We Are the Storm report that they are now finished with their new album "Wastelands" and are currently shopping it around for release. As mentioned earlier this summer, said album was recorded at an old theater in their hometown of Uppsala with Kristofer Jönson (Jeniferever, I Break Horses) engineering and producing before being sent off to Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna) for mixing and mastering.
The first half of the next Cult of Luna album has been recorded, tracking for the 2nd half will begin on May 14.
Swedish postrockers Ef are heading to Russia for the first time at the end of the month:
02/23 - Avrora Zal, St Petersburg
02/24 - Plan B, Moscow
In other news, the band is having their 2008 album "I am responsible" reissued as a 2LP via German label in a newly remixed and remastered version put together by Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna, etc.). Official release date is February 8.
Cult of Luna has gathered their forces back in Umeå to write songs for their next album. Expect recording to begin this fall.
A Swarm of the SunThis full-length from the Swedish duo of Jakob Berglund and Erik Nilsson is one that should appeal to fans of the post-rock/metal style employed by the likes of Isis, Red Sparowes and fellow countrymen Cult of Luna. However, they're slightly more subdued than the aforementioned artists for the most part and, one could say, altogether more darkly ethereal in outlook. Tracks such as "The stand" and "Repeater" display their penchant for slow, trawling, disturbing passages, while "The worms are out" reveals the band's more caustic side -- a side that should really have been explored to greater depths in this album. The problem is that they've gone for the lethargic, almost depressive approach throughout "Zenith" and have left very little room for the abrasive elements in their sound. And, while they do depressive to perfection, they really do shine brighter when they come out with guitars and vocals blazing. It's not to say that the entire album should be full-on metal mayhem; rather a few more parts here and there to stave off the inevitable boredom that comes with sitting through so much inertia. So much potential, yet sadly wasted.
- John Norby
Cult of Luna, writing material for their next album. Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61h5ZKGIOmk
The label website/webshop, home of new band The Bells, is now open: http://www.tegpublishing.se/
Lots of related stuff for sale, including releases from Park Hotell, Convoj, Mattias Alkberg, Cult of Luna, etc.
Check out an e-card for A Swarm of the Sun's new album "Zenith": http://formton.se/aswarmofthesun/
If you dig Logh and Cult of Luna, these dudes are about halfway between.
Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna) has relocated to Stockholm and has a new website for freelance audio engineering/production career: http://www.magnuslindberg.com/
If you're into bands from Norrland, chances are high that he's recorded something you like. I know I have dozens of albums with his name on them in my collection.
Ef is getting Magnus Lindberg (Tonteknik Studios/Cult of Luna) to remix and remaster their debut album "Give me beauty... or give me death!" for a vinyl rerelease. They'll also be tacking a previously unreleased track from 2006 onto the album called "Misinform the uninformed" that they never finished but recently remedied by added extra adornment. German label will be handling the pressing and it will be 2xLP with heavy silkscreened sleeves in a limited edition of 600 copies with the first 100 being extra special for preorder customers. And speaking of , they're also doing the vinyl press for Immanu El's recent release "Moen". Details: http://www.kapitän-platte.de/
Listening to Norway, part 2. I'm still concentrating mostly on traditional folk records because that's more where my mood's at, but I am pulling a few other selections from the stacks, especially the ones that fall under the category "heard of, but never heard." Trinacria is a band I've always wanted to check out and I even remember hearing about them when they first got going, but somewhere along the line I dropped the ball and never investigated further. Not sure why though 'cuz their album "Travel now journey infinitely" is killer. For the uninitiated, here is a summation of the band as lifted straight from their bio: "Trinacria was originally a composition by Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved), Maja S. K. Ratkje and Hils Sofie Tafjord (both from Fe-mail), commissioned by Rikskonsertene for a concert series. The line-up was completed by Grutle Kjellson, Ice Dale (both from Enslaved), Iver Sandøy (Emmerhoff) and Espen Lien. In short: after working together briefly, the composition turned into a vital project which, after touring, became a fully welded band." So yeah, in short: Enslaved + Fe-mail = awesome. Hardly a surprise, though sometimes the marriage of metal and noise is not so hot. Neurosis and Man is the Bastard were the first bands I ever saw who did it and did it well, many others followed. Cult of Luna is one, Pig Destroyer is another, and of course Bastard Noise continues to bring the brutality as only they can provide (check out the new Endless Blockade split if you haven't already!). Naturally, Trinacria lean more towards the epic, blackened end of the metal spectrum as would befit their pedigree, but song-wise, the structure is more postrock-like as they build the pieces into huge crescendos over repetitive riffs and escalating chaos. Any of the six tracks contain therein would probably make for a suitable intro to the band, but I think the title-track closer is best as it's the most epic of all this epicness. Definitely an overlooked gem.
Trinacria - Travel now journey infinitely
is repressing Cult of Luna's first two albums (s/t and "The beyond") on 2xLP with revised artwork. See here: http://cultofluna.com/lost-vinyls
Cult of Luna's upcoming audiobook "Eviga riket" (see here) now has a confirmed release date of February 23. Get a preview here: http://www.cultofluna.com/evigariket/
I had know that Johannes Persson from Cult of Luna was a longtime Unbroken fan, but I never knew that CoL recorded a cover of them for a limited 7" a few years back. Listen now at myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cultofluna
Cult of Luna sideproject Herr Terr did a remix of "Jag är en antenn" by Mattias Alkberg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E999e5936DI
