For more than two decades, CULT OF LUNA have forged a sound that has grown incomparable to that of others. Ambitious, epic, visceral, drenched in emotion, and long regarded as one of Sweden’s premiere metal acts, Cult of Luna has a storied career with nine studio albums to their name, countless tours spanning the globe, and a win for “Best Metal Band of the Year” in Sweden, the band returned in 2022 with ‘The Long Road North‘. Now, they’re releasing an interactive gaming experience for the music video “Cold Burn”.
Instead of a traditional music video, Cult of Luna creates an immersive audiovisual experience in collaboration with creative agency North Kingdom / NoA, where innovation and storytelling stand at their core.
The player’s mission is to help a “lost light” to escape the darkness, and to find its way home through a dystopian maze. The player can also gather other lights and bring them to The Mother Light, at the center of the maze.
The single has been rebuilt in the real-time tool Unreal Engine, to dynamically adapt to how the player navigates the gaming experience’s world. This makes each experience unique in the dynamic version.
The gaming experience can be found on Steam and is created by Swedish creative agency North Kingdom / NoA, with long-running experience of collaborating with gaming and tech companies such as EA, Riot Games, and Google.
“For as long as we have known Linus Johansson of North Kingdom, which spans from the Leave me here video in 2004, he’s always tried to push interactivity and blur the line between the artist and the art. So it came as no surprise to us when he suggested making a video game out of the Cold burn video. “Go right ahead,” we said and now we are as intrigued by the result as we hope you are,” Johannes Persson of Cult of Luna comments.
FINAL LIGHT, a one-time only project featuring Perturbator and Cult of Luna‘s Johannes Persson, release their self-titled album on June 24 via Red Creek.
The project is the result of both a recently discovered kinship and the opportunity for Perturbator, at the request of Roadburn’s Walter Hoeijmakers, to do a commissioned piece with a musician of his choice for the festival’s 2020 iteration, which of course did not happen.
“It was an honour,” James Kent (Perturbator) recalls. “I immediately thought of Cult of Luna. Even though my music is mostly electronic and synth-based, we both have a knack for creating atmospheres, so I thought it would be a very interesting match.“
Kent and Johannes first met only months beforehand, when Johannes attended one of the Frenchman’s shows in Stockholm. “I’ve been a fan for a long, long time,” Johannes says. “We had this creative discussion back and forth and we hit it off.“
As soon as the pair began work on their boundary-decimating songs, they knew that they had to be immortalized as an album. “It was immediate,” states Kent. “We had almost an hour of interesting music, so it would’ve been a shame to simply perform it and not do anything with it afterwards. It’s a project that I really want to share; it’s not only the fruit of a collaboration between me and one of my favourite musicians, but also very unique and once-in-a-lifetime.“
The pair unveiled the live version of Final Light last week, as they performed on Friday at Roadburn 2022.
A preview of Final Light arrives today with the release of “In The Void,” a nine-minute song that incorporates the best of the two forward-thinking musicians. All-consuming, electrified bass notes are answered by creeping six-string melodies, before alien synth lines dance beneath anguished screams.
Final Light physical and digital pre-orders are available now with the album available on black vinyl via Metal Blade Records here: indiemerch.com, with digital pre-orders available here: orcd.co/finallight
Final Light track list: 1. Nothing Will Bear Your Name 2. In the Void 3. It Came with the Water 4. Final Light 5. The Fall of a Giant 6. Ruin to Decay
Sweden’s prolific post-metal band CULT OF LUNA have revealed their expansive new single “Into the Night” off their forthcoming album, The Long Road North, out February 11th. The record is one of their most beautiful and dynamic works to date which is palpably heard on the latest single. Guitarist and vocalist Fredrik Kihlberg explains, “‘Into the Night’ is about the search for something or someone that’s been lost. It’s about being in the state between conscious and unconscious, awake and dreaming. Seeing, hearing and experiencing things and not knowing if it’s real or imagination.“
For over two decades Cult of Luna have forged a sound incomparable to others – ambitious, epic, visceral, and drenched in emotion. The Long Road North marks as a follow-up to last year’s The Raging River EP. As is the case with every album from the band in recent years, there is a lot of shifting of dynamics and sonic density, and perhaps more so than usual on The Long Road North. “It’s a big and cinematic sounding album. I think one of the reasons why we have been able to be so productive the last couple of years is that we have been consistently writing from the heart. We have let our instincts guide us, and I think it’s getting clearer where we are heading,” reveals vocalist/guitarist Johannes Persson, who has been one of the primary driving forces behind the band since their inception.
