18 Apr 2023

Record Store Day: Southern Lord Will Release Sunn O)))/Boris ‘Altar’ and Heroin Discography

Heroin, photo by Melanie Whitman

The RSD-exclusive deluxe double LP’s will be available on April 22, 2023.

Southern Lord continues its prolific output with two exciting new releases for Record Store Day: 2006’s monolith Altar from Sunn O))) + Boris, and a collection of recordings from 90’s mainstays Heroin.

Heroin Discography

One of the vanguards of the 90’s underground, punk/hardcore community, San Diego’s Heroin released their first 7” in 1991 before disbanding in 1993. In that short time, the band went on to influence countless post-hardcore and screamo bands of that era and even today. Heroin’s first 7” also marked the first release for the legendary independent label Gravity Records, which was central in developing and promoting the “San Diego sound” and also branched out into other forms of experimental music across their extensive catalog.

The Heroin discography contains all of the band’s out-of-print 7”s and 12”s, compilation tracks, as well as the session the band recorded at the infamous Inner Ear Studios in Washington, DC, and never-before-heard unreleased songs. A double LP Gatefold “tip on” jacket is beautifully packaged with a special zine with tons of photos and liner notes by Sonny Kay.

Sunn O)))/Boris Altar

Boris / Sunn O))) photo by: W.T. Nelson
Boris / Sunn O))) photo by: W.T. Nelson

Out of print for over 15 years, Altar will finally return on double LP. The album is a collaboration between experimental music groups Boris and Sunn O))), originally released on October 31, 2006 through Southern Lord Records. In addition to major players Sunn O))) and Boris, Altar also boasts an extensive roster of guest musicians/collaborators such as Kim Thayil (Soundgarden), Joe Preston (Earth, Thrones, Melvins, High on Fire), Phil Wandscher and Jesse Sykes (both of Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter) as well as long time Sunn O))) collaborators TOS Niewenhuizen and Rex Ritter.

Greg Anderson comments, “We had a lot of fun making Altar— we transcended all barriers and boundaries to create our own sonic language that still strongly resonates. It was incredibly adventurous for us at that point in time. We played in the moment without a preconceived direction then arrived at a beautifully heavy place together.” He continues, “Altar is a monumental documentation of some early experiments with collaboration. We learned a lot from working with Boris and engineer/producer: Randall Dunn as well as Bill Herzog, Jesse Sykes, Joe Preston etc. We definitely carried those ideas and spirit into recordings that followed Altar.”

Boris and Sunn O))) continue to circle each other with reverence; most recently, Boris’s Wata and Takeshi did a session with Sunn O)))’s “Life Pedal” which you can watch now courtesy of EarthQuaker Devices.

Watch / share the Boris Life Pedal session on YouTube.

Sunn O))) & Boris ALTAR Youtube

Sunn O))) + Boris, Altar track listing:

  1. Etna
  2. N.L.T.
  3. The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)
  4. Akuma No Kuma
  5. Fried Eagle Mind
  6. Blood Swamp
Sunn O))) & Boris ALTAR cover

Heroin, Discography track listing:

Side A (1)

  1. Meaning Less
  2. A Portion
  3. The Obvious
  4. We Can Never Know
  5. In General
  6. Moving Parts
  7. Another

Side B (2)

  1. Leave
  2. Wander
  3. Blind
  4. With No Name
  5. Head Cold
  6. Undertaking
  7. Indecision

Side C (3)

  1. This Time
  2. Never Ever
  3. Has Been
  4. I’ve Got Mine
  5. Cost*
  6. Wander*
  7. Things Change*

Side D (4)

  1. Comes To Mind
  2. How Could I*
  3. Compelled*
  4. This Time*
  5. A Portion*
  6. Undertaking*
  7. Has Been
  8. Destination
  9. Second Coming

*previously unreleased

Heroin Cover