Cult Of Luna ‘A Dawn To Fear’
Album Review By Adam McCann
Metal Blade Records/Progressive Metal/Atmospheric/Sludge/Post-Hardcore
In recent years, very few bands have captured the adulation of the metal world than Cult of Luna (CoL). Since their self-titled debut album was released in 2001, the Swedish band have released a steady stream of albums that have been praised by both critics and fans alike as they seamlessly blend the world of sludge, atmospheric, post-hardcore and progressive metal. Although it has been almost seven years since CoL released ‘Vertikal’, the band are now back with their latest album ‘A Dawn to Fear’.
When thinking of a CoL album, the expression: ‘more of the same lads’ comes to mind as the Swedes have developed a style to their music which just works. This formula has formed the backbone of CoL’s music without becoming repetitive or overtly formulaic for the last twenty years; therefore, it is no surprise that with ‘A Dawn…’ the band stick to their guns. There is everything here that any CoL fan could possibly want, progressive metal tones that are complex enough to appreciate without losing sight of that sludge ridden undertone before juxtaposing it with atmospheric passages that allow for the digestion of everything that the listener has just heard. Tracks such as ‘Nightwalkers’, ‘Inland Rain’ and the title track have all the power of Isis, The Ocean and even Neurosis whilst still being distinctly CoL.
However, the main issue with ‘A Dawn…’ is that of most albums of this genre, it is difficult to get immediately, this album takes a lot of conscious listening to appreciate every note and passage with even the slightest loss of concentration causing the listener to forget where they are and what is going on. Furthermore, at over an hour, to fully appreciate ‘A Dawn…’ requires a serious commitment, one that would not be undertaken by fleeting listeners on shuffle or a passing fan. Yet, for those long-time CoL fanatics, there is plenty of here to take apart, debate about and obsessively digest until the Swedish band release their next album.
Rating : 68/100
MHF Magazine/Adam McCann
