Album Rating: 5.0

Thanks guys! Band is very kind about it, especially Johannes, with whom I communicated about that piano thing.

Album Rating: 4.5

Wow dude, congrats! Excellent!

Album Rating: 4.5

This is probably 2nd best CoL, I keep expecting it to wear off but instead it keeps getting stronger. Best band in the world right now, no question.

Album Rating: 5.0

yea they undeniably released one of their best ever with this, regardless of personal faves

Album Rating: 5.0

For sure.

Album Rating: 4.5

I liked this one a lot more than when I originally heard it, might have to increase my rating.

@FurtherDown very good work on those covers.

Album Rating: 5.0

I might like this better than SATH

Album Rating: 4.5

Same here tbh. Salvation is still king though.

Album Rating: 4.5

This and Salvation are at the top of their discography

Album Rating: 4.5

this band can do no wrong, it's impossibly tough to pick a favorite album. i typically go with Salvation when I think about it, but then man, The Beyond, SATH, Mariner, this album... they're all so good.



this record is incredible, i'm amazed at their longevity/consistency. up there with the mighty Neurosis m/

Album Rating: 5.0

Salvation was pretty hard for me to get into for some reason, but it might be my third favorite. As for longevity and consistency they are up there with Neurosis, but Isis remains my personal favorite post-metal band. All three are THE post-metal warlords, though. lol

Album Rating: 5.0

Album still slaps harder than a black mother.

Album Rating: 5.0

jeez

Album Rating: 4.5

Neurosis’ legacy cannot realistically be matched, but these guys are right up there with them. This release cemented that beyond any doubt. I couldn’t be without either, so any ‘who’s better?’ type comparisons seem futile at this point.

Maybe one day I’ll hold Isis in similar regard.

Album Rating: 5.0

Isis don't have as many classics and will never do, because, well, they disbanded.



Cult of Luna have the potential to attain the same legendary status as Neurosis if they manage to upkeep this level of quality. Time will tell I suppose.

CoL will never be credited for pioneering the genre but they've been a go-to name for a frontrunner group for ages before this dropped; in that sense I think they've hit something of a glass ceiling when it comes to legendary status and are unlikely to raise the game on their best work. This is a great case-in-point imo; doesn't put a foot wrong and is easy to champion as a [near-]perfect work, but it's also template them and comes off as satisfying rather than stunning. As far as career paths go, you can do far worse ;]

Album Rating: 4.5

It’s too early to tell if this will have any lasting impact, but I disagree on it not being an evolution of sorts. You make it sound like this just another CoL record, which does it a massive disservice from where I’m sitting.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think this is run-of-the-mill - CoL did themselves proud in how they refined things here, I think this is their single most fat-free album, which is bloody impressive given that it's one of their longest. They kept some of Vertikal's best qualities, but this still occupies its own place in their discog (redundant thing to say, but y'feel me?)
My point is more that it's most definitely not a game changer, for the band or for post metal. That's no sleight on the album; it doubles down instead of reinventing the wheel. But in terms of what Pika's saying re. legendary status, I don't think this has much bearing bc this band's bar is so high and they had little further to prove before its release. Realistically, the only accolade they can look at now is the consensus all-time best post metal band that didn't basically invent the genre, and although this has maybe given them a nudge over Isis for many people, I don't think it's changed all that much to that end. Yet.

Sorry, that was longer than intended. Someone tag Memento, I think his vibe has rubbed off on me

Album Rating: 4.5

Memento would be proud Johnny.

I totally get what you’re saying, this isn’t reinventing the wheel to any great extent, the evolution is perhaps a relatively subtle one. I hear more doom elements here, the synths (whilst present on Vertikal) are more muscular. They also feel like a fully-integrated, seamless part of the overall experience, rather than an experimental curiosity. Admittedly much of the evolution is in the production, this sounds incredible, apocalyptic even. I didn’t get that from Vertikal.

Quality-wise this hasn’t progressed beyond what they’ve been able to achieve in their career thus far, but that’s what happens when you set the bar so high I guess?