Unfold the Inside / The Art of Self-Extermination

Cult of Luna are definitely a wide screen kind of band, very cinematic and epic. Most of their albums are really long, but that's the only way to get the proper experience- to sit in a darkened room for a while with the music playing extremely loud. That's why, in my opinion, a Cult of Luna 7" just isn't enough for full appreciation of this band. These songs are good, sure, but they could be so much better with a few other tunes.

Unfold the Inside has an extremely ominous intro. There's a big low end hum droning on and on while some clean guitars float over the top. You can tell when the songs going to explode, but that doesn't make it any less abrasive and surprising when the incredibly distorted guitars come through and the screaming starts up. It's a flat out beast of a song, and you're quite glad when it comes to a close, as it's a real draining experience.

The art of Self Extermination is quite similar, but a bit more subtle and layered in it's approach. There's a lot of didgeridoo in this tune, which is totally awesome, and unlike most Cult of Luna tunes, where it's always "quiet LOUD quite LOUD" this one has more of a linear build up, which is rather awesome. Of course, it still doesn't take too long to go into full raging chaos.

Yeah, both these songs are freaking cool, bringing to mind the abrasive, pounding hardcore of their first album with a hint of the progressiveness that infuses their later stuff. It's just a shame that they are done so quickly. While I enjoyed this, it was ultimately unsatisfying. Cult of Luna devotees should get this, while casual fans would be better picking up their debut album instead.