Cult of Luna - The Beyond (2003)^{Release ID: 914}

From industrial metal depths rises a relentless beast from the parallel dimension of post-metal to stomp out the industrial nu metal race just for its own ambient sound! After the cryptic debut, Cult of Luna's second album The Beyond takes you beyond apocalyptic realms through a post-sludge wormhole. Back then, the band was still at their heaviest with thundering time-shattering guitars and the lion-roars of vocalist Klas Rydberg, building a thick sludgy wall. The production is an abyss of rich distortion.

Like their debut, not including the interludes, the 8 songs range in an average of almost 10 minutes, and they all including soft breaks, intense buildups, and straight-up colossal riff storms. This adventurous stylistic concept has broken many conventions thereby making this album a very unique one.

"Inside Fort Meade" is just a programmed introduction track. Then "Receiver" crashes in like a sudden massive earthquake that could destroy the world more than a nuclear bomb factory. The chaotic bass supports the psychotic guitar, attacking with drone-ish distortion in treacherous layers, almost as much as the final Celtic Frost album Monotheist. This song still reigns supreme with mixed feelings of comfort and intimidation. The guitar tone is made monstrous by competent riffs all in perilous spirals. "Genesis" is a good long example of heavy and mellow alternation with an almost cosmic feel. The emotional main lead of "The Watchtower" makes that song one of the greatest of the album. Love that one!

The beginning of "Circle" sounds a little similar to country, but it's way better than the country pop s*** on the radio. Then it builds up into post-sludge heaviness. "Arrival" is one of two songs in the album with audio samples from Noah Chomsky, similar to the band's debut. The song itself is filled with waves of crushing tyranny to help you feel like one with the infinitely expanding universe. "Leash" works well mostly to drive through the exciting experimentation Cult of Luna is known for to keep their audience awake. Instead of just force-choking the listener with heavy guitar distortion, there's more variation in the sound, continuing the heavy-mellow alternation.

The crushingly beautiful interlude "Clones" drives through backwards-played guitar. "Deliverance" seeps through sick guitar ambiance and pounding drumming, all before a rising outro of tranquility. "Further" is a doomy finale pushing the ambience further into hinting at their next album, with vocals staying above riff waves. The song and album ends with one more Noah Chomsky audio-sampled quote.

With the distinguished vocals of Rydberg leading a diabolical tone, The Beyond can devastate mankind from the ground up. Though this is the band's second album, this is where Cult of Luna truly began their post-sludge reputation with continuous answers to the dark secrets of the universe. You can hear beyond what meets the eye!

Favorites: "Receiver", "The Watchtower", "Leash", "Further"