Cult of Luna – The Long Road North
Cult of Luna – The Long Road North
Metal Blade Records
Release Date: 11/02/2022
Running Time: 69:00
Review by Rory Bentley
10/10
Reviewing your favourite bands is always a tricky thing to pull off, your capacity to nit-pick and view art in the cold light of objectivity can often be compromised by the fact that you’re arse over tit for an artist that makes you excited to be alive. Conversely, sometimes as a super-fan you put too much expectation on a band’s new release and it’s hard to review the work on its own standalone merits.
Cult Of Luna are a band I have sky high expectations of every time they step up to the plate, but unlike many of my favourites, I never have a shred of doubt that they’ll both smash it out of the park, and do something I’ve never heard them do. Therefore it is no surprise that “The Long Road North” is a worthy addition to their masterful legacy, however it is a surprise that it’s this fucking incredible!
I knew we were in for something special when the monolithic single and opening track ‘Cold Burn’ dropped prior to the album’s release. The Cult of Luna hallmarks are all there- planet-smashing riffs, terrifying colossal roars and a cinematic backdrop that builds a new sonic world right before you. The twist here comes from the almost Dance-like drum patterns that propel the song forward while a truly unsettling orchestral drone stabs away in the foreground like an ancient call to summon the end of days. A stunning opener.
‘The Silver Arc’ sinks into a more familiar groove, with some titanic riffing and Johannes roaring over a sonic palette so vast and crushing that it reduces you to the size of an amoeba in its gargantuan presence. The beautiful, shimmering passages of melody offer a little respite from the pummelling stabs of devastating guitars, while remaining fraught with menace as military drums and tribal chants build to a crescendo that will leave you emotionally exhausted. This is perhaps the most familiar sounding track on the record, but don’t be fooled by this archetypal approach – there are many surprises along the way.
‘Beyond I’ features sparse arrangements and some haunting vocals courtesy of guest singer Mariam Wallentin, whose smoky alto brings a Jazzy quality hitherto unheard from CoL. This welcome tonal shift acts as a bridge to the rest of the album, which is where we plunge head first into uncharted territory.
The last few records have all had a distinctive atmosphere to them that makes them feel like their own standalone worlds. “Vertikal” has a metallic, futuristic feel that conjures up huge cityscapes. ‘Mariner’ rests on a cosmic theme of travelling through the infinity of space, and ‘A Dawn To Fear’ has a melancholy earthy quality that takes you through the darkest recesses of the human mind. ‘The Long Road North’s’ calling card involves enveloping the listener in the vast frozen wastelands of Scandinavia, desolate, bleak and awe-inspiringly gorgeous in equal measure.
‘An Offering to the Wild’ gives the most complete representation of this aesthetic, building gradually as more layers are added before a transitioning like a masterful sleight of hand into a skull shattering crescendo that brings all the building parts together in one thrilling explosion. I was so immersed in this one that I didn’t even notice that it took a full five minutes before the vocals kicked in. The addition of composer Colin Stetson, creator of the score to modern horror masterpiece ‘Hereditary’, somehow takes the song to a new height of cinematic majesty. Utterly breath-taking.
‘Into the Night’ is comparatively mellow while retaining the ominous melancholic through line of the album, featuring some eerily majestic male vocals that tip their hat to the late great Mark Lanegan, with waltzing arpeggios and swirling organs that combine to form the closest the band have ever come to creating a ballad. That is until everything melts down into a barrage of abrasive synths and frantic tribal percussion.
As ‘Full Moon’ segues perfectly into the title track, the record’s final third sets about completing the most masterful final act you’re likely to hear all year. The song is a ritualistic rumination of the inevitable pull that forced Johannes to return to the cold seclusion of his hometown of Umea from the cosmopolitan comforts of Stockholm. We feel every step of this monumental journey, as the song collapses into an exhausted folk outro that gives us just enough time to catch our breath before ‘Blood and Stone’ lurches into view with its spidery guitar intro and proceeds to burst into hypnotic, combustible Neurosis-style sludge guitars that morph into a regal melodic lead that anchors the chaos dealt out in the verses. I try not to do a track-by-track breakdown on my reviews, but when every second feels essential, I’m loath to omit a single moment here.
As the band get ready to close out another masterpiece, Colin Stetson returns to provide more chilling ambience to ‘Beyond II’ like the end credits that follow a closing scene that leaves you breathless, disturbed and profoundly moved. You may now return to your previous reality, but don’t be surprised if the scars of this unfathomable journey into the wilderness stay with you forever.
Cult of Luna are never an easy listen, despite this being perhaps their most accessible offering. Their work deserves your time, your full attention and repeat listens to truly comprehend their vision. But the rewards for this perseverance have provided some of the most transcendental moments in all of my years listening to music. “The Long Road North” is yet another towering monument to sonic adventure and you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t step into the great outdoors with this astonishing band.
‘Cold Burn’ Official Video
TRACKLISTING:
01. Cold Burn
02. The Silver Arc
03. Beyond I
04. An Offering to the Wild
05. Into the Night
06. Full Moon
07. The Long Road North
08. Blood Upon Stone
09. Beyond II
LINE-UP:
Magnus Líndberg – Percussion, Guitar
Johannes Persson – Guitars, Vocals
Andreas Johansson – Bass
Thomas Hedlund – Drums
Fredrik Kihlberg – Guitar, Vocals
Kristian Karlsson – Keyboards, Electronics, Vocals
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Rory Bentley and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.