Release Date: July 31st 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Metanoia - Tracklist
1.Mirage 04:48
2.Back To Bliss 06:42
3.Magnolia 05:51
4.Haven 03:52
5.Sojourn 05:32
6.Fermenting 05:46
7.Godsend 06:50
Lineup
Bass - Evan Oijordsbakken
Drums - David van Eerden
Review
Metanoia is the debut album from Alternative/Gothic/Doom Rockers Luna and the Aether who show a whole style of cinematic world-building with this record. As this album has really strong characterizations throughout the whole thing with the band creating their own great style of DOOM & GLOOM music with a great use of Shoegaze, Stoner Rock and Post-Rock sounds being played from the very start. The band have a similar style of musical delivery by the likes of HUM, Slow Crush, Windhand and Faetooth but with a haunting Nineties based Alt Rock presence that comes mostly through the exquisite vocals of vocalist Martina Steffert-Cubillana.
Martina’s vocals have an emotionally charged aspect to them but also one full of innocence at the same time which fully sells the whole Shoegaze or Doomgaze aspect that the band ultimately achieve. The Gothic sound is quite grounded and allows Luna and the Aether to develop into heavier areas of dense music with a level of poetic imagery behind everything. The music is cautiously slow to deliver the heavy grooves but knows when to do this for maximum effect and the levels can be beautifully deafening as well.
There is great use of classic Grunge sensibility within the deepest and heaviest themes on Metanoia which comes across quite powerful on tracks such as Mirage, Back To Bliss, Magnolia, Fermenting and Godsend though the whole record is exquisite to listen to. Luna and the Aether also deliver some great work in expanding their distorted environment on other parts of the record that gives everything so much destructive volume and when this is paired up against Martina’s soulful vocals then be prepared for this album to tug at your heart strings.
I’m not ashamed to admit that this record really got to me which made me think of long lost family and friends that even became quite therapeutic for me which I can only thank Luna and the Aether for. It’s perhaps the second half of the record where Luna and the Aether really come into their own by combining slightly operatic themes with a grounded Doom Rock and Post-Rock approach that should appeal to fans of Windhand and Chelsea Wolfe. The instrumental delivery can be quite “Sludge Rock” obsessive which gives another whole musical delivery for Luna and the Aether to impress listeners with.
Luna and The Aether hail from New Zealand and I’m a huge fan of their Hard Rock/Heavy Metal scene especially with the mighty BEASTWARS coming from that great country. This band offer a different style of music from the non-stop great Sludge/Stoner Metal bands that have arrived from New Zealand, though Luna and the Aether have delivered a record that has huge potential to launch them onto greater things within the global Heavy Rock scene.
Metanoia is an absolute must have record and this may perhaps introduce you to your new favourite band.
Words by Steve Howe
Links
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