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Cult Of Luna - The Long Road North



8 | 231 votes |
Release date: 11 February 2022
Style: Post-metal, Sludge metal

Owners:

85 have it
19 want it


01. Cold Burn
02. The Silver Arc
03. Beyond I [feat. Mariam Wallentin]
04. An Offering To The Wild [feat. Colin Stetson]
05. Into The Night
06. Full Moon
07. The Long Road North
08. Blood Upon Stone [feat. Christian Mazzalai & Laurent Brancowitz]
09. Beyond II [feat. Colin Stetson]

Additional info
Drums and percussions were recorded at Sandås Studio.
All the other instruments and vocals were recorded at Second Home Studios.

Staff review by
musclassia
Rating:
8.0
The Long Road North is a good Cult Of Luna album, but it feels like it’s missing a little something.

Read more ››
published 12.02.2022 | Comments (13)

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Comments

Comments: 31   Visited by: 698 users
04.11.2021 - 18:35
Rating: 9
Charlotbk
Just can't wait for me they never disappointed one of my favorite band.
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05.11.2021 - 01:50
Rating: 8
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Super excited for this!
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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08.11.2021 - 21:16
Rating: 8
Maldone
Can't wait! A Dawn To Fear was the best metal album released in last five years at least, and The Raging River was also very good
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01.12.2021 - 14:24
Rating: 9
Charlotbk
The first single is out and like always this is good.
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07.01.2022 - 12:27
nonZero
The art for this album is beautiful. Really enjoyed A Dawn to Fear, so hoping this one lives up to the same standard!
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Top 500 Albums (ordered & rated)
Top 200 Overlooked Albums (with genres)
So I Heard You Like Wintersun... (Time II find new bands)
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10.02.2022 - 10:25
Rating: 8
koob
Fantastic album once again
Much more atmospheric than A Dawn To Fear, almost cinematic but still crushing
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11.02.2022 - 14:45
Rating: 8
koob
Written by [user id=318009] on 11.02.2022 at 14:31

I wish I could give this album more than 10...unbelievably amazing! It's pure perfection to me! Hats down.

I'm waiting a bit before 10'ing it, but it sounds like I will have to
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11.02.2022 - 20:59
Rating: 7
Netzach
Planewalker
Staff
This is not even close to the brilliance that was A Dawn To Fear and Vertikal, sadly. I'm not feeling it at all.
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11.02.2022 - 22:04
Rating: 8
musclassia
Staff
Written by Netzach on 11.02.2022 at 20:59

This is not even close to the brilliance that was A Dawn To Fear and Vertikal, sadly. I'm not feeling it at all.


With a few more listens, it's definitely growing on me, but it is a step down from A Dawn To Fear. It doesn't help that I can hear parallels between a few of the songs (Nightwalkers-->Cold Burn, The Fall-->An Offering To The Wild), but those comparisons don't do the new songs any favours. Gonna give it a couple more spins before I write my review, but I'm reckoning a low 8 score
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11.02.2022 - 22:10
Jon Irenicus
Written by Netzach on 11.02.2022 at 20:59

This is not even close to the brilliance that was A Dawn To Fear and Vertikal, sadly. I'm not feeling it at all.


To be honest, after one spin I am also a bit underwhelmed. I hope it grows on me, but Cold Burn, which I listened to five times or so, still doesn't.

We'll see...
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11.02.2022 - 22:52
Rating: 7
Netzach
Planewalker
Staff
Written by musclassia on 11.02.2022 at 22:04

With a few more listens, it's definitely growing on me, but it is a step down from A Dawn To Fear. It doesn't help that I can hear parallels between a few of the songs (Nightwalkers-->Cold Burn, The Fall-->An Offering To The Wild), but those comparisons don't do the new songs any favours. Gonna give it a couple more spins before I write my review, but I'm reckoning a low 8 score

I've listened to it three times and I can imagine it's a grower, but there's very few moments that truly stand out here compared to earlier efforts. "Beyond II" is incredible synth-work, but as you say, most of the album feels like a bit of a re-tread. Where's the earworm chorus of "Lay Your Head To Rest", the sublime harmonies of "Lights On The Hill", the accelerando of "Ghost Trail", or the incredible-nobody-already-wrote-this-riff of "The Fall" that you're just floored and "In Awe Of"...? I get that they might have been aiming for a more cohesive and cinematic (read: post-rocky) feel, but it all blends together and individual tracks don't really have much character of their own.

Written by Jon Irenicus on 11.02.2022 at 22:10

To be honest, after one spin I am also a bit underwhelmed. I hope it grows on me, but Cold Burn, which I listened to five times or so, still doesn't.

We'll see...

