The Cult Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
Ever since 1987's Rick Rubin-produced Electric, the Cult have never shied away from reveling in the trashiest aspects of rock & roll culture. No doubt, Ian Astbury's sojourn replacing Jim Morrison in the Doors -- or, as they were litigated into calling themselves, Riders on the Storm -- must have caused the '60s to resonate with him much more than singing a tribute to Edie Sedgwick, as he did on the Cult's Sonic Temple. So in 2007, an age when pure hard rock was nothing to be ashamed of, the Cult roared back with the back-to-basics record Born into This. (As in the past, Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy are the Cult; bassist Chris Wyse and drummer John Tempesta are nothing more than hired guns here.) From the beginning of the first track, it's clear that Born into This is going to rock as hard as Electric or 1989's Sonic Temple. The Cult have obviously quit the experimentalism and art rock asides of the '90s and 2000s, in favor of something that fits in well with both Astbury's time fronting the Doors and Duffy's unapologetic metal side project, Circus Diablo. Aside from the occasional flourish of their post-punk gothic past, most of the record is the dirtiest and heaviest hard rock they've recorded since the '80s, like the trailer single "Dirty Little Rockstar" or the similarly trashy "Diamonds." Astbury's vocals are as muscular as they've ever been, although his quavering vibrato on the ballad "Holy Mountain" marks it as a latter-day Cult song. Duffy's songwriting edge may have dulled slightly, but his lead guitar and the production of longtime British associate Youth make up for any inadequacy. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
'Beyond Good and Evil'
Release Date 6/5/2001
Tracks 12
Label Atlantic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
During their late-'80s heyday, the Cult were known for their Doors-meets-Zeppelin-meets-Love and Rockets style, combining mysticism, solid three-chord guitar progressions, and goth rock stylings. In their 2001 incarnation, the Cult may be more accurately described as the Doors meets Zeppelin meets Tool. Guitarist Billy Duffy seems to have discovered distortion in the seven years since their last album. Not warm fuzz tones, but bone-crunching, mind-numbing distortion. While the music has changed, it still sounds like the Cult thanks to singer Ian Astbury's consistent wails and moans. In the opener, "War (The Process)," Astbury hollers "whoa" just like the old days, except now he does it over Duffy's Metallica-like rifts and frenetic drumming by Matt Sorum. The band also shows they've been listening to Trent Reznor with the industrial overtones of "Speed of Light," but even with heavy vocal effects, they remain the Cult, thanks to a catchy chorus. For classic Cult fans, the band throws in a couple tunes reminiscent of their Sonic Temple days -- "Breathe," a rocker in the tradition of "Fire Woman," and "Nico," the equivalent of the power ballad "Edie (Ciao Baby)." Old fans may have trouble adjusting to the Cult's updated sound, but the band manages to maintain the energy of their music, creating heavy metal for the new millennium without lapsing into the pure cliché that waylays so many angry young (and old) men. ~ Michael Gowan, All Music Guide
'The Cult'
Release Date 1/1/1994
Tracks 12
Label Beggars Banquet-Sire/Reprise
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
As the years go by, the Cult become more traditional, which is a mixed blessing. At their best, the Cult can sound as powerful as any other hard rock outfit, but they have trouble coming up with enough decent riffs and songs to fill an album. The band sounds good on The Cult, but the songs aren't their strongest. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Ceremony'
Release Date 1/1/1991
Tracks 11
Label Beggars Banquet/Sire/Reprise
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Ceremony continued the straightforward attack of Sonic Temple, and while the songs weren't quite as strong as those on the previous record, it delivered a bracing heavy-metal roar. ~ David Jehnzen, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
More varied than its predecessor, Electric, Sonic Temple finds the Cult trying several different metal styles, from crunchy Electric-era '70s grooves and the fuzzy, noisy psychedelia of Love, to mellow ballads and commercial '80s hard rock. Not all of the experiments work, as some of the songs lean toward ponderousness, but enough of them do to send Sonic Temple into the Billboard Top Ten, due to the exposure provided by the hit single "Fire Woman." ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
'Electric'
Release Date 1/1/1986
Tracks 11
Label Beggars Banquet/Sire
