These guys have Syd Barrett’s sense of efficacy — slow, slower, slowest — clear Sisyphean trudges toward some unholy and unseen peak that ends pretty much in the same place they began. – All Music Guide
When stoner/doom giants Sleep broke up, a couple of other bands formed in their place – one was High On Fire (led by Matt Pike) and the other one was Om, led by Al Cisneros and Chris Haikus, former rhythm section of Sleep. While following some of the sludgy tendencies of their former band, Cisneros and Haikus are also focusing more on hypnotic and drony side of things, as evidenced by splits they recorded with the likes of Current 93 and Six Organs Of Admittance.
The album’s follow-up – 2006 “Conference Of The Birds” – was described by AMG as a record that “has the ability to get underneath the skin of the listener and keep burrowing.” They concluded that “Conference of the Birds rocks terribly, terribly slowly and maniacally in a lazy, trance-inducing way; it will melt your inhibitions — or send you screaming from the room — without the use of drugs or alcohol.”
In January of 2008, Haikus left Om and was replaced by Emil Amos (Grails). New line-up’s debut was “Gebel Barkal” 7″ which came out in August of that year on Sub Pop.
DR concluded that “while everything is kept at a smoulder – the words unclear, the tempos slow – this new Om album is anything but boring. It moves at its own pace through vast spiritual landscapes, and if you can’t quite make out the melody drifting in from miles away, just wait a bit and it will come clear.”
Al Cisneros and Chris Haikus were also a part of the supergroup called Shrinebuilder, which includes members of Melvins, Neurosis and Saint Vitus. Chris Haikus, however, left the project and was replaced by Dale Crover (Melvins / Nirvana).
Current Line-Up:
Al Cisneros (Asbestosdeath, Shrinebuilder, Sleep)
Emil Amos (Dolorean, Holy Sons, Grails)
Former Members:
Chris Haikus (Asbestosdeath, Sabians, Shrinebuilder, Sleep)
Discography:
Variations On A Theme CD / LP (Holy Mountain, 2005)
Om / Six Organs Of Admittance Split 7″ (Holy Mountain, 2006)
Conference Of The Birds CD / LP (Holy Mountain, 2006 / Leaf Hound, 2006)
Om / Current 93 Split CD / 10″ (Neurot, 2006 / Durtro + Jnana, 2006)
Pilgrimage CD / LP (Southern Lord, 2007 / Daymare, 2007)
Gebel Barkal 7″ (Sub Pop, 2008)
Live At Jerusalem LP (Southern Lord, 2008)
Conference Live LP (Important, 2009)
God Is Good CD / CDr / LP (Drag City, 2009)
Compilation Tracks:
“On The Mountain At Dawn” on Live From The Devil’s Triangle Volume 8 (KJFC, 2005)
“Unitive Knowledge Of The Godhead” on Within Thee Church Of Thee Overlords || (Southern Lord, 2007)
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