Cult of Luna is a Swedish post-metal band from Umeå,  formed from the remnants of hardcore punk band ‘Eclipse’ in 1998.

On October 8, 2012, the band announced the title of their sixth studio album as “Vertikal”, as well as announcing the first leg of their upcoming European tour. The release dates were confirmed on November 5th, with the European release on January 25th, 2013, and the American release four days later on January 29th, 2013.

The Cult of Luna’s sound has progressed from doom metal to more orchestrated arrangements, a sound described by some as post-metal. The band are considered to be at the forefront of this genre, along with contemporary proponents such as Neurosis and Isis.

“I: The Weapon” – the first single from Cult Of Luna’s new album “Vertikal”  -is now available for online streaming via soundcloud.

We had an early listen, and here’s what we thought:

“I: The Weapon” charges in like a thousand hand-cranked thrashing machines. Golden scimitars of light suddenly  flash  out across the conflagration.  A buzzing guitar squirms and drills deep. It rears like a twisting python, and contorts itself around the neck of the song. Spiralling and turning in a symbiotic rage. Solid percussion flies unfettered. All this seems to adorn the gruelling, grumbling hardcore roars that blaze out in contorted agony. The agitated,  unchained bass, and the rabid growling keyboards,  all add to the luxuriant mechanical melancholy of this epic piece. It is haunting and noble. And totally  unforgettable.        -© Neil_Mach January 2013 –

“Vertikal” is to be released January 29th.

Cult of Luna “Vertikal” 2013  European Tour

January:

17th – Hamburg, Knust
18th – Luxembourg, Kulturfabrik
19th – Glasgow, Ivory Blacks
20th – Sheffield, Corporation
21st – Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms
22nd – London, The Garage
24th – Paris, Le Divan Du Monde
25th – Vannes, L’Echonova
26th – Bordeaux, Le Krakatoa
27th – Bilbao, Sonora
28th – Porto, Hard Club
29th – Lisbon, Paradise Garage
30th – Madrid, Caracol
31st – Barcelona, Razzmatazz 3

February:

1st – Beaumont, Le Tremplin
2nd – Karlsruhe, Stadtmitte
27th – Oslo, Parkteatret
28th – Stockholm, Debaser Medis

March:

2nd – Helsinki, Nosturi

April:

18th – Gothenburg, Pustervik
20th – Tilburg, Roadburn Festival
22nd – Fribourg, Fri-Son
23rd – Mezzago, Bloom
24th – Rome, Traffic Live Club
25th – Misano Adriatico, Boulevard
26th – Winterthur, Gaswerk
29th – Bucharest, Silver Church
30th – Timisoara, Daos Club

May:

2nd – Innsbruck, P.M.K
3rd – Wroclaw, Asymmetry Festival
5th – Munich, Kranhalle
6th – Stuttgart, Universum
7th – Bielefeld, Forum
8th – Cologne, Gebaude 9

“I: The Weapon” – the first single from Cult Of Luna’s new album “Vertikal”  -is now available for online streaming via soundcloud: