltered noise and it works beautifully.

Check the “In The Flesh” page for more photos!
Sunn O))) + Black Mountain