Interview : Cult Of Luna (HTF Exclusive)

HTF recently reviewed what is arguably the contender for metal album for the year, the majestic ‘Vertikal‘ by Cult Of Luna, which got a glowing 9/10 review which you can look at here. After listening to such greatness, we caught up with Johannes Perrson (guitarist / vocalist) of Cult Of Luna via an e-mail interview, to get the lowdown on the new album, touring, and the current state of the music industry! Cult Of Luna‘s new album ‘Vertikal‘ is now available worldwide, make sure you grab yourself a copy of one of the most forward thinking post-metal albums in recent memory.

Read our exclusive interview here below and make sure you check out Cult Of Luna on their Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cultoflunamusic

HTF : Hey guys! This is James from Hit The Floor Magazine, and greetings from the UK!

First and foremost, how on earth are you doing on this fine day?

J.P. : I’m great, thank you! Just got back home to my wife and our three kids, after three weeks of touring, so I’m as happy as a person can be.

HTF : I must say it is an absolute pleasure to see you all back together once again after your collectively extended hiatus, so welcome back!

To come back with an album as strong as ‘Vertikal’ has taken many critics and fans by surprise to the point that it has exceeded expectations, and has already received near universal acclaim.

How was the recording process for ‘Vertikal’ compared to previous releases, and what was the point that you all felt ready to go back in to the studio and record together once again?

J.P. : Thank you so much! We’re happy to be back, although we don’t feel that we were really gone. We wanted to stay true and respectful to the creative process, letting it take its time. The recording process was smoother than ever before, but took some time due to logistics and other commitments. We went back in to the studio when we felt that we had something worth recording.

HTF : The conceptual influences behind ‘Vertikal’ are thematically based upon the 1927 German expressionist film ‘Metropolis’, which is of course directed by Fritz Lang.

Was this the primary idea you had in mind all this time for the new album, or was there a few other ideas that were thought about in terms of concept?

J.P. : We wanted to make an album that worked in contrast to our previous two albums. And to take the step in to the city felt very natural for us, both from a thematically and musical point of view. We wanted to explore the urban, as opposed to the rural and more tale based previous album. So our thought came first, and then we tried finding pieces of art to support and inspire the process.

HTF : There seems to be a lot more electronic soundscapes and atmospherics within this album compared to previous releases. Was it ever a concern at any point that the electronic music would overshadow the live band, and make everything sound more ‘industrial’? Or did it fit even better in a musical transcription, due to the futuristic concept and visuals behind Metropolis?

J.P. : We were never concerned, we just wanted to make the best music possible. But it felt like a natural thing to do, given the overall concept of human versus city and so on.

HTF : There seems to be a particularly heavy tour schedule over the next few months for the band. How was your time on the road been so far, and what has the audience reception been towards the new album in the live environment?

J.P. : We just got back from the first tour on this album, and the reception have been overwhelming. We’re so humbled and amazed that so many people showed up and were patient and interested enough to give our music a chance live. We’ve had a blast.

HTF : Are there any particularly favourite countries you all prefer to play in? Also are there any other countries you aspire to play in the near future that you have not already?

J.P. : No, we love playing almost everywhere. And if we’re not having a great show, it’s not because of the country. We’d like to go to the US and play again.

HTF : Over the years, it seems that Cult Of Luna’s fan base seems to be ever-growing, and yet attracting many more legions and new generations of appreciative music fans. One of the main things that I feel has set you apart from the majority of other metal bands is the consistency and substance within the music.

Essentially, every release has provided a thoroughly rewarding listen to which there are many new things to discover upon every listen. Whether that is in production, recording or musical terms.

How do you feel about the continued and devoted loyalty of your fan base?

J.P. : As I mentioned earlier, words cannot describe how fortunate we are. To have that many people take time out of their lives to listen to our music is nothing short of amazing. And for this tour, we could really see that the audience was even more mixed than before. Both from a gender point of view, but also when it comes to subcultural groups.

HTF : It is a particularly interesting and unpredictable time within the music industry these days.

What are your views on the current state of the music industry? Is it the most troubled it has ever been, or is it the most innovational it has ever been? And why?

J.P. : I’d like to think that we’re in a very interesting phase. A phase where a lot of people and bands can make their music available to a lot of listeners. This creates a very inspired and open musical landscape. I think we’ll look back at these last few years and say that they were important years in musical history, especially within the indie rock scene. I’d like to see streaming services such as Spotify being more concerned about bands and artists, and less concerned about having a good relationship with the big labels. I totally understand the reasons for them to care more about the labels than the artists, but if I could change something, it would be that. Because all these streaming programs are amazing when it comes to giving people access to music they’d never have listened to.

HTF : What are your views on the current state of the metal scene? And do you feel that Cult Of Luna are more relavent than ever?

J.P. : I don’t listen to metal music at all, I’m sorry to say, so I don’t have any thoughts about the metal scene. One thing is sure though, and that is that we never think of ourselves as part of a scene. We don’t think about our relationship to other bands. I can honestly say that we work in sort of a bubble. We just continue to make the albums we want to do, not caring about what other bands do or what critics think is ‘right’.

HTF : As previously mentioned, I see you have a heavy touring schedule for the first half of the year with many shows and festival appearances.

What should we expect from Cult Of Luna in the later half of 2013, and are there any exciting surprises that we should expect?!

J.P. : Haha! I don’t know! And if there was, I wouldn’t ruin the surprise.

HTF : Finally, I want to thank you for your time to participate in this e-mail interview! Are there any final words you would like to add to this?

J.P. : I want to thank all the amazing people for coming to our shows, and listening to our music.

Interviewer: James Matthews

Tags Cult Of Luna Johannes Perrson Vertikal