The Cult | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Following a succession of name and stylistic changes, the Cult emerged in 1984 as one of Englands leading heavy metal revivalists. Picking up the pseudo-mysticism and Native American obsessions of the Doors, the guitar orchestrations of Led Zeppelin, and the three-chord crunch of AC/DC, while adding touches of post-punk goth rock, the Cult gained a dedicated following in their native Britain with mid-80s singles like "She Sells Sanctuary" before breaking into the American metal market in the late 80s with "Love Removal Machine." Though they managed one Top Ten in America with 1989s Sonic Temple, the Cult were plagued with off-stage tensions and problems that prevented them from retaining their popularity. The band split in 1995 following a pair of unsuccessful records, but returned on an occasional basis for new records -- always anchored by vocalist Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy. The origins of the Cult lie in the Southern Death Cult, a goth rock outfit formed by vocalist Ian Astbury (born May 14, 1962) in 1981. Astbury was the son of a merchant navy man, which meant he moved frequently during his youth; at one point in his childhood, his family lived in Canada, where the young Astbury became fascinated with Native Americans, who would become a recurring theme in his songwriting. Astbury eventually settled in Bradford, Yorkshire, where he met a group comprising David Burrows (guitar), Barry Jepson (bass), and Haq Quereshi (drums). Ian joined the group as its lead vocalist (performing with the last name of "Lindsay," which was his mothers maiden name) and had the group renamed the Southern Death Cult. At only its fifth concert, the band was attracting audiences of 2,000. In December 1982, the Southern Death Cult released their first single -- the double A-side "Moya"/"Fatman" -- and the following month, they supported Bauhaus on tour. Though the groups future was looking bright, Astbury pulled the plug on the band because he was frustrated with the positive articles he was receiving in the press. The remaining three members joined Getting the Fear, which eventually became Into a Circle; in the late 80s, Quereshi became a member of Fun^Da^Mental. All of the Southern Death Cult recordings were eventually released in 1986. Following the disbandment of the Southern Death Cult, Astbury shortened the name of the group to Death Cult and recruited guitarist Billy Duffy -- who had previously played with Morrissey in the pre-Smiths band the Nosebleeds, as well as Theatre of Hate -- and drummer Ray Mondo and bassist Jamie Stewart, who had previously played with Ritual. Death Cult released an eponymous EP in the summer of 1983; on the EP, Astbury reverted back to his given name. Later in the year, Mondo was replaced by Nigel Preston, who had previously played with Duffy in Theatre of Hate; coincidentally, Mondo became the drummer for Prestons previous band, Sex Gang Children. In early 1984, the bandmembers decided to excise "Death" from the title, fearing that the word gave them the misleading appearance of being a goth band. Where both Southern Death Cult and Death Cult had been overtly influenced by post-punk, the Cult were a heavy hard rock band with slight psychedelic flourishes. Dreamtime, the groups first album, was released in the fall of 1984, accompanied by the single "Spiritwalker." Dreamtime reached number 21 on the U.K. charts. In the spring of 1985, Preston left the group. For the groups summer single, "She Sells Sanctuary," the band was joined by Big Countrys drummer, Mark Brzezicki. "She Sells Sanctuary" became a major U.K. hit, peaking at number 15. During the recording of the groups second album, drummer Les Warner joined the group. Love, released in the fall of 1985, continued the hard rock direction of its