Cult of Luna
Encyclopedia
Cult of Luna is a Swedish
post-metal
band from Umeå
. They formed from the remnants of a Umeå hardcore punk
band called Eclipse in 1998. They slowly garnered critical appreciation and underground popularity with early releases Cult of Luna
(2001) and The Beyond
(2003); however, it is 2004's Salvation
that can be considered their 'breakthrough' release. By cutting down on the somewhat esoteric use of aggression so indicative of doom, it appealed to a new group of fans. Its calmer sound has earned it favourable reviews in the mainstream music press, a reputation built upon for the release of Somewhere Along the Highway
in 2006, another largely well-received album.
In August 2006, the band released a remake of "Marching to the Heartbeats" from Somewhere Along the Highway entitled "Heartbeats" solely on the internet community MySpace
. The song was available for download for a few days and was later removed. The point was to see if the song would be kept alive by file sharing
, and was also apparently a statement against the conservative music industry, says keyboardist Anders Teglund in an interview.
In 2008 the band released its fifth album, Eternal Kingdom
. It was released in Europe on June 16, followed by its release in the United States on July 8.
In 2009 they released a DVD including a live performance from 2008, an interview with the band, as well as all of the band's videos.
On October 18, 2009, the band announced that their next release would be Eviga riket, a hardback book/audiobook covering the story and themes from Eternal Kingdom. The book and audiobook are bilingual, printed and spoken both in Swedish and English. The audiobook contains new pieces of music and soundscapes written by the band. Eviga riket was released the 23 of February 2010.
influenced to one much less aggressive and more concerned with orchestration. Fans and critics have termed this sound post-metal
. The band is considered to be at the forefront of the genre, along with contemporary proponents Neurosis
and Isis
. Their evolution parallels that of the band Jesu
.
Its songs are often long, slow, repetitive and crushing, heavy sections of distorted guitars often interspersed with orchestral interludes and extended, post-rock
-esque forays. The group shuns conventional song structures, opting for a sound that evolves throughout a song, sometimes toward a climactic crescendo
, instead of a verse-chorus-verse
pattern. That style, incorporating sections of "light and dark" into their music, has led to comparisons with contemporaries such as Isis
(with whom they have toured), Callisto
and Pelican
, as well as the significantly older Neurosis
. Singer Klas Rydberg, however, has stated that decidedly Radiohead
are an influence. Lately the band as well as their contemporaries have been heavily influenced by Mogwai
, particularly the use of guitar delay and melodic guitar playing.
". In some ways, the albums showed a shift from anger with modern society as in Cult of Luna, to disgust with the ruling parties in The Beyond and Salvation
. The video for single "Leave Me Here" is concerned with propaganda and tacit governmental control over the individual. Similar concerns are addressed in contemporaries Isis' Panopticon
, centered on the theme of Big Brother
-like government surveillance. Early material made Christian
references; to the devil, Faust
and the four horsemen of the apocalypse
. Over the course of following albums, these seem to have disappeared, though Salvation
does have overarching spiritual themes.
Somewhere Along the Highway
is slightly different from the previous releases in its thematic basis. It focuses on personal matters, specifically male loneliness, instead of macroscopic concerns addressed in previous albums.
They also released a demo before being signed to Earache, as well as a limited edition (1000 prints) two-track 7" just before the release of Somewhere Along the Highway. It features covers of "Bodies" by The Smashing Pumpkins
and "Recluse" by Unbroken
. They also featured on the iTunes
-only Earache Records digital album Beasts of Earache, with a song titled "Ascending From Below". This song is available on the band's MySpace
.
All videos are also included on the 2009 DVD Fire Was Born
Thomas Hedlund, Fredrik Kihlberg and Johannes Persson are also involved in Khoma
.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
post-metal
Post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre, a mixture between the genres of post-rock and heavy metal.Hydra Head Records owner and Isis frontman Aaron Turner originally termed the genre "thinking man's metal", demonstrating that his band was trying to move away from common metal conventions...
band from Umeå
Umeå Municipality
Umeå Municipality is a municipality in Västerbotten County in northern Sweden. Its seat is located in Umeå, which is also the county seat of Västerbotten County.-Administration:...