Funny, "Cold Burn" is one of the memorable ones for me, with that dramatic fog horn and super-danceable beat. As for the album as a whole, a quote from your namesake antagonist: "I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
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12.02.2022 - 11:39
Jon Irenicus
Written by Netzach on 11.02.2022 at 22:52

As for the album as a whole, a quote from your namesake antagonist: "I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"


Very good.
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12.02.2022 - 16:25
Rating: 7
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
I can understand the emotions and atmosphere people get out of listening to this, but it's just not working for me, I find it a wee dreary tbh, it's a well crafted album, with all the elements coming together, and there is some moments when I enjoy what I'm hearing, it's just not enough to impress me that much.
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17.02.2022 - 15:44
Satyr73
Really, folks, it's awful as music ... even music can have good elements, but the vocals and that monotonous roar just drove me crazy! I really wonder about the tastes of some people here ... Terrible and with such a high rating. I may be wrong, but it's a terrible roar and grunt.
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18.02.2022 - 14:27
Paz
Elite
Me love some roar and grunt!
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19.02.2022 - 13:49
Rating: 10
Kuroboshi
By no means CoL's best album, but for me it always takes time to appreciate a CoL-album (even if it's my favorite band of all time, I don't think a single album stuck the first time. Takes time to find and appreciate the nuances that speaks to me. My fifth listen in, and I finally had my first goosebump-moment, on Blood upon Stone. So I think I will learn to love this album as well. A weak 9 for me so far.

It seems they've gone a slightly different direction. There are similarities to A Dawn to Fear, but there are less of the punchy moments we're so used to. More kind of a meandering feeling.

Written by Satyr73 on 17.02.2022 at 15:44

Really, folks, it's awful as music ... even music can have good elements, but the vocals and that monotonous roar just drove me crazy! I really wonder about the tastes of some people here ... Terrible and with such a high rating. I may be wrong, but it's a terrible roar and grunt.

I understand that their music doesn't speak to everyone, but rating this '1' is unthinkable to me. That would be Lulu or something else horrible. Or Vampires Everywhere. Get a couple of good headphones and try out Somewhere along the Highway, best album ever made in my opinion. Finland and Dim are the best to me. If you still don't enjoy it, this music just isn't for you.
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19.02.2022 - 18:30
Rating: 8
musclassia
Staff
Written by Kuroboshi on 19.02.2022 at 13:49

Written by Satyr73 on 17.02.2022 at 15:44

Really, folks, it's awful as music ... even music can have good elements, but the vocals and that monotonous roar just drove me crazy! I really wonder about the tastes of some people here ... Terrible and with such a high rating. I may be wrong, but it's a terrible roar and grunt.

I understand that their music doesn't speak to everyone, but rating this '1' is unthinkable to me. That would be Lulu or something else horrible. Or Vampires Everywhere. Get a couple of good headphones and try out Somewhere along the Highway, best album ever made in my opinion. Finland and Dim are the best to me. If you still don't enjoy it, this music just isn't for you.


I wouldn't worry too much about that guy's comments - he has probably the most liberal use of the '10' rating I've ever seen on this site, so getting a '1' is arguably an honor
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19.02.2022 - 20:51
Rating: 10
Kuroboshi
Written by musclassia on 19.02.2022 at 18:30

I wouldn't worry too much about that guy's comments - he has probably the most liberal use of the '10' rating I've ever seen on this site, so getting a '1' is arguably an honor

I don't care at all, and couldn't care less what the rating is on the site, CoL is my fave band of all time.
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19.02.2022 - 21:51
Redel
Moderator
Written by musclassia on 19.02.2022 at 18:30

he has probably the most liberal use of the '10' rating I've ever seen on this site

Indeed, 162 ten ratings out of 178 ratings in total is quite a call, in relative terms.
But I guess in absolute terms this guy will always be my favourite. https://metalstorm.net/users/album_votes.php?user_id=162260
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25.02.2022 - 15:17
Stormm
Written by Kuroboshi on 19.02.2022 at 13:49

By no means CoL's best album, but for me it always takes time to appreciate a CoL-album (even if it's my favorite band of all time, I don't think a single album stuck the first time. Takes time to find and appreciate the nuances that speaks to me. My fifth listen in, and I finally had my first goosebump-moment, on Blood upon Stone. So I think I will learn to love this album as well. A weak 9 for me so far.

It seems they've gone a slightly different direction. There are similarities to A Dawn to Fear, but there are less of the punchy moments we're so used to. More kind of a meandering feeling.

Written by Satyr73 on 17.02.2022 at 15:44

Really, folks, it's awful as music ... even music can have good elements, but the vocals and that monotonous roar just drove me crazy! I really wonder about the tastes of some people here ... Terrible and with such a high rating. I may be wrong, but it's a terrible roar and grunt.