teaser single and became a number four hit in Britain. For their third album, the Cult shuffled their lineup -- Stewart moved to rhythm guitar, while former Zodiac Mindwarp bassist Kid Chaos joined the lineup -- and hired Rick Rubin as producer, and the result, Electric, was their hardest, heaviest record to date. The first single from the album, "Love Removal Machine," became a number 18 hit in the spring of 1987, while the album itself reached number four in the U.K. upon its April release. Later that year, Electric gained the Cult a fan base in America, and the album cracked the U.S. Top 40. In 1988, the group fired Chaos and Warner, replacing the latter with Matt Sorum; the band failed to hire another bassist. The new lineup released Sonic Temple, which would prove to be the bands most successful album. The hit single "Fire Woman" helped propel the album into the American Top Ten, and within no time, the Cult were seen hanging out with the likes of Mötley Crüe and Aerosmith, as well as supporting Metallica on the Damaged Justice tour. Though the group was experiencing its best sales, it was fraying behind the scenes, due to infighting and substance abuse. By the time they recorded their follow-up to Sonic Temple, Sorum had left to join Guns N Roses and Stewart had quit; they were replaced by drummer Mickey Curry and bassist Charlie Drayton. The resulting album, Ceremony, was released in the fall of 1991 to weak reviews and disappointing sales. Following the release of Ceremony, the group took a break for the next three years. In 1993, the band released the U.K.-only hits compilation Pure Cult, which debuted at number one. By summer 1993, the Cult had a new rhythm section, featuring former Mission bassist Craig Adams, second guitarist Mike Dimkich (Channel 3), and drummer Scott Garrett. This lineup recorded The Cult, which was released in late 1994 to poor reviews and sales. In spring 1995, the Cult disbanded, with Ian Astbury forming the Holy Barbarians later in the year. Billy Duffy briefly played with Miles Hunts Vent 414 before leaving to pursue a solo project. In 2000, the bands catalog was remastered and reissued, and Pure Cult was released in the U.S. (despite a similar compilation, High Octane Cult, having appeared four years earlier). It was followed by Rare Cult, a six-disc box set of rarities. A new Cult, with Matt Sorum, Martyn LeNoble, and Chris Wyse joining Astbury and Duffy, made their debut in June 1999 at the Tibetan Freedom Festival. This band produced the 2001 album Beyond Good and Evil before the Cult were retired again, as Astbury joined former Doors members Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek in the Doors of the 21st Century (later renamed Riders on the Storm). In 2007, it was announced that Astbury had left the band to rejoin Duffy in a new version of the Cult, with Chris Wyse on bass and John Tempesta on drums. They signed to Roadrunner and released Born into This in 2008, which they promoted over the next few years on their highly publicized Love Live tour. They returned to the studio in 2011 after inking a deal with Cooking Vinyl Records and released their ninth studio album, Choice of Weapon, the following year. In 2013, Duffy announced in an interview that the Cult were working on new material for 2015. However, personnel changes put a bit of a damper on the bands plans: after 20 years, Dimkich left to play with Bad Religion and Wyse left for Ace Frehleys band. Longtime friend James Stevenson took the second guitar chair, while Grant Fitzpatrick took over on bass to play the bands 2014 world tour. Janes Addiction bassist Chris Channey came on board in the studio on the bands tenth studio album. With Bob Rock producing, the Cult completed Hidden City in 2015. The first two singles, "Dark Energy" and "Deeply Ordered Chaos," were issued in November and December, respectively, with a third, "Hinterland," appearing in January of 2016. The album followed in February of that year. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 32 Title: Dreamtime Released: 1984-09 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:34:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Horse Nation (03:46) 2 Spiritwalker (03:39) 3 83rd Dream (03:38) 4 Butterflies (03:00) 5 Go West (03:59) 6 Gimmick (03:33) 7 A Flower In The Desert (03:43) 8 Dreamtime (02:47) 9 Rider In The Snow (03:11) 10 Bad Medicine Waltz (05:56) 1 83rd Dream (03:38) 2 Gods Zoo (03:39) 3 Gimmick (03:53) 4 Bad Medicine Waltz (04:05) 5 A Flower In The Desert (03:41) 6 Go West (04:19) 7 Butterflies (03:03) 8 Dreamtime (02:54) 9 Christians (03:55) 10 Spiritwalker (03:20) 11 Horse Nation (03:33) 12 Bone Bag (04:16) 13 Ghost Dance (03:33) 14 Brothers Grimm (04:22) 15 Moya (04:40) |
| Dreamtime : Allmusic album Review : Image-wise, the Cult still werent entirely there yet, as the band photos show. Ian Astburys bandana is more dated than anything else. But its Billy Duffys 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. Duffys dramatic, spaghetti Western-tinged, dark psychedelic guitar and Astburys 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 bands efforts whether the members liked it or not: consider "83rd Dream" and its distinctly creeped-out introduction, Astburys vocals fed through extra effects. If theres 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, Prestons rolling drums and Duffys epic, crystalline guitar not that far off from what U2 was going after, but (arguably) with even more appeal. Add in Astburys explosive singing, and its 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 cant 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." | ||
 | Album: 2 of 32 Title: Love Released: 1985-08 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:02:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Nirvana (05:28) 2 The Big Neon Glitter (04:54) 3 Love (05:32) 4 Little Face (04:57) 5 Brother Wolf; Sister Moon (06:50) 6 Rain (03:59) 7 The Phoenix (05:06) 8 The Hollow Man (04:44) 9 Revolution (05:26) 10 She Sells Sanctuary (04:19) 11 Judith (05:29) 12 Black Angel (05:26) |
| Love : Allmusic album Review : 1985s Love displayed a marked improvement over the Cults early material, and though it remains underappreciated in America (worldwide it was a smash), this exceptional record has actually aged better than the bands 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 bands most appealing single ever. Considering the musical schizophrenia that would plague each subsequent Cult release, Love just may be the bands purest moment. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 32 Title: Dreamtime: Live at the Lyceum Released: 1985-09-21 Tracks: 15 Duration: 57:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 83rd Dream (04:32) 2 Gods Zoo (03:32) 3 Gimmick (03:53) 4 Bad Medicine Waltz (04:05) 5 A Flower in the Desert (03:41) 6 Go West (04:19) 7 Butterflies (03:03) 8 Dreamtime (02:54) 9 Christians (03:55) 10 Spiritwalker (03:20) 11 Horse Nation (03:33) 12 Bone Bag (04:16) 13 Ghost Dance (03:33) 14 Brothers Grimm (04:22) 15 Moya (04:39) |
 | Album: 4 of 32 Title: Electric Released: 1987 Tracks: 11 Duration: 38:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wild Flower (03:37) 2 Peace Dog (03:34) 3 Lil’ Devil (02:45) 4 Aphrodisiac Jacket (04:11) 5 Electric Ocean (02:49) 6 Bad Fun (03:37) 7 King Contrary Man (03:12) 8 Love Removal Machine (04:17) 9 Born to Be Wild (03:55) 10 Outlaw (02:52) 11 Memphis Hip Shake (03:59) |