. They formed from the remnants of a Umeå hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band called Eclipse in 1998. They slowly garnered critical appreciation and underground popularity with early releases Cult of Luna
Cult of Luna (album)
Cult of Luna is the debut full-length album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released in 2001. It was originally released by Rage of Achilles, and later by Earache Records after the band signed a record contract.- Track listing :...
(2001) and The Beyond
The Beyond (album)
The Beyond is the second studio album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released in 2003. The subject matter is dissent with authorities, similar in some ways to contemporaries Isis' Panopticon. This album sees the rawness of the self-titled debut channeled into a cleaner sounding and more...
(2003); however, it is 2004's Salvation
Salvation (Cult of Luna album)
Salvation is the third full-length album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released on Earache Records in 2004; on October 4 in Europe, and October 10 in the United States.-Track listing:All tracks written by Cult of Luna.# "Echoes" – 12:30...
that can be considered their 'breakthrough' release. By cutting down on the somewhat esoteric use of aggression so indicative of doom, it appealed to a new group of fans. Its calmer sound has earned it favourable reviews in the mainstream music press, a reputation built upon for the release of Somewhere Along the Highway
Somewhere Along the Highway
Writing for Decibel, Andrew Bonazelli posited that the album "finally exceeded the American post-metal standard", after "early efforts Cult of Luna and The Beyond mirrored the aggro facet of the Neur-Isis template, and 2004's Salvation practically suffocated on its own infatuation with sustained...
in 2006, another largely well-received album.
In August 2006, the band released a remake of "Marching to the Heartbeats" from Somewhere Along the Highway entitled "Heartbeats" solely on the internet community MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
. The song was available for download for a few days and was later removed. The point was to see if the song would be kept alive by file sharing
File sharing
File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digitally stored information, such as computer programs, multimedia , documents, or electronic books. It may be implemented through a variety of ways...
, and was also apparently a statement against the conservative music industry, says keyboardist Anders Teglund in an interview.
In 2008 the band released its fifth album, Eternal Kingdom
Eternal Kingdom
Eternal Kingdom is the fifth full-length album from the Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna. It was released in 2008 on Earache Records like the band's previous three albums...
. It was released in Europe on June 16, followed by its release in the United States on July 8.
In 2009 they released a DVD including a live performance from 2008, an interview with the band, as well as all of the band's videos.
On October 18, 2009, the band announced that their next release would be Eviga riket, a hardback book/audiobook covering the story and themes from Eternal Kingdom. The book and audiobook are bilingual, printed and spoken both in Swedish and English. The audiobook contains new pieces of music and soundscapes written by the band. Eviga riket was released the 23 of February 2010.
Sound
Cult of Luna's sound has progressed from early material being heavily doom metalDoom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
influenced to one much less aggressive and more concerned with orchestration. Fans and critics have termed this sound post-metal
Post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre, a mixture between the genres of post-rock and heavy metal.Hydra Head Records owner and Isis frontman Aaron Turner originally termed the genre "thinking man's metal", demonstrating that his band was trying to move away from common metal conventions...
. The band is considered to be at the forefront of the genre, along with contemporary proponents Neurosis
Neurosis (band)
Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...
and Isis
Isis (band)
Isis was a Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, with a career spanning from 1997 to 2010...
. Their evolution parallels that of the band Jesu
Jesu (band)
Jesu is a post-metal band formed in 2003 by Justin Broadrick following the breakup of Godflesh. Jesu was the name of the last song on the final Godflesh release, Hymns, and Broadrick decided to adopt it as the name of this project....
.
Its songs are often long, slow, repetitive and crushing, heavy sections of distorted guitars often interspersed with orchestral interludes and extended, post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
-esque forays. The group shuns conventional song structures, opting for a sound that evolves throughout a song, sometimes toward a climactic crescendo
Crescendo
-In music:*Crescendo, a passage of music during which the volume gradually increases, see Dynamics * Crescendo , a Liverpool-based electronic pop band* "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue", one of Duke Ellington's longer-form compositions...
, instead of a verse-chorus-verse
Verse-chorus form
Verse-chorus form is a musical form common in popular music and predominant in rock since the 1960s. In contrast to AABA form, which is focused on the verse , in verse-chorus form the chorus is highlighted...
pattern. That style, incorporating sections of "light and dark" into their music, has led to comparisons with contemporaries such as Isis
Isis (band)
Isis was a Los Angeles, California-based post-metal band, founded in Boston, Massachusetts, with a career spanning from 1997 to 2010...
