ALBUM REVIEW: Burning In Heaven, Melting On Earth – Sunnata

February 25, 2021February 24, 2021 Jack Moar

SUNNATA are an independent four-piece from Warsaw, creating ‘shamanic doom’. They have cultivated their unique sound through a series of self-released albums dating back to 2014, gaining a cult following in the process, and eventually reaching prominence with 2018’s Outlands. They blend meditative psychedelia with some grunge sensibilities, but remain rooted in a spaced-out doom metal sound. No description of their style quite captures their appeal, though; with regard to the traditions they find themselves peripheral to, they are of their own kind – synthesising elements instead of simply combining them. With a fresh look, but wearing the same old robes, SUNNATA have awoken from a three-year trance and come bearing their latest offering, Burning In Heaven, Melting On Earth.

From the very first bar of Burning In Heaven, Melting On Earth, SUNNATA begin to project a mellower, more serene sound. Opening pair Crows and God Emperor Of Dune set the scene nicely, channelling ALICE IN CHAINS and TOOL in equal measure, and while there are early glimpses of heaviness this album promises to be anything but world-weary doom metal cliché. Burning In Heaven, Melting On Earth is characterised by potent rhythms and undulating grooves which gradually coalesce into moments of intensity, and the album really comes alive with A Million Lives; a punchy, riff-driven number which showcases this band’s broad tonal versatility. Vocalist Szymon Ewertowski croons and bellows shamanic rites, and guides the listener through “… a journey of consciousness.”

The album was recorded live, and sounds phenomenal throughout: swells of intensity and nuances in tempo are delivered seamlessly, and each element in the band is given time and space to shine. Robert Ruszczyk and Michal Dobrzanski, comprising the rhythm section, deserve particular praise in this regard: their measured interplay becomes spellbinding in its own right. Adrian Gadomski, meanwhile, builds bright and shimmering leads on their foundation, and completes SUNNATA’s mesmerising whole.

Side A’s bright and solar energy quickly becomes shadowy and lunar on Side B, but the quartet manage to carry that accumulated momentum through the classic doom of Black Serpent – a nod towards the band’s earlier output – before the hypnotic Völva (The Seeress) finally arrives. This is the most expansive and exploratory moment in the album, but the track sustains itself with some introspective licks and undeniable grooves. The day-night cycle eventually comes full circle with Way Out; a conclusion gradually growing in intensity, leaving the listener transported.

SUNNATA have succeeded in creating a heavy and heady album, which is also highly intuitive. There is plenty of space for riffs and rhythms to slowly develop, but Burning In Heaven, Melting On Earth never lapses into outright self-indulgence. That is not always an easy balance to strike, but with their fourth full-length, SUNNATA have proven themselves to be prodigious songwriters as well as interesting musicians. Heavy yet mellow, expansive yet concise, Burning In Heaven, Melting On Earth is a meticulously balanced album which is captivating from start to finish.

Rating: 9/10