{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Lightless Walk | type = studio | artist = Cult Leader | cover = Cult Leader - Lightless Walk.png | alt = | released = {{Start date|2015|10|16}} | recorded = | venue = | studio = God City<ref name="liner-notes"/> | genre = Metalcore, sludge metal | length = {{Duration|m=36|s=42}} | label = Deathwish <small>(DW183)</small> | producer = Kurt Ballou | prev_title = Useless Animal | prev_year = 2015 | next_title = A Patient Man | next_year = 2018 }} {{Music ratings | rev1 = ''Exclaim'' | rev1Score = 10/10<ref name="exclaim-review"/> | rev2 = Pitchfork | rev2Score = 7.5/10.0<ref name="pitchfork-review"/> | rev3 = ''Revolver'' | rev3Score = 4/5<ref name="revolver-review"/> }}
'''''Lightless Walk''''' is the debut studio album by American metalcore band Cult Leader. The album was released on October 16, 2015 through Deathwish Inc. and produced by Kurt Ballou of Converge.<ref name="exclaim1"/> The track "Gutter Gods" previously appeared on Cult Leader's 2015 EP ''Useless Animal''.
The album's sound was heavily inspired by Cult Leader's cover of "You Are Not My Blood" found on ''Useless Animal'',<ref name="exclaim2"/> originally by the indie/folk collaboration between Mark Kozelek and Desertshore from their eponymous 2013 album, ''Mark Kozelek & Desertshore''. Vocalist Anthony Lucero sees himself as being "in the same vocal range" as musicians such as Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Michael Gira, and the fruitful sessions that resulted in "You Are Not My Blood" encouraged Cult Leader to incorporate more of these styling into their metallic punk sound.<ref name="exclaim2"/> Lucero said ''Lightless Walk'' saw Cult Leader exploring how to write songs that incorporated these two textural elements to balance each other out. He elaborated: "There has to be some sort of silver lining existing somewhere in the world to counterbalance depression. And I tend to write about that a lot."<ref name="exclaim2"/> Lyrically, ''Lightless Walk'' explores ideas of depression, isolation, sadness and hope.<ref name="exclaim3"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing |title1 = Great I Am |length1 = 1:23 |title2 = The Sorrower |length2 = 2:33 |title3 = Sympathetic |length3 = 4:04 |title4 = Suffer Louder |length4 = 2:17 |title5 = Broken Blades |length5 = 2:00 |title6 = A Good Life |length6 = 5:16 |title7 = Walking Wastelands |length7 = 1:53 |title8 = Gutter Gods |length8 = 1:33 |title9 = Hate Offering |length9 = 2:55 |title10 = How Deep It Runs |length10 = 5:30 |title11 = Lightless Walk |length11 = 7:18 }}
== Personnel == ''Lightless Walk'' personnel adapted from CD liner notes.<ref name="liner-notes"/>
=== Cult Leader === * Michael Mason * Anthony Lucero * Casey Hansen * Sam Richards
===Production=== * Kurt Ballou – engineering, mixing * Brad Boatright – mastering
===Artwork and packaging=== * Anthony Lucero – artwork * Jacob Bannon – layout
==References== <references>
<ref name="exclaim1">{{cite web| last = Adams| first = Gregory| title = Cult Leader Taking 'Lightless Walk' with New LP| work = Exclaim!| date = August 6, 2015| url = http://exclaim.ca/music/article/cult_leader_taking_lightless_walk_with_next_lp| accessdate = November 8, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="exclaim2">{{cite web| last = Adams| first = Gregory| title = Cult Leader Find Their New Silver Lining with 'Lightless Walk'| work = Exclaim!| date = October 15, 2015| url = http://exclaim.ca/music/article/cult_leader_find_their_new_silver_lining_with_lightless_walk| accessdate = November 8, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="exclaim3">{{cite web| last = Adams| first = Gregory| title = Cult Leader: Breaking Through| work = Exclaim!| date = November 3, 2015| url = http://exclaim.ca/music/article/cult_leader-breaking_through| accessdate = November 8, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="exclaim-review">{{cite web| last = Adams| first = Gregory| title = Cult Leader: Lightless Walk| work = Exclaim!| date = October 14, 2015| url = http://exclaim.ca/music/article/cult_leader-lightless_walk| accessdate = November 8, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="liner-notes">{{Cite AV media notes| title = Lightless Walk| others = Cult Leader| year = 2015| type = CD liner notes| publisher = Deathwish Inc.| id = DW183}}</ref>
<ref name="pitchfork-review">{{cite web| last = Heller| first = Jason| title = Cult Leader: Lightless Walk – Album Reviews| work = Pitchfork| date = October 19, 2015| url = http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21152-lightless-walk/| accessdate = November 8, 2015}}</ref>
<ref name="revolver-review">{{cite web| last = Bayer| first = Jonah| title = Review: Cult Leader – Lightless Walk| work = Revolver| publisher = NewBay Media| date = October 16, 2015| url = http://www.revolvermag.com/news/review-cult-leader-lightless-walk.html| accessdate = November 8, 2015}}</ref>
</references>
==External links== *[https://cultleadermusic.bandcamp.com/album/lightless-walk Lightless Walk] on Bandcamp
{{Cult Leader}}
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Category:2015 albums Category:Deathwish Inc. albums Category:Cult Leader albums Category:Albums produced by Kurt Ballou