Earth – Earth 2 (Sub Pop 1993)

Earth 2 stands as a defining statement in heavy music, marking the genesis of drone metal. Released in 1993, Dylan Carlson and company dismantled traditional song structures, replacing them with monolithic waves of feedback and hypnotic repetition.

Spanning three epic tracks, the album’s soundscape is colossal. Carlson’s guitar reverberates endlessly, creating a meditative wall of sound. Stuart Hallerman’s production allows every resonant tone to linger, turning distortion into a near-physical presence.

This album became a blueprint for experimental heaviness, influencing acts like Sunn O))) and Boris. Carlson has mentioned Black Sabbath’s crushing pace as a key influence, yet Earth 2 takes that slowness to its ultimate extreme, stripping doom metal to its purest form.

With its uncompromising minimalism and visionary approach, Earth 2 challenges perceptions of what heavy music can be. Even 30 years on, it remains an immersive and transformative experience for those willing to surrender to its gravitational force.

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