What Ben Chasny has created here is nothing short of the greatest Six Organs of Admittance release yet, which is a stunning achievement in its own right. Last year's School of the Flower saw Chasny move into the studio proper and finally find the chance to fully realize the crystalline sound it seemed he'd longed for on past recordings. With the example of greatness that was School of the Flower and Chasny's promise that The Sun Awakens would be the darkest Six Organs release yet, I was squirming with anticipation for this release. I had in my mind an aching album similar to the previous owner of the "Darkest Six Organs Release" trophy, the droning and sylvan Dark Noontide. That being said, I did not get what I was expecting.
The Sun Awakens is very cleanly halved. We have the absolutely gorgeous first six tracks and the final beast "River of Transfiguration," which actually takes up more than half the album's running time by itself. Opener "Torn By Wolves" is one of the most stunning and wonderful acoustic instrumental tracks Chasny has ever written and its running time of under two minutes is criminal. "Bless Your Blood" is next and one of only two lyrical tracks contained on the album. Chasny allows his acoustic guitar and the chiming drone of the backing electric guitar suitably set the mood before allowing his own voice to enter just before the two minute mark. Here comes the album's first surprise: Chasny's voice has become a wavering and ghostly thing due to the effects applied to it. Cooing background vocals complement the track as it gains intensity and beauty before closing on a drone-out. "Black Wall" is the other lyrical track and the closest to the Six Organs of old, being a lovely acoustic guitar track closed out with guitar-from-the-sun soloing similar to Compathia's kindred "Only The Sun Knows." Following track "The Desert Is A Circle" finds Chasny in heretofore unexplored territory, sounding like a spaghetti western complete with moaning vocals. This track truly makes me wish that Chasny had given it more time or integrated these ideas into other tracks. Three minutes is simply not enough. "Attar" is an instrumental scorcher with phased guitar cycling about and pounding drums that leads into "Wolves' Pup," which graciously reprises the melodic tranquility of "Torn By Wolves." Thus ends the album's first half. One of the biggest surprises of the first half is how wholly un-psychedelic it sounds while still sounding like no one but Six Organs of Admittance. Chasny has matured from being able to write stunning psych-folk songs to being able to simply write stunning songs regardless of the style he wishes to explore. With its Wolf Bookends, the first half of the album is surprisingly complete and autonomous; it could have easily passed as the new full-length on its own.
Instead, Chasny crafted the pastoral and light first half's tidepool reflection opposite. "River of Transfiguration" is truly the exact opposite of the six track that preceed it. Whereas they were idyllic and the singular identities of a whole; it is barren and monolithic. It is the whole. Sonically, the track is centered on drone and the moaning and chanting vocals that are its only source of humanity. Instantly, it brings to my mind Steven R. Smith's 2005 masterpiece Crown of Marches. That album, the single greatest work of drone music I've ever heard, was irrepressibly dark and circular, ending with the same almost-melody it began with forty minutes prior. Structurally, Chasny's work is similarly circular beginning with wind instruments, a deep drone, and chimes. The drone slowly builds strength and guitar, drums, a gong, and the spiritual vocals enter at the seven minute mark. The new additions ever so slowly build intensity before dropping away with six minutes left on the track. That which the leave for is the return of the wind instruments and drone this time accompanied by throat-singing. These moments are the most entrancing of the album and their slow fade out allowed me to sit in silence for not a short amount of time before my mind registered that the album was over.
The Sun Awakens is nothing short of breathtaking. The title of the album and its cover art are perfectly fitted to an album of such duality. After the first half, they're obviously referencing the Sun's dawn and return from its nightly rest; its rays returning to the earth. But after "River of Transfiguration," it seems it could be nothing short of a reference to the Sun's birth itself. The Sun Awakens is amazing. Amazing. Ben Chasny has created two autonomous wholes and forced them together to make his crowning achievement. Seriously, someone get this man his fucking crown.
