Customer Reviews

Cult of Luna

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With sunny pop-punk and whiney emocore bands breeding like a virus over the world's airwaves many a rock fan is searching for something to rekindle the link between heavy metal and all things dark.

look no further than sweden's Cult of Luna. to describe this band as sludgecore or doom would be doing them a great disservice. while the snail's pace tempos, crushingly heavy riffs and lumbering bass lines may echo acts such as iron monkey or electric wizard in this slice of post-apocalyptic cinematic doomcore COL have created something entirely unique. unlike the southern fried boogie of american contemporaries such as eyehategod or misanthropic beligerance of uk stalwarts mistress COL have shunned outright brutality for something altogether more eerie. one can only assume the dark nights and long winters in sweden have pushed these musicians over the edge of sanity and deep into their own nightmares.

like a less pretentious isis or a rawer sounding neurosis Cult of Luna's riffs cascade in an avalanche of feedback whilst the vocals wail and moan from somewhere deep within the mountains. but they are by no means a one trick pony. as the desolate and icey sludgescapes painted by swathes of mournful sound are balanced with passages of calm, almost warming, swedish influenced folk. yet such is COL's intellectual grasp of dynamics that these acoustic interludes do nothing to soften the brutality of the harsher aspects of the music. rather, after being battered by a mammoth riff they sooth the listener preparing them for the next onslaught of titanic heaviosity.

there are no real standout tracks on this album. the whole thing needs to be taken in as a piece of work in its entirety it is not to be dipped in and out of. simply put the disc in, crank up the volume 11 and allow cult of luna to engrave their bleak vision of the lonliness of a snowswept wasteland on your mind.

This is Cult of Luna's first album, and it is clear that the band is struggling to find its identity here. Which is not to say that the album is bad--the music here is quite engaging, it's just that this album pales in comparison to the creative heights the band would reach on later albums.

What we have here is Neurosis-derived post-hardcore/metal, with a noticeable influence of Swedish Death Metal. Some parts of the record almost sound like a slower, sludgier version of At The Gates!

This is a fun album to listen to while driving, and it is definitely worth your hard-earned money if you like Cult of Luna. But their later albums are superior, if only because they develop upon the creative base built on this album.

let me just say this before i begin my review..do not believe anyone on this website that states that "cult of luna" sound like "isis" because they dont.that is the reason that i purchased this cd now i havent listened to any of thier other albums but as far as this cd goes needless to say i was extreamly dissapointed when i was expecting to hear a band somewhat similar to isis but what i heard was nothing close infact to be honest what i heard were vocals that sounded like some mediocherhardcore band like "throwdown" and music that was produced in a manner that would make darkthrone cringe.so do not buy this cd if you are thinking it will sound like isis..