Cult of Luna – In The Shadow of Your Shadow (Review)

Even with their tenth album in band history, Cult of Luna continue to move forward. The nine songs on their new album, In The Shadow Of Your Shadow, span nearly 71 minutes—three of which could already be heard via the The Rift EP. Can the five Swedes live up to the high expectations once again?

For post-metal fans, especially devoted Cult of Luna followers, In The Shadow Of Your Shadow is absolute dynamite and an easy recommendation. The Swedes approach things more experimentally than usual, which proves to be a clear gain. Johannes Persson attempts to break out of familiar patterns with his vocal delivery, and the heaviness is aggressive even by Cult of Luna standards—a red thread that is only rarely and situationally broken.

Nevertheless, contrasts between quietness and explosion are cleverly woven in, preventing any sense of boredom. This works primarily because the new record works with longer, more patient tension arcs rather than relying on quick climaxes, a stylistic device that was more dominant in their songs of recent years. The characteristic dark, oppressive, and melancholic atmosphere is, of course, maintained.

You will search in vain for a song that drops in quality. On the first spin, “Landby” might feel a bit out of place, but soon enough one learns to appreciate this quieter interlude after two tonnage-heavy crushers within the overall context of the album. A true highlight is the feature with Joe Duplantier (Gojira), which fits like a glove and represents a wonderful fusion of both bands. Likewise, the track “One More Day” with David Eugene Edwards, known from the country scene, is a great experiment: his alternative-leaning vocal delivery gives the track a heavy, gripping tone that immediately pulls you under its spell. But as so often in the post-genre, you have to look at the album in its entirety—and that context is simply spot-on.

At the end of the day, Cult of Luna have once again achieved what so many other bands try and fail to do: they stay true to themselves while integrating elements and ideas that meaningfully expand their old framework. The band knows precisely in which direction they can experiment without abandoning their musical home. Thus, In The Shadow Of Your Shadow seamlessly joins the ranks of their top albums and cements their benchmark status in post-metal once more. Various top 10 placements in this year’s year-end lists should definitely be within reach.

Patrik Transcended

From: Lake Constance (Germany)
Favorite Artists: Russian Circles – Skalmöld – Kettcar
Best Show: Skalmöld@Club Vaudeville, Lindau (2017)