Cult of Luna – ‘A Dawn To Fear’ (Metal Blade)

By Jonny Bakes

Cult of Luna are one of those bands that have always been on the edge of my radar, but I’ve never quite got round to giving them a good long listen. So, when I had the opportunity to get my hands on the new album ‘A Dawn to Fear’, I figured that now would be the perfect time to finally get indoctrinated into the cult.

Cult of Luna have been around for the best part of twenty years where they have developed their inventive style of epic, emotive heavy metal. Particularly, their ability to effortlessly transition between moods, from seriously heavy aggressive riffs all the way through to melancholic melodies and this is something that has only grown greater over the years. So, it’s certainly no bad time to check out Cult of Luna if you’re not already familiar as they’re still on that upward rise!

If you’re looking for an album of short punchy numbers, then you’d better put this back down and walk away, it’s not for you. Instead you’ll find a near 80-minute long epic spread over 8 tracks, and you don’t have to be a genius to realize that each track is going to be a bit long for a quick pop down the shops. There’s a bit of commitment required to really appreciate this album, if you dip in and out you might miss all of the ebbs and flows of emotion, and that would be a real shame!

So, first thoughts? I’m certainly not disappointed! The whole album really shifts seamlessly all the way through, from the initial ominous sounding opening of ‘The Silent Man’ through to the dramatic ending of ‘The Fall’. There’s so much going on in each track that you’re bound to notice different elements each time you listen to the album, whether it’s the subtle organ sounds, the in-your-face harsh vocals from Johannes Persson or the complex syncopation hidden in the drumming of Thomas Hedlund. Not only that, but the songs flow so well from one to the other that it’s often difficult to pinpoint where one ends and another begins making this an album that really must be enjoyed in is entirety. So for that reason, I won’t delve too much into the individual tracks.

Regardless of this, the album still needs promotion which means the release of a standalone single and which better song to choose for this than the album opener ‘The Silent Man’. This starts with an ominous distorted noise, before a heavy bassline and regular drum beat lead into a melodic riff accompanied by subtle organ sounds which adds a haunting element to the song. The vocals are raw and aggressive, contrasting well against the progressive melodic nature of the song, and I feel that this serves well to showcase the album. Particularly as this is the opening track on the album, you get a taste of the album in a way that naturally leads you into checking out the album in full.

So, if you’re looking for something heavy and a little progressive, then I urge you to pick up ‘A Dawn to Fear’ and play the whole thing from cover to cover and you won’t be disappointed. Sometimes it seems that albums intended to be taken as a complete item are becoming a rarity, so to find a great example like this is an opportunity not to be missed!

‘A Dawn To Fear’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
Cult Of Luna play Leeds University of Thursday 28 November and the Electric Ballroom in Camden on Saturday 29 November.

www.facebook.com/cultoflunamusic