SOMEWHERE ALONG THE HIGHWAY

If you're looking for technical prog metal, Cult of Luna is not your band. If you're looking for the next Dream Theater, Cult of Luna is not your band. If you're looking for some of the most sprawling, emotional, dynamic, harmonic, ugly and beautiful metal compositions available, then you should check out Cult of Luna's "Somewhere Along the Highway".

Why this long introduction? Because I really need to stress that CoL is not for the average prog, or even prog metal, fan. The vocals, while sparse and relatively unimportant to the composition as a whole, are almost all screamed. However they are kept mostly to the back of the mix to let the instrumental parts shine all the more. This band is for fans of Isis, Kayo Dot, and Maudlin of the Well, and they are the perfect example of a "post-metal" band. They compose music because it is powerful, not because it is technical or because it is "pretty". Like many good prog bands, CoL recognize that beautiful music can be ugly at times.

At the risk of sounding cliche, this album flows like a giant river. The music moves seamlessly through moods and textures, loud and soft, heavy and ambient. The songs flow from the lightest of ambient guitar textures to the muddiest of sludge metal. The band balances these worlds much more effectively on this album that on their past two releases. Their composition is more focused... OK focused is the wrong word... more effective in their meandering as they build their wall of sound to a crushing climax. The influence of the many band members shines through more on this album as well, as some odd and seemingly random instrumentation is added, including banjos. The song 'Dark City, Dead Man' proves a fitting climax to a solid album.

Cult of Luna is a band that, while easily compared to some contemporaries like Isis or Pelican, is unabashedly experimental and different, always seeking to separate themselves from the pack. I give this album a hesitant four stars. I love it and it is by far this band's best release to date. However, while different and original, it is overall not as enjoyable as the best from Isis or Pelican. It is also not for everyone. All the same, this album is a great choice for anyone interested in heavy post-rock or experimental prog metal.