| Electric : Allmusic album Review : 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/DCs Angus Young. Thankfully Ian Astbury decided not to become Brian Johnson, and while his macho yells cant help being cartoonish, hes 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 Warners drums to match Duffys power-chord action. "Love Removal Machine" is still the albums calling card, another in the series of instantly catchy Cult singles. "Lil 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. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 32 Title: The Manor Sessions Released: 1988-12-01 Tracks: 5 Duration: 25:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love Removal Machine (05:17) 2 Wild Flower (04:10) 3 Electric Ocean (04:11) 4 Outlaw (05:07) 5 Bad Fun (06:24) |
 | Album: 6 of 32 Title: Sonic Temple Released: 1989-04-12 Tracks: 10 Duration: 52:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sun King (06:09) 2 Fire Woman (05:10) 3 American Horse (05:18) 4 Edie (Ciao Baby) (04:46) 5 Sweet Soul Sister (05:08) 6 Soul Asylum (07:25) 7 New York City (04:41) 8 Automatic Blues (03:51) 9 Soldier Blue (04:36) 10 Wake Up Time for Freedom (05:17) |
| Sonic Temple : Allmusic album Review : 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." | ||
 | Album: 7 of 32 Title: Rain / Revolution Released: 1991 Tracks: 6 Duration: 28:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Rain (03:58) 2 Little Face (04:56) 3 Revolution (single remix version) (04:17) 4 All Souls Avenue (04:45) 5 Judith (05:29) 6 Sunrise (05:16) |
 | Album: 8 of 32 Title: Singles Collection 1984-1990 Released: 1991 Tracks: 50 Duration: 4:15:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Spritwalker (03:53) 2 A Flower In The Desert (03:17) 3 Bone Bag (03:49) 4 Go West (Crazy Spinning Circles) (04:00) 5 Sea And Sky (03:34) 6 Brothers Grimm (Live) (03:53) 1 Resurrection Joe (04:20) 2 She Sells Sanctuary (04:23) 3 The Snake (08:16) 4 No. 13 (04:42) 5 Assault On Sanctuary (07:34) 6 Resurrection Joe (Hep Cat Mix) (06:07) 1 Rain (03:59) 2 Little Face (04:56) 3 Revolution (Single Remix Version) (04:17) 4 All Souls Avenue (04:45) 5 Judith (05:30) 6 Sunrise (05:16) 1 Love Removal Machine (Single Version) (04:20) 2 Conquistador (02:52) 3 Groove Co. (04:17) 4 Zap City (05:14) 5 Love Trooper (03:55) 6 Wolf Childs Blues (07:21) 7 Lil Devil (02:45) 1 Wildflower (Single Version) (03:39) 2 Wildflower (Guitar Dub) (03:40) 3 Horse Nation (Live) (03:54) 4 Outlaw (Live) (06:43) 5 She Sells Sanctuary (Live) (05:03) 6 Bone Bag (Live) (09:19) 7 Phoenix (05:05) 8 Wild Thing / Louie Louie (Live) (06:16) 1 Fire Woman (Single Version) (04:03) 2 Automatic Blues (03:51) 3 Messin Up The Blues (05:21) 4 Edie (Ciao Baby) (Single Version) (04:03) 5 Bleeding Heart Graffiti (05:03) 6 Sun King (Single Version) (04:02) 7 Fire Woman (LA Rock Mix) (10:08) 8 Fire Woman (NYC Rock Mix) (07:21) 1 Sweet Soul Sister (Single Version) (03:32) 2 The River (06:52) 3 Love Removal Machine (Live) (04:42) 4 Lil Devil (Live) (02:48) 5 Revolution (Live) (05:37) 6 Sweet Soul Sister (Live) (05:32) 7 American Horse (Live) (07:15) 8 Soul Asylum (Live) (07:31) 9 Sweet Soul Sister (Rocks Mix) (06:56) |
 | Album: 9 of 32 Title: Spiritwalker / Go West Released: 1991 Tracks: 6 Duration: 22:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Spiritwalker (03:53) 2 A Flower in the Desert (03:17) 3 Bonebag (03:47) 4 Go West (Crazy Spinning Circles) (04:00) 5 Sea and Sky (03:34) 6 Brothers Grimm (live) (03:53) |
 | Album: 10 of 32 Title: Resurrection Joe / She Sells Sanctuary Released: 1991 Tracks: 6 Duration: 35:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Resurrection Joe (04:20) 2 She Sells Sanctuary (04:23) 3 The Snake (08:16) 4 No. 13 (04:42) 5 Assault on Sanctuary (07:34) 6 Resurrection Joe (Hep Cat mix) (06:07) |
 | Album: 11 of 32 Title: Love Removal Machine / Lil Devil Released: 1991 Tracks: 7 Duration: 30:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Love Removal Machine (single version) (04:20) 2 Conquistador (02:52) 3 Groove Co. (04:17) 4 Zap City (05:15) 5 Love Trooper (03:55) 6 Wolf Child Blues (07:21) 7 Lil’ Devil (02:45) |