Persson continues, “The long road north is a long road home. A direction dictated by a call that penetrates rock and echoes through the forest. It flows over every lake, accelerated by the wind. When it reaches you, you know it’s time. Time to move forward. You don’t know where it will lead but you put the trust in it. With eyes raised towards the midnight sun it pulls you closer. The road is long and the end is uncertain.“
The Long Road North is out February 11 via Metal Blade Records and features guest appearances from composer Colin Stetson, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz of French indie band Phoenix, and Mariam Wallentin (Wildbirds And Peacedrums).
Recognized for their apocalyptic live performances that unrestrainedly explore the audience’s imagination, Cult of Luna will bring their stunning live show to fans just in time as The Long Road North hits shelves worldwide. Currently they are confirmed to tour UK and EU next Spring with Alcest, Caspian and Holy Fawn – North American dates to follow. For a full list of dates, see below and to purchase tickets, go here. Follow Cult of Luna on Instagram for further updates to come.
The Long Road North Track Listing: 01. Cold Burn 02. The Silver Arc 03. Beyond I 04. An Offering to the Wild 05. Into the Night 06. Full Moon 07. The Long Road North 08. Blood Upon Stone 09. Beyond II
Cult of Luna – 2022 Live Dates: with Alcest & Svalbard 24/02/22 DK – Copenhagen – Vega 25/02/22 DE – Berlin – Huxley’s 26/02/22 PL – Krakow – Klub Studio 27/02/22 PL – Warsaw – Progresja 28/02/22 CZ – Prague – Roxy 01/03/22 AT – Vienna – Arena 02/03/22 SI – Ljubljana – Kino Siska 04/03/22 CH – Lausanne – Les Docks 05/03/22 DE – Stuttgart – Wizemann 06/03/22 DE – München – Muffathalle 07/03/22 DE – Wiesbaden – Schlachthof 08/03/22 DE – Münster – Skaters Palace 09/03/22 NL – Utrecht – Tivoli Vredenburg Ronda 10/03/22 BE – Kortrijk – Depart 11/03/22 FR – Paris – L’Olympia 12/03/22 UK – London – The Forum / Beyond The Redshift Festival
with Caspian & Holy Fawn 02/10 – LU Esch, Rockhal 03/10 – DE Cologne, Live Music Hall 04/10 – CH Geneva, Alhambra 05/10 – FR Toulouse, Le Metronum 06/10 – FR Biarritz, Atabal 07/10 – ES Barcelona, AMFest 08/10 – ES Madrid, But 09/10 – ES Porto, Amplifest 11/10 – FR Nantes, Stereolux 12/10 – FR Lille, Aeronef 13/10 – FR Strasbourg, La Laiterie 14/10 – NL Zwolle, Hedon 15/10 – DE Leipzig, Felsenkeller 16/10 – PL Wroclaw, A2 17/10 – HU Budapest, Durer Kert 19/10 – GR Athens, Fuzz Club
For over two decades Sweden’s CULT OF LUNA have forged a sound incomparable to others – ambitious, epic, visceral, and drenched in emotion. Their forthcoming album The Long Road North is one of their most beautiful and dynamic works to date and features guest appearances from composer Colin Stetson, Phoenix’s Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz plus more. On The Long Road North‘s opening track, “Cold Burn”, listeners are immediately immersed in familiar, yet refreshingly new Cult of Luna territory. Its pulsating rhythms pummel, and Persson’s roar sears through layers of guitar.
