“Planting seeds to ignite the dawn.“
The coming together of synthwave legend Perturbator and Cult of Luna’s Johnannes Persson is an unlikely collaboration that has emerged unexpectedly, to say the least. The two of them together form Final Light, a crushing combination of synthwave, industrial and black metal. With Perturbator’s 2020 release, Lustful Sacraments, the French artist began to diverge away from his traditional sythwave routes. Having worked with artists such as Alcest, the metal landscape is not one unfamiliar to him however. Persson’s discography in Cult of Luna has given the vocalist a distinct and impressive discography of performances across their multiple decade run.
On paper it’s a combination that initially ponders the question of how these two styles will blend, which for the most part in their history have remained separate. It becomes immediately obvious that this huge cinematic sounds works, by the time the record reaches second track “In The Void“, it becomes encompassing. The barrage of Persson’s harsh vocals alongside the pounding base and relentless synths of Perturbator make for a wall of sound that will be difficult to rival this year. Akin to watching a storm wave crash alongside a sea wall; the sheer power being something taken aback at. On the record’s title track, the stark depth to the synths gives a gargantuan feel that is akin to some of the moments on Perturbator’s New Model EP.
It’s difficult to place such excellent synthwork in a record of this type done by Perturbator, and to make it work within the context of the project. It’s accomplished in a number of ways, namely the droning synths of the aforementioned tracks that open up the track and serve to build a landscape, with the gentler cuts of “The Fall of a Giant” still managing to hold weight to them through a more reserved, yet equally fleshed out approach. The way some of the synths layer themselves neatly under the harsh vocals is wonderful on these tracks, glinting in the background while Persson puts on his exemplary vocal performance. The dark atmosphere and visuals that Final Light creates in the kind in once again a compliment to how excellent Perturbator is with his work, the bleak and apocalyptic world this record narratives builds in the mind as it runs through its six tracks.
Ultimately Final Light is the work of two people who are masters of their craft; it’s unique, bold and cinematic. With each new step the record evolves and expands with its narrative and sound, bowing out in a huge and rapid manner on closer “Ruin To Decay“. While there is potential for further variety, with Final Light sticking to a narrow definition of its sound, it is still a record worth exploring multiple times. With each listen allowing a different aspect and layer of the record to be explored. It does also contribute to what is now a magnificent discography for Perturbator, and adds further curiosity to what he may have planned next.
8/10
Final Light is out June 24th via Red Creek.