Among certain circles of music listeners, there is no more important recent band than Sleep. During the ’90s, they helped jumpstart the neo-stoner rock and doom movement.
Their legendary status mainly comes from their untimely implosion at the hands of major label pressure-as it turns out, recording a 64-minute-long single song called “Dopesmoker” (also known as “Jerusalem”) doesn’t endear you to the high marketing sensibilities of radio-obsessed majors. The resulting turmoil and conflict resulted in the demise of Sleep, but was also responsible for the eventual musical resurrection in the bands High on Fire and Om.
Om is the rhythm section of the almighty Sleep. Bassist Al Cisneros and drummer Chris Hakius make up the band and the sound forged on Dopesmoker, which is continued on their 2004 album Variations on a Theme. Huge, fuzzed-out riffs dominate the musical landscape of Om. On their (aptly titled) debut, the long-winded repetitive nature of pounding doom was explored at length. Variations on a theme indeed.
While the single-mindedness of Om’s sound was off-putting to the ADD-addled mind, the droning pulsation combined with solid and active drumming created a mesmerizing whole.
A distinct difference between the sound of Sleep and Om is Cisneros’ vocals. The gruffness of the singing in Sleep is replaced by calm, measured singing. Cisneros reaches near-chant-like levels of droning with his voice, and as repetitiveness is one of Om’s musical forces, so too do the lyrics cycle in ideas. Meaning isn’t necessarily found here, but the lyrics fit the fuzzy, spaced-out feel of the music perfectly.
On their next full-length release, 2006’s Conference of the Birds, Om further refined and expanded their sonic palette. Not just comprised of the droning-doom songs of the past, Conference also featured the Doors-esque melancholy of “At Giza.” Moody, stripped down and clean, the song was new territory for Om. While still well within the sound of the past, the newfound dynamism and change was a welcome sign of the band’s exploration. The second song on the album was another one of their fuzzy, riff-based masterpieces.
Om recently announced their signing to proto-doom label Southern Lord, home of Grimm-robe-wearing drone dudes Sunn O))). The signing means a wider distribution and a higher recording budget. Plans have been made to record with producer Steve Albini this summer. It is unlikely that Om will change their sound significantly, but they promise to continue their direction of heavy, fuzzy music.
As a live unit, Om should be a loud force to reckon with. The key component to any live heavy music experience is volume. And Om should fill the Doug Fir with a haze of saturated sounds on Friday night. Also performing is Portland’s own progenitors of beautiful drone rock, Grails. Less single-mindedly heavy and more exploratory than Om, Grails should be an excellent complement to the night. Drawn-out melodies and ethereal ambience drive the music of Grails. Truly moving, 2006’s Black Tar Prophecies represents an interesting experimentation within traditional drone and rock structures. This show is not to be missed.
Om with GrailsDoug Fir LoungeFriday, Feb. 2 8 p.m., $12
Om’s selected discography:
Variations on a Theme, 2004
The first Om album and the album closest to the sound on Dopesmoker, it established Om as a relevant two-piece.
Conference of the Birds, 2006
The most varied Om release to date, this album shows that Om is more than a one-trick pony. If you can only own one Om album, this should be it.
Split 7-inch with Six Organs of Admittance, 2006
Split 10-inch/CD with Current 93, 2006
Both of these releases show Om doing what they do best, along with some great music by other artists. Really, though, these releases are only for fans of the band.