Boris and Sunn O))) - Altar: Complete Edition (2006)

A collaboration to end all heaviness, 2006's Altar sees the wedding of two of metal's most hallowed names, American drone/doomers Sunn O))) (for the uninitiated, yes, it's just pronounced 'Sun') and Japanese sludge psychos Boris (who awesomely derive their own name from a song off the Melvins' 1991 album Bullhead). Another exploration in the pseudo-genre of 'power ambient' neologized by Sunn-sters Greg Anderson and Stephen O'Malley, the set here merges the former band's moody doomscapes with the latter's awesome sense of tonality and texture to produce some of the prettiest and most trying heavy music you're ever likely to come across. The 'complete edition' I've put together here includes every track from the Southern Lord and Inoxia Records versions for a whopping nine songs clocking in at over 90 minutes. A record to be listened to at high volumes and in low light.

allmusic

Awesome photos from a live performance of Altar

boomp3.com

Buy here (direct from Southern Lord)

D/l link here

Azul - Blue Demo (2002?)

A BURNING MINDS exclusive, this 5-track demo EP was cut by some friends of mine from high school in the early 2000s. Centered around some absolutely insane sax and guitar interplay, Azul lay down some of the best and hardest jazz/psych I've ever heard, all the more impressive if you consider that most of this material was written when they were 16, and their sound on this recording is full and hearty. Hands-down one of my favorite live acts, Azul went their separate ways after school, occassionally playing reunion shows in their native North Hollywood and the surrounding S.F. Valley. Lead singer and axe-slinger Brandon Intelligator now plays guitar in an NYC indie band called The Restless.

boomp3.com

get it here