Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along the Highway (2006)

Holy shit, what can I say about this? In 2006 Cult of Luna released this monumental post-metal/atmospheric sludge metal album. This might very well be my favourite post-metal album, let alone being among the best metal albums of all time in my book. It's the kind of album that when I feel like listening to a particular song off it, I can't help but continue all of it, though I usually always start it from the start. A deep, self-contemplative emotional trip parallel to a religious experience which I highly recommend to everyone to experience, whether you like metal or not.

I was spoiled enough to witness them resurrect this masterpiece to life at Roadburn 2016. It was the very first band at the four-day festival - after finishing the set, I was so shaken, and thinking "Now what? I could go home happy now." It was life-shattering to say the least.

According to guitarist Erik Olofsson, SATH is about "Male loneliness - I was very inspired by a book by J.M. Coetzee [Life & Times of Michael K] about a man in South Africa with a hare lip. [The character] escapes from everything and lives off the earth eating only pumpkings. Johannes Persson [guitar, vocals, lyrics] had similar ideas for the lyrics about loneliness, it has a countryside vibe to it." The latter is further highlighted by banjo in some moments. If you missed it in the first paragraph, I highly recommend this.

Let me dream if only for tonight, that we leave together in the first morning light. 
 Alone and forgotten. I bow my head in shame. 
 Before you all answers reveal. So I sink my sorrows in the sea.