(artwork by Chris Moyen)

  We are pleased to divulge the artists who will be joining SUNN O))) throughout their European tour this August and September. In Helsinki, on the opening night of their August dates, they will be joined by Stebmo (Steve Moore), a key figure in the development of the band’s sound leading up to Monoliths And Dimensions. Stebmo also performed as a keyboard player for Earth on their The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull and Hex; Or Printing In The Eternal Method LPs – not to mention his vast body work with artists such as Eyvind Kang, Jessie Sykes, Marissa Nadler, Mudhoney, Master Musicians Of Bukkake and more. On their second evening of performances, Switchblade will be opening in Stockholm, having recently released their seventh album, [2016], which you can listen to in full at Terrorizer.

  For the majority of the remaining dates, recent Southern Lord signees BIG | BRAVE will be providing support, bringing the grand sweeping sounds of their debut LP with them. Presenting forty-five minutes of exploratory, post/avant rock, Au De La sees vocalist/guitarist Robin Wattie, guitarist Mathieu Bernard Ball and drummer Louis-Alexandre Beauregard creating a layered, engaging, memorable, and visceral sound. With five expansive movements which transmit BIG | BRAVE‘s imaginative sonics with exceptional production values, Au De La was recorded at Hotel2Tango with Efrim Menuck (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra) and mastered by Harris Newman at Grey Market (Front Line Assembly, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, C H R I S T), several of its tracks also including striking veils of violin by Jessica Moss (Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra). You can stream Au De La at their bandcamp.

  Amidst their 11 day tour, SUNN O))) shall perform in the Labirinto Della Masone, an outdoor maze of impressive and foreboding nature (and the world’s largest), and they have also been invited to perform at the Ruhrtriennale Festival of Arts under the artistic direction of the Dutch director Johan Simons. They will perform in the Turbinenhalle at an old power plant called Jahrhunderthalle Bochum. The theme of the programme is “Seid umschlungen” (be embraced) – a gesture of social, political and geographical embracement.

  The full listings are below, including imminent European shows, which include the classic Paradiso in Amsterdam – a perennial O))) favourite, the unique Vooruit in Ghent, culminating with a performance at this year’s Hellfest, where fans can see SUNN O))), Earth, Melvins and Magma all in one stage in one day. Hellfest 2016 is headlined by our gods Black Sabbath.