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The roots of Electric lay in another album entirely, Peace, which was recorded with Love producer Steve Brown in a series of sessions that the band found increasingly pressure-filled and fraught with tension. A chance meeting with Def Jam supremo Rick Rubin at an American awards ceremony turned out to be the charm, resulting in the saucy chest-baring stomp of Electric. Rubin chucked all the old recordings for a series of new sessions, stripping everything down and essentially transforming Billy Duffy into the logical successor to AC/DC's Angus Young. Thankfully Ian Astbury decided not to become Brian Johnson, and while his macho yells can't help being cartoonish, he's clearly having fun throughout. Though both band and album caught a lot of flak for their perceived wallowing in dinosaur sounds and styles, the end result is still a fist-punching yelp of energy that demands to be heard at maximum volume in arenas, with a brusque punch in Les Warner's drums to match Duffy's power-chord action. "Love Removal Machine" is still the album's calling card, another in the series of instantly catchy Cult singles. "Li'l Devil" is almost as worthy, while other cuts like "Wild Flower" and "King Contrary Man" would have sounded good in 1973 and sound just as good in a new century. There are a couple of missteps -- "Peace Dog" starts good but ends up being what happens when the Doors are used as a model in the wrong way, while the version of the Steppenwolf classic "Born to Be Wild" should be taken out and shot. Otherwise, an enjoyable pleasure from start to finish -- even if Astbury sings "plastic fantastic lobster telephone" at one point. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
1985's Love displayed a marked improvement over the Cult's early material, and though it remains underappreciated in America (worldwide it was a smash), this exceptional record has actually aged better than the band's more notorious (and equally important) releases: Electric and Sonic Temple. Equal parts psychedelic hard rock and new wave goth, the songs on Love emanate a bright guitar sheen, tight arrangements, crisp drumming, and a command performance from vocalist Ian Astbury, who as usual says a lot more with less than most singers. Overall, the album benefits from a wonderful sense of space, thanks in large part to guitarist Billy Duffy (who is much more subdued here than on future releases), whose restraint is especially notable on "Revolution" and the remarkably uncluttered title track. Duffy also provides compelling melodies ("Hollow Man," "Revolution"), driving riffs ("Nirvana," "The Phoenix"), and even a U2-like intro to "Big Neon Glitter." Also on offer is the near-perfect "She Sells Sanctuary" and the smash hit "Rain," quite possibly the band's most appealing single ever. Considering the musical schizophrenia that would plague each subsequent Cult release, Love just may be the band's purest moment. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Image-wise, the Cult still weren't entirely there yet, as the band photos show. Ian Astbury's bandana is more dated than anything else. But it's Billy Duffy's look -- a Duran Duran/Spandau Ballet wannabe, down to the haircut and suit -- which is terribly amusing in context. Musically, though, on their full-length debut, the Cult were pretty much on their way. Duffy's dramatic, spaghetti Western-tinged, dark psychedelic guitar and Astbury's passionate semi-wailing set the tone from the start and throughout, while the Jamie Stewart/Nigel Preston rhythm section keeps the tribal/goth feeling running equally high. Indeed, goth is still stalking the band's efforts whether the members liked it or not: consider "83rd Dream" and its distinctly creeped-out introduction, Astbury's vocals fed through extra effects. If there's not as much in the way of blunt power chording as later, Dreamtime is still loaded with a variety of moody, energetic joys. "Spiritwalker" is especially fantastic, Preston's rolling drums and Duffy's epic, crystalline guitar not that far off from what U2 was going after, but (arguably) with even more appeal. Add in Astbury's explosive singing, and it's a definite treat through and through. The other strong tracks include the title effort, which may reference the native Australian concept of time, but is more about wearing long hair and tripping on the shamanic vibes, and the who-else-but-the-Cult invocations of mythic America in "Go West," "Horse Nation," and "A Flower in the Desert." If everything is sometimes too shrilly and dramatic for easy digestion, one can't fault the band for energy, and given that they would shortly improve all around, Dreamtime is still an attractive enough listen. Later CD versions of the album included two reasonable enough tracks, the vaguely bluesy (and slightly silly) "Bonebag" and the dreamy "Sea and Sky," plus one total smash. "Resurrection Joe," a queasy, nervous, and frenetic combination of aggro epic and swampy funk, which remains an undeservedly forgotten highlight from the early '80s, topped only by the dramatic sweep of the later "She Sells Sanctuary." ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
