Cult of Luna is a Swedish sludge/post-metal band from Umeå. They formed from the remnants of a Umeå hardcore punk band called Eclipse in 1998. They slowly garnered critical appreciation and underground popularity with early releases Cult of Luna (2001) and The Beyond (2003); however, it is 2004's Salvation that can be considered their 'breakthrough' release. By cutting down on the somewhat esoteric use of aggression so indicative of doom, it appealed to a new group of fans. Its calmer sound has earned it favourable reviews in the mainstream music press, a reputation built upon for the release of Somewhere Along the Highway in 2006, another largely well-received album.