(with whom they have toured), Callisto
Callisto (band)
Callisto is a post-metal band from Turku, Finland. The band was formed in 2001 in Kokkola. Whilst their early works are hardcore/metalcore, their first album True Nature Unfolds has a strong sludge metal and doom influence and their second album Noir is more influenced by progressive and more...
and Pelican
Pelican (band)
Pelican is a post-metal quartet from Chicago, Illinois.-Biography and description:The band is known for its dense combinations of different melodies and extended track lengths. Its distinctive sound draws from stoner rock, doom metal, post-rock, and other influences...
, as well as the significantly older Neurosis
Neurosis (band)
Neurosis is a post-metal band, based in Oakland, California. They formed in 1985 as a hardcore punk band, and their sound progressed towards a doom metal style that also included influences from dark ambient and industrial music as well as incorporating elements of folk music...
. Singer Klas Rydberg, however, has stated that decidedly Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
are an influence. Lately the band as well as their contemporaries have been heavily influenced by Mogwai
Mogwai
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 meaning "monster", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".-Mogwai/Mogui in Chinese culture:...
, particularly the use of guitar delay and melodic guitar playing.
Themes
As the band progressed, the imagery they employed became less overt and less "doom metalDoom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
". In some ways, the albums showed a shift from anger with modern society as in Cult of Luna, to disgust with the ruling parties in The Beyond and Salvation
Salvation (Cult of Luna album)
Salvation is the third full-length album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released on Earache Records in 2004; on October 4 in Europe, and October 10 in the United States.-Track listing:All tracks written by Cult of Luna.# "Echoes" – 12:30...
. The video for single "Leave Me Here" is concerned with propaganda and tacit governmental control over the individual. Similar concerns are addressed in contemporaries Isis' Panopticon
Panopticon (album)
Panopticon is the third full-length album by Los Angeles, California based post-metal band Isis, released by Ipecac Recordings in 2004. The album's title is derived from philosopher Jeremy Bentham's panopticon prison ideal and philosopher/historian Michel Foucault's later allegorical appropriation...
, centered on the theme of Big Brother
Big Brother (1984)
Big Brother is a fictional character in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. He is the enigmatic dictator of Oceania, a totalitarian state taken to its utmost logical consequence – where the ruling Party wields total power for its own sake over the inhabitants.In the society that Orwell...
-like government surveillance. Early material made Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
references; to the devil, Faust
Faust
Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend; a highly successful scholar, but also dissatisfied with his life, and so makes a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Faust's tale is the basis for many literary, artistic, cinematic, and musical...
and the four horsemen of the apocalypse
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are described in the last book of the New Testament of the Bible, called the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ to Saint John the Evangelist at 6:1-8. The chapter tells of a "'book'/'scroll' in God's right hand that is sealed with seven seals"...
. Over the course of following albums, these seem to have disappeared, though Salvation
Salvation (Cult of Luna album)
Salvation is the third full-length album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released on Earache Records in 2004; on October 4 in Europe, and October 10 in the United States.-Track listing:All tracks written by Cult of Luna.# "Echoes" – 12:30...
does have overarching spiritual themes.
Somewhere Along the Highway
Somewhere Along the Highway
Writing for Decibel, Andrew Bonazelli posited that the album "finally exceeded the American post-metal standard", after "early efforts Cult of Luna and The Beyond mirrored the aggro facet of the Neur-Isis template, and 2004's Salvation practically suffocated on its own infatuation with sustained...
is slightly different from the previous releases in its thematic basis. It focuses on personal matters, specifically male loneliness, instead of macroscopic concerns addressed in previous albums.
Discography
- Split with Switchblade (7") (2000)
- Cult of LunaCult of Luna (album)Cult of Luna is the debut full-length album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released in 2001. It was originally released by Rage of Achilles, and later by Earache Records after the band signed a record contract.- Track listing :...
(2001) - Cult of LunaCult of Luna (EP)Cult of Luna is the debut EP by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released through Hydra Head Records in 2002 as a 7" vinyl.-Track listing:All tracks written by Cult of Luna.# "Unfold the Inside" – 6:10# "The Art of Self-Extermination" – 6:02...
