As the end of this decade started looming closer and closer, I thought hard about how far I’ve come as a person in these ten years and in what ways my musical palette followed suite. Its importance cannot be understated as music is my longest, most loyal and dear companion and each hardship I faced was defeated with its help. I consider myself blessed, lucky even, to be surrounded by people that share this deeply rooted love and passion. And no group of hu-mans on this platform resonated with me as well as my fellow Sleepy Villagers, so when I was approached by The Soliloquist to help him realize his Decade End Extravaganza, I immediately knew what my pick will be.
Cult Of Luna’s Mariner is one of those special records that never fail to completely engross me, especially during the gloomier seasons where I often seek solace to reflect, contemplate or look above. After the cold metallic and industrial zones of Metropolis-inspired Vertikal, the Umeä collective gazed upwards and this is what our “mariner” represents. It’s exploring the cold and infinite expanses of space that remain indifferent to every human attempt of rationalizing it. It’s terrifying, alien, potentially death-dealing but worth the risk because it’s the way forward.
And what band can paint these feelings and voyage better than Cult Of Luna? To be honest, I always thought of them as a conductor of sorts and while that may sound pretentious, I find their dedication to details and way of manipulating repetition unparalleled. Every snare hit, guitar squeak, synth press, bass tremor, scream or sinister harmony has its firm place in the absolutely perfect mix. That already devastating package is only made better by Julie Christmas’ manic presence. Her vocals are often blood-curdling, especially when paired with Persson’s monumental growls that seem to get more potent with age. Not gonna lie but it took me a while to adjust to Julie but as soon as I did, I fell in love with Mariner forever.
Each of the five massive songs presented have their own character and are, for me, the pinnacle of post-metal. Boasting elaborate build-ups, oscillations and cathartic releases, it’s impossible for me to not get goosebumps, especially during the final act of “Cygnus”, the closing track. That finale remains one of the most emotionally overwhelming pieces of music crafted by man. After all is done, I am always left with that pleasant feeling of emptiness that follows an intense purge. This hasn’t changed in three years and I doubt it ever will and that alone is worth putting Mariner where it is.
In the end we are all mariners of sorts and it’s up to us to guide our journeys where we want them too and select who will accompany us. I am just happy to exist at the same time this all does and of course to share with you this tiny rock we call home. So after those cheddar-ridden words I will leave you with this, dear reader and let it serve as a mantra when things get hard:
So we left… Onward, forward. Like the old seafarers, we explored the vastness of space.
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