Seattle’s spectral drone metal titans Sunn O))) have delivered more excitement for 2026 with the release of their latest single “Butch’s Guns” — and a sprawling set of UK and European summer headline dates to go along with it.
After nearly three decades pushing the limits of volume, texture and atmosphere, founders Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson are gearing up for one of their most ambitious cycles yet. “Butch’s Guns” arrives as the second preview off their forthcoming self-titled album, Sunn O))), due April 3, 2026 via Sub Pop — marking the duo’s first full-length for the legendary Seattle label.
Sunn O))) performing live at Brutal Assault Festival (Dominik Matus, CC BY-SA 4.0
A New Sonic Monolith: “Butch’s Guns”
Clocking in at over fifteen minutes of fog-thick drone, “Butch’s Guns” showcases everything fans love about Sunn O))) — massive, low-frequency riffing, drawn-out tension and immersive, meditative heaviness that feels more like a ritual than a song. Critics and listeners alike are already describing it as a fitting lead-in to what promises to be one of the year’s most pivotal experimental metal records.
The new album follows their 2019 releases Life Metal and Pyroclasts, and caps a long-anticipated transition into a major label scoring with Sub Pop after years with Southern Lord. The full record was tracked at Bear Creek Studios in Washington and co-produced with Brad Wood, yielding six tracks that tread deep into the band’s spectral soundscapes.
A European Summer Blowout
Alongside the song drop, Sunn O))) have revealed a full roster of headline shows across Europe and the United Kingdom. The run kicks off June 23 in Zurich before rolling through Antwerp, Amsterdam, Cologne, and a series of UK stops, including Bristol, Brighton, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham and London — with two nights booked in Berlin to close out the tour.
Tickets went on sale February 20 at 10 am CET, and more dates are expected to be announced as the band continues building momentum.
Highlights from the confirmed leg:
– 23 June: Zurich, CH – Rote Fabrik
– 25 June: Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
– 30 June: Liverpool, UK – The Dome
– 3 July: London, UK – The Troxy
– 6-7 July: Berlin, DE – Silent Green Betonhalle
This European run will follow a substantial North American spring tour, which sees Sunn O))) traversing the U.S. and Canada with stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and more through late April.
Sunn O))) performing live at Brutal Assault Festival (Dominik Matus, CC BY-SA 4.0
What It Means for Sunn O))) in 2026
For a band whose influence stretches far beyond their genre — touching avant-garde, ambient, noise and experimental music worldwide — this latest creative rush feels like a reaffirmation of their enigmatic legacy. With a fresh album, a heavy, meditative single already turning heads, and one of their biggest touring campaigns in years, Sunn O))) are proving that even after nearly 30 years, they still command attention with slow, seismic power.
Whether you’re a long-time pilgrim of feedback ritualism or a newcomer curious about the hypnotic extremes of modern heavy music, “Butch’s Guns” might just be the perfect entry point to one of metal’s most singular journeys.