[k00zk0]

I have asked and written a lengthy post on a few forums about this a while ago, but the audience changes so I will ask again.
 
The album is Monoliths & Dimensions, artist is Sunn O))). Available on CD or Vinyl.
 
The first track, Aghartha, has a very interesting and engineered effect. It may just be careful analog playing with properly controlled pedals and effects, but something leads me to believe the sound is heavily processed. It draws you in, it eats you alive. Anyone else hear it? The guitar does it, something to do with phase, something with panning and localization of sound, a lot to do with proper timing. I've kinda realized a bit of what it is trying to do but it is too much to completely write out else the wrong idea is conveyed. So, anyone like this album, and understand what this effect is? It is not binaural beats, I can tell you that. Something much more complex and human.

 

[rehabitat]

I have this album and I like it.  As far as I can tell, the effect you describe is typical of Sunn's sound.  I don't know what techniques are used, but it seems to have a lot to do with the deep vibrations and dissonance of the detuned guitars that create the enveloping atmosphere.  The guitar sound seems to be panned fairly hard to both sides, leaving other sounds like the vokills very up front and centre.  There is so much layering going on that it's difficult to separate a lot of the sounds, some of which become clearer towards the end of the track as the layers are gradually stripped away.
 
Maybe it's the relationship between the vocals and the guitars, where there is a solid reference point with the vocals sounding so close you can almost smell Attila's breath, and the other sounds are pushed so wide and deep so that there is a sense of the sounds interacting in the spaces between, and therefore rendered somewhat disorientating.
 
Clearly it's all about the sound, more than the compositions for this group, and Monoliths and Dimensions demonstrates that they have a lot of experience in achieving the desired effects.