Sunn O))) – White Box 2 (2006)

October 9, 2012

9TH OCTOBER 2012: It is with an epic feeling of chuft-ness I unveil to you the 100th Lines in Wax blog post! What sorcery is this? I have actually stuck something out passed it’s initial conception stage! I’m rather proud of what Lines in Wax is slowly becoming, if I’m honest, so I’ll take this moment to quickly thank all you readers from around the globe for tuning in and having a gander at my website; if you’re a long time reader or just stumbling here by chance through a search engine, it matters not, for you have helped keep this site going well passed the 4000 hits mark – a humble amount but something I never considered possible. Knowing that someone, somewhere out there is actually reading this shit makes it all worth while. Thanks, and prepare yourself for more shit talking, as today’s post is more metal that a hundred million ball bearings rolling down the world’s tallest fire escape. (2020 edit: I don’t know if anyone is still reading…. haha)

White Box was original released as White, a 4 x 12″ set compiling both the White1 and White2 albums. It was packaged in a White box with a hand developed photo stuck to the front, and was limited to either 450 or 500 copies; there is only contrasting information existing regarding this. Then, White was re-released in a limited run of 100 copies with alternate artwork for Sunn O)))’s European tour of 2006. This version is far superior, featuring the original White1 and White2 spread across 4 x 12″ (including a picture disc), whilst also including the Candlewolf Of The Golden Chalice EP (a Peel session) as well a live CD album entitled Live White. Phew! I have number 21/100 (sold as of 2014 – Ed, 2019).

White1 in my opinion, is superior to White2. Julian Cope’s contribution to the 25 minute long epic “My Wall” pretty much envelopes the entire release, and when I think of White in any way shape or form, the phrase “meddlesome, meddlesome bells” always comes to mind. I am not sure if his “poetry” is improvised or not, because it strains to remain in structure during certain points. It adds a fresh dimension to Sunn O)))’s sound that has yet to be surpassed, even by Attila’s grandiosely epic throat singing antics.

Candlewolf Ov Thee Golden Chalice is a much more necro affair, being a live recording by John Peel (R.I.P.) in the BBC Studios. Unfortunately this recording is missing what the online “Peel Session” bootlegs opens with; John Peel himself hilariously trying to describe Sunn O)))’s sound to his listeners. Imagine tuning into Radio 1 half way through Sunn O))) droning? The uninitiated would more than likely think that was nothing more than some funky sounding radio static. Also, Candlewolf plays exactly the same on both sides of the wax, which is a shame. With the insane artsy fartsyness of this package, a nice etching could easily have replaced side B.

All that is left in the bottom of the box is the pathetic-in-comparison CD version of LiveWhite, and a little card which is basically a White Box Owner’s Club card. If you want, you can take it to gigs and flaunt it to other silly beret wearing hipsters. That is, if you can bring yourself to open your mint version of this record in the first place 😉