(EP) (2002) - The BeyondThe Beyond (album)The Beyond is the second studio album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released in 2003. The subject matter is dissent with authorities, similar in some ways to contemporaries Isis' Panopticon. This album sees the rawness of the self-titled debut channeled into a cleaner sounding and more...
(2003) - SalvationSalvation (Cult of Luna album)Salvation is the third full-length album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released on Earache Records in 2004; on October 4 in Europe, and October 10 in the United States.-Track listing:All tracks written by Cult of Luna.# "Echoes" – 12:30...
(2004) - Somewhere Along the HighwaySomewhere Along the HighwayWriting for Decibel, Andrew Bonazelli posited that the album "finally exceeded the American post-metal standard", after "early efforts Cult of Luna and The Beyond mirrored the aggro facet of the Neur-Isis template, and 2004's Salvation practically suffocated on its own infatuation with sustained...
(2006) - Eternal KingdomEternal KingdomEternal Kingdom is the fifth full-length album from the Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna. It was released in 2008 on Earache Records like the band's previous three albums...
(2008)
- DVD Fire Was BornFire Was BornFire Was Born is the first DVD release by the Umeå post-metal band Cult of Luna. It features an entire live performance, the three music videos, and an interview with guitarist/vocalist Johannes Persson and keyboardist Anders Teglund, in which they answer fan-submitted questions.-Tracklist:All...
(2009)
- Audio book Eviga riket (2010)
They also released a demo before being signed to Earache, as well as a limited edition (1000 prints) two-track 7" just before the release of Somewhere Along the Highway. It features covers of "Bodies" by The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
and "Recluse" by Unbroken
Unbroken
Unbroken was a Hardcore punk band from San Diego, California. They were influential in the Southern California hardcore scene during the mid-to-late 1990s. The band chose the name Unbroken because they wanted to emphasize their dedication to the straight edge philosophy of drug abstinence...
. They also featured on the iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
-only Earache Records digital album Beasts of Earache, with a song titled "Ascending From Below". This song is available on the band's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
.
Videography
- "The Watchtower" (video edit 3:55) from The Beyond (2003). Directed by Pete Bridgewater. http://www.metalbite.com/videos/cultofluna_256.ram
- "Leave Me Here" (video edit 4:27) from Salvation (2005). Directed by Anders Forsman and Linus Johansson. http://www.earache.com/bands/cult_of_luna/videos/leave_me_here/player.html
- "Back to Chapel Town" (video edit 4:30) from Somewhere Along the Highway (2006). Directed by Johannes Persson. http://www.earache.com/bands/cult_of_luna/videos/chapel/player.html
All videos are also included on the 2009 DVD Fire Was Born
Fire Was Born
Fire Was Born is the first DVD release by the Umeå post-metal band Cult of Luna. It features an entire live performance, the three music videos, and an interview with guitarist/vocalist Johannes Persson and keyboardist Anders Teglund, in which they answer fan-submitted questions.-Tracklist:All...
Members
- Klas Rydberg – vocals
- Johannes Persson – guitarsElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy...
, vocals - Erik Olofsson – guitars
- Fredrik Kihlberg –guitar, vocals
- Andreas Johansson – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Anders Teglund – keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, samples - Thomas Hedlund – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Magnus Líndberg – percussion
Previous members
- Marco Hildén – drums; appeared on Cult of LunaCult of Luna (album)Cult of Luna is the debut full-length album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released in 2001. It was originally released by Rage of Achilles, and later by Earache Records after the band signed a record contract.- Track listing :...
and The BeyondThe Beyond (album)The Beyond is the second studio album by Swedish post-metal band Cult of Luna, released in 2003. The subject matter is dissent with authorities, similar in some ways to contemporaries Isis' Panopticon. This album sees the rawness of the self-titled debut channeled into a cleaner sounding and more... - Axel Stattin – bass guitar; appeared on Cult of Luna
Thomas Hedlund, Fredrik Kihlberg and Johannes Persson are also involved in Khoma
Khoma
Khoma is a progressive and alternative metal musical group from Sweden . Some of its members also play with Cult Of Luna, The Perishers and The Deportees...
.