I understand that their music doesn't speak to everyone, but rating this '1' is unthinkable to me. That would be Lulu or something else horrible. Or Vampires Everywhere. Get a couple of good headphones and try out Somewhere along the Highway, best album ever made in my opinion. Finland and Dim are the best to me. If you still don't enjoy it, this music just isn't for you.


And that's the spirit behind this type of music, you know? I'm still not much into Somewhere Along The Highway (something about atmosphere maybe, I'm not sure). But I'm really into A Dawn To Fear and Mariner.
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25.02.2022 - 17:26
Rating: 10
Kuroboshi
Written by Stormm on 25.02.2022 at 15:17

And that's the spirit behind this type of music, you know? I'm still not much into Somewhere Along The Highway (something about atmosphere maybe, I'm not sure). But I'm really into A Dawn To Fear and Mariner.

It's always like this for me with CoL, but since SatH I think I have been kind of disappointed by every release at first. Mariner took 5 years for me to finally enjoy. And now, spinning tLRN like crazy, I think it's second to SatH, or maybe third since I haven't decided on Salvation yet. Man, I'm such a fan boy when it comes to these guys

But it's interesting what you say about atmosphere, 'cause to me what I don't enjoy about aDtF is that it's atmosphere is a bit too... Cut up into prices for my taste. No clear coherence.
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25.02.2022 - 21:17
Stormm
Written by Kuroboshi on 25.02.2022 at 17:26

Written by Stormm on 25.02.2022 at 15:17

And that's the spirit behind this type of music, you know? I'm still not much into Somewhere Along The Highway (something about atmosphere maybe, I'm not sure). But I'm really into A Dawn To Fear and Mariner.

It's always like this for me with CoL, but since SatH I think I have been kind of disappointed by every release at first. Mariner took 5 years for me to finally enjoy. And now, spinning tLRN like crazy, I think it's second to SatH, or maybe third since I haven't decided on Salvation yet. Man, I'm such a fan boy when it comes to these guys

But it's interesting what you say about atmosphere, 'cause to me what I don't enjoy about aDtF is that it's atmosphere is a bit too... Cut up into prices for my taste. No clear coherence.


Those are the specifics. I was sticked to that album thanks to this "melancholic darkness" which is floating all around the album. It's probably most tangible in simpler, almost trivial, We Feel The End. And even this simple track is perfectly working thanks to that specific atmosphere.
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16.05.2022 - 05:57
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Finally listening to this. About halfway through and loving it. COL always succeed at sounding absolutely massive. So many layers and textures.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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28.05.2022 - 19:19
Rating: 6
F3ynman2000
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
"An Offering to the Wild" is the standout track on my first listening
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30.05.2022 - 13:10
Rating: 9
Liafev
I really really wanted to like Cult of Luna, for so long.. But somehow despite really liking some songs, I always felt disconnected after a few tracks on their older albums. This one is the first that managed to keep me deeply interested until the very end, even leaving me wanting more.. after more than hour of listening. That's quite a rare feeling. Hopefully this will be my way into the band now!
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08.06.2022 - 05:32
Rating: 9
tintinb
In awe of this album. It's crushing and then uplifting. A brilliant display of post metal and sludge. Definitely keeps you wanting more.
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Leeches everywhere.
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30.07.2022 - 22:23
Satyr73
I really wonder people, how can you like this?!😭🤐🥴😳😩 Yes, there is something good in the ideas of music, but this vocal is a parody of people, it really takes me out of the whole concept of sound and idea... The music becomes, but not the vocals!!!
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02.08.2022 - 14:07
Satyr73
I don't mean to offend anyone who likes them, but I'm really trying to hear something to latch on to in this music, but it's way beyond my taste in quality. For some, this may be the pinnacle of originality in music, but it doesn't work for me, unfortunately... 😢I wish I liked these guys, but if they don't change this vocal, they're losing an avowed metal fan... and maybe not just me... !
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31.08.2022 - 14:31
Rating: 9
Charlotbk
Written by Satyr73 on 02.08.2022 at 14:07

I don't mean to offend anyone who likes them, but I'm really trying to hear something to latch on to in this music, but it's way beyond my taste in quality. For some, this may be the pinnacle of originality in music, but it doesn't work for me, unfortunately... 😢I wish I liked these guys, but if they don't change this vocal, they're losing an avowed metal fan... and maybe not just me... !


Personally Cult Of Luna is my favorite band, you have the right not to like it their music is not for everyone, people have different taste exemple you like Machine Head I thing they are pure cringe shit but that my opinion ! maybe try their album Mariner with Julie Christmas.
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11.10.2022 - 12:35
Rating: 6
X-FrEaK
I got back to this album because Im about to check them live in the Netherlands and...it really didnt improve much since I last heard it lol. I can put it on, and my ears only pick up Blood Upon Stone. If all songs were on that level this would be a 10/10
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