Perhaps you’ve picked up on it already, but at Roadburn this year we’re very much honouring our roots whilst also celebrating and anticipating future endeavours. What better way to do this than with Cult of Luna in the mix? Our paths first crossed back in 2008, and have overlapped multiple times since; for Roadburn 2026 they will perform two sets – one ‘early era’ set and one ‘late era’ set.
Hailing from Umeå, Sweden, Cult of Luna have spent the best part of the last three decades participating in shaping the landscape of post-metal. Drawing influence from the literal landscapes around them in their home country, as well as more internal, existential terrain, they have created a body of work that is cinematic in scope, imposing in stature and transcendental in delivery.
Aside from their stand alone shows at Roadburn (2008, 2013, and 2016 where they performed Somewhere Along The Highway), Cult of Luna also brought along Julie Christmas for a defining performance of their collaborative album, Mariner in 2018. Vocalist and guitarist Johannes Persson was also one half of the commissioned project Final Light, which saw him join forces with Perturbator for an incredible show in 2022 and resulted in a studio album. So, to say that we’re fans of theirs, and somewhat invested in what they get up to would be something of an understatement.
Johannes commented:
“For as long as I can remember, Roadburn has stood like a monolith in the vast and often undefined musical universe we belong to. The first time we were invited to play, it truly felt like an honor, a quality stamp we could wear with pride.
“Since then, we’ve had the privilege of returning a few times, and it’s always something special to step onto the main stage at 013.
“As recently as today, I had to explain the festival to someone who had never heard of it. With just a few words, I correctly summed it up: Roadburn is a festival for music lovers.
“On and off stage, you meet people who are deeply passionate about music. It’s a gathering for music nerds and I love it.
“Every time I’m there, I discover bands I didn’t know I needed in my life. In 2016, for example, the Finnish band Abyssion delivered one of the most powerful performances I’ve experienced as an adult.
“Getting to know Walter and Becky, the warm, dedicated people behind it all, makes it easy to understand why Roadburn has become what it is.
“When we were asked to return this year, the offer came with a twist: two sets over two nights. If that’s what it takes to play Roadburn again, we’re in.
“One set will dive into material from our first five albums. As I write this I have no idea of what songs we’ll play, but I do know I’ll need to dust off riffs I haven’t played in over twenty years.
“The second set will focus on newer material, and perhaps even something brand new.
“I’m looking forward to standing outside those massive doors to the main stage once again, hearing the intro roll, and feeling that familiar Roadburn anticipation.”
These two sets promise to capture the arc of Cult of Luna’s trajectory to date, and with that in mind, we can’t wait for April to roll into view.