“Cold Burn” is available today alongside an otherworldly video which previews the single’s gaming experience that will be released on February 11 alongside the album. The video and game, created by Linus Johansson of North Kingdom Greenhouse masterfully combines and captures Cult of Luna‘s ethereal soundscapes with real-time technology and interactive storytelling. Within the video, fans are able to explore the visual world created for The Long Road North. Watch below and stay tuned for more information on the game here.
The Long Road North sees its release on February 11, 2022 via Metal Blade Records and marks as a follow-up to this year’s The Raging River EP. As is the case with every album from the band in recent years, there is a lot of shifting of dynamics and sonic density, and perhaps more so than usual on The Long Road North. “It’s a big and cinematic sounding album. I think one of the reasons why we have been able to be so productive the last couple of years is that we have been consistently writing from the heart. We have let our instincts guide us, and I think it’s getting clearer where we are heading,” reveals vocalist/guitarist Johannes Persson, who has been one of the primary driving forces behind the band since their inception.
Persson continues, “The long road north is a long road home. A direction dictated by a call that penetrates rock and echoes through the forest. It flows over every lake, accelerated by the wind. When it reaches you, you know it’s time. Time to move forward. You don’t know where it will lead but you put the trust in it. With eyes raised towards the midnight sun it pulls you closer. The road is long and the end is uncertain.“
Recognized for their apocalyptic live performances that unrestrainedly explore the audience’s imagination, Cult of Luna will bring their stunning live show to fans just in time as The Long Road North hits shelves worldwide. Currently they are confirmed to tour UK and EU next Spring with Alcest, Caspian and Holy Fawn – North American dates to follow. For a full list of dates, see below and to purchase tickets, go here. Follow Cult of Luna on Instagram for further updates to come.
The Long Road North Track Listing: 01. Cold Burn 02. The Silver Arc 03. Beyond I 04. An Offering to the Wild 05. Into the Night 06. Full Moon 07. The Long Road North 08. Blood Upon Stone 09. Beyond II
Cult of Luna – 2022 Live Dates: with Alcest & Svalbard 24/02/22 DK – Copenhagen – Vega 25/02/22 DE – Berlin – Huxley’s 26/02/22 PL – Krakow – Klub Studio 27/02/22 PL – Warsaw – Progresja 28/02/22 CZ – Prague – Roxy 01/03/22 AT – Vienna – Arena 02/03/22 SI – Ljubljana – Kino Siska 04/03/22 CH – Lausanne – Les Docks 05/03/22 DE – Stuttgart – Wizemann 06/03/22 DE – München – Muffathalle 07/03/22 DE – Wiesbaden – Schlachthof 08/03/22 DE – Münster – Skaters Palace 09/03/22 NL – Utrecht – Tivoli Vredenburg Ronda 10/03/22 BE – Kortrijk – Depart 11/03/22 FR – Paris – L’Olympia 12/03/22 UK – London – The Forum / Beyond The Redshift Festival
with Caspian & Holy Fawn 02/10 – LU Esch, Rockhal 03/10 – DE Cologne, Live Music Hall 04/10 – CH Geneva, Alhambra 05/10 – FR Toulouse, Le Metronum 06/10 – FR Biarritz, Atabal 07/10 – ES Barcelona, AMFest 08/10 – ES Madrid, But 09/10 – ES Porto, Amplifest 11/10 – FR Nantes, Stereolux 12/10 – FR Lille, Aeronef 13/10 – FR Strasbourg, La Laiterie 14/10 – NL Zwolle, Hedon 15/10 – DE Leipzig, Felsenkeller 16/10 – PL Wroclaw, A2 17/10 – HU Budapest, Durer Kert 19/10 – GR Athens, Fuzz Club
CULT OF LUNA have announced their new full-length album, The Long Road North, set for release on February 11th, 2022 on Metal Blade Records. The album marks as a follow-up to this years The Raging River EP, and prove that for over two decades, CULT OF LUNA have forged a sound that has grown incomparable to others – ambitious, epic, visceral, and drenched in emotion.
