Creeping up on 20 years together, Cult of Luna have carved out their own piece of real estate in the underground music scene.
Filmed at Paris' La Gaîté Lyrique in 2016, Years in a Day captures the Swedish sextet at the peak of their powers. Starting the performance off with "The Sweep" into "Light Chaser" ( the songs originally appeared on the band's 2-part Vertikal album from 2013) Cult of Luna set a slow burn type of pace that builds beautifully into the rest of the set. The combination of the snaking rhythms with the harsh vocals and stage lights makes for a hypnotic blend.
Speaking of those lights, wow! The band peforms in a veil of smoke, spotlights, and shadows that float around the stage, appearing and disappearing at the most striking moments in the setlist. My review link to Years in a Day allowed me to watch it on my big screen via Vimeo, and the thing looked gorgeous.
By the time the epic "Dark City Dead Man" from 2006's Somewhere Along the Highway closes the night, Cult of Luna already have you in a state of trance. It brought to mind the one time I saw Sigur Rós perform at a music festival back in the late '90s. I remember standing in the crowd and feeling like I was sensing every sight and sound on a much deeper level. While I wasn't fortunate enough to see the La Gaîté Lyrique in person, Years in a Day still managed to deliver something way more substantial than the usual live DVD that comes across my way.
Hitting stores on April 21, the collector’s bundle of Years in a Day will not include the concert DVD, but also two live CDs from Roadburn Festival 2013 and 2016, and a download code for HD video of the entire Paris show + audio files. This will come combined in a 10-inch vinyl-sized trifold package.
Get It
- Cult of Luna official website (DVD, CD, digital)
Tagged: cult of luna, metal