Did you know there are horses on the cover of ‘Earth 2: Special Low Frequency Version’? There are at least three in the righthand corner, gathered inexplicably near a white canvas tent, a human possibly perched among its folds. As widescreen and vast as the cover may seem, those little details – the horses, the possible human, the faint wisp of white clouds – give it depth and wonder, something to which the imagination can return. Did you know that the music on ‘Earth 2: Special Low Frequency Version’ – repressed now for its 30th anniversary, back in its original artwork, and accompanied by a riveting set of remixes that demonstrate the reach of what Dylan Carlson long ago called ‘ambient metal’ – works much the same way? The surface is massive and obvious, the meatpaw riffs of Carlson and bassist Dave Harwell pounding and swiping and pawing at the speakers, a true bludgeon in three-dimensional sound. Listen, though, for the details in the corners, for the finesse beneath the force, and ‘Earth 2’ reveals new levels of depth and wonder. The widespread impact of ‘Earth 2’ suggests that others have indeed been leaning in, listening to these minutiae, and making something new of them. A masterpiece without many genre precedents, ‘Earth 2’ surely helped send doom metal down its more modern drone, ambient, and avant-garde avenues. Those descendants are obvious. Perhaps more surprising and gratifying are the ways it has influenced electronic music, modern composition, and even hip-hop by realigning our senses of tempo, time, and texture. ‘Earth 2’ engendered a rearrangement of expectations, regardless of preferred form.

Double-wide jacket with custom dust sleeves and insert.

Available to independent retailers on Loser Edition Curacao blue coloured double vinyl.