An interesting demonstration of versatility, but I hope it's more of a detour than a new direction. "The Skin and the Glove" is well-executed shoegaze.
This was the first Sunn O))) album I listened to after Altar. I used to annoy my friends by adding "My Wall" to the playlist at parties. Now we're not friends anymore. This will never be my favorite Sunn O))) album, but it will always remind me of my miserable twenties.
I think Aghartha is maybe the best introduction to Sunn O))) for someone who's not into heavy music. It's powerful and dramatic, but also dynamic and varied, not too monolithic, and you get to decide whether or not to take Attila seriously.