“The long road north is a long road home. A direction dictated by a call that penetrates rock and echoes through the forest,” states vocalist/guitarist Johannes Persson. “It flows over every lake, accelerated by the wind. When it reaches you, you know it’s time. Time to move forward. You don’t know where it will lead but you put the trust in it. With eyes raised towards the midnight sun it pulls you closer. The road is long and the end is uncertain.“
With 2019’s A Dawn To Fear,CULT OF LUNA delivered a career highpoint, and on 2021’s The Raging River EP, they continued on that journey, one that concludes with The Long Road North, which stands as one of their most dynamic and beautiful works to-date.
As soon as listeners hit play, they are in familiar yet refreshingly new CULT OF LUNA territory, the pulsating rhythms pummeling, and Persson’s savage roar tearing through the layers of guitar. As is the case with every album from the band in recent years, there is a lot of shifting of dynamics and sonic density, and perhaps more so than usual on The Long Road North. “It’s a big sounding album, almost cinematic,” the band states.
Recognized for their apocalyptic live performances that unrestrainedly explore the audience’s imagination, CULT OF LUNA will bring their stunning live show to fans just in time as The Long Road North hits shelves worldwide. Tickets are available at: cultofluna.com/tour
CULT OF LUNA – 2022 Tour Dates with ALCEST & SVALBARD 24/02/22 DK – Copenhagen – Vega 25/02/22 DE – Berlin – Huxley’s 26/02/22 PL – Krakow – Klub Studio 27/02/22 PL – Warsaw – Progresja 28/02/22 CZ – Prague – Roxy 01/03/22 AT – Vienna – Arena 02/03/22 SI – Ljubljana – Kino Siska 04/03/22 CH – Lausanne – Les Docks 05/03/22 DE – Stuttgart – Wizemann 06/03/22 DE – München – Muffathalle 07/03/22 DE – Wiesbaden – Schlachthof 08/03/22 DE – Münster – Skaters Palace 09/03/22 NL – Utrecht – Tivoli Vredenburg Ronda 10/03/22 BE – Kortrijk – Depart 11/03/22 FR – Paris – L’Olympia 12/03/22 UK – London – The Forum / Beyond The Redshift Festival
with CASPIAN & HOLY FAWN 02/10 – LU Esch, Rockhal 03/10 – DE Cologne, Live Music Hall 04/10 – CH Geneva, Alhambra 05/10 – FR Toulouse, Le Metronum 06/10 – FR Biarritz, Atabal 07/10 – ES Barcelona, AMFest 08/10 – ES Madrid, But 09/10 – ES Porto, Amplifest 11/10 – FR Nantes, Stereolux 12/10 – FR Lille, Aeronef 13/10 – FR Strasbourg, La Laiterie 14/10 – NL Zwolle, Hedon 15/10 – DE Leipzig, Felsenkeller 16/10 – PL Wroclaw, A2 17/10 – HU Budapest, Durer Kert 19/10 – GR Athens, Fuzz Club
After a long dark time that their fans had to go without the mesmerizing beauty of ALCEST’s live shows, the French duo is proud to share some great news today: ALCEST will support Swedish post metal band CULT OF LUNA on their European tour. The tour will start February 24th in Copenhagen, ALCEST and CULT OF LUNA will be joined by hardcore outlet SVALBARD.
Neige states: “We are very pleased to have been invited by Cult Of Luna as special guests on their upcoming European tour. This is going to be great and we can’t wait to finally see you all again!”
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 