 | Album: 12 of 32 Title: Wildflower / Live 1986-1987 Released: 1991 Tracks: 8 Duration: 43:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Wildflower (single version) (03:39) 2 Wild Flower (guitar dub) (03:38) 3 Horse Nation (live) (03:54) 4 Outlaw (live) (06:43) 5 She Sells Sanctuary (live) (05:03) 6 Bone Bag (live) (09:19) 7 Phoenix (live) (05:05) 8 Wild Thing / Louie Louie (live) (06:16) |
 | Album: 13 of 32 Title: Fire Woman / Edie (Ciao Baby) / Sun King Released: 1991 Tracks: 8 Duration: 43:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Fire Woman (04:03) 2 Automatic Blues (03:51) 3 Messin’ Up the Blues (05:21) 4 Edie (Ciao Baby) (04:01) 5 Bleeding Heart Graffiti (05:00) 6 Sun King (04:02) 7 Fire Woman (LA rock mix) (10:08) 8 Fire Woman (NYC rock mix) (07:21) |
 | Album: 14 of 32 Title: Sweet Soul Sister / Live 1987-1989 Released: 1991 Tracks: 9 Duration: 50:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Sweet Soul Sister (single version) (03:32) 2 The River (06:51) 3 Love Removal Machine (live) (04:42) 4 Lil Devil (live) (02:48) 5 Revolution (live) (05:37) 6 Sweet Soul Sister (live) (05:32) 7 American Horse (live) (07:15) 8 Soul Asylum (live) (07:31) 9 Sweet Soul Sister (Rock’s mix) (06:55) |
 | Album: 15 of 32 Title: Ceremony Released: 1991-09-23 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:03:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ceremony (06:26) 2 Wild Hearted Son (05:41) 3 Earth Mofo (04:42) 4 White (07:56) 5 If (05:24) 6 Full Tilt (04:51) 7 Heart of Soul (05:55) 8 Bangkok Rain (05:47) 9 Indian (04:53) 10 Sweet Salvation (05:25) 11 Wonderland (06:09) |
| Ceremony : Allmusic album Review : The two-year gap between the release of Sonic Temple and 1991s Ceremony saw the Cult become victims of their own success. With Temple, the band had finally achieved the mass commercial acceptance that they had pined after for so long. Touring U.S. arenas (as headliners) and as Metallicas special guests, the Cult had officially "arrived." With Billy Duffy having assumed the musical direction of Sonic Temple, it was clear from the get-go that Ceremony would be Astburys baby. Now reduced to a duo, Duffy and Astbury had their work cut out for them. The ensuing sessions that would make up the bulk of Ceremony would turn out to be a sonic triumph (the record sounds as if were recorded yesterday), and at the same time, a creative, blithering mess. Things start off promisingly with the records title track, which is quickly followed by a classic Cult single, "Wild Hearted Son." Unfortunately, what follows the stomp and chant of "Earth Mofo" are eight of the most contrived, lyrically mundane songs that the Cult ever released. Although noble in his intentions, Asburys ongoing fascination with the plight of the Native American Indian accounts for the majority of the lyrical content of Ceremony. Another promising ballad-turn-rocker, "If" quickly evaporates into nowhere land as the songs main guitar riff sounds like a slower, recycled version of every bad generic AC/DC L.A. hair band. Sadly, as the ensuing tour rolled across the U.S., it was obvious that the Cult had lost their edge (they were upstaged nightly by a young, hungry artist named Lenny Kravitz). In the three years that would follow, Astbury would get clean, shave his head, and rekindle his desire to make records. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 32 Title: New York City Blues Released: 1992 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:01:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 New York City (05:41) 2 Automatic Blues (04:06) 3 American Horse (07:33) 4 Sun King (08:34) 5 Soul Asylum (07:42) 6 Here Comes The Rain (04:56) 7 Sweet Soul Sister (05:52) 8 She Sells Sanctuary (05:11) 9 Born To Be Wild (05:02) 10 Firewoman (06:29) |
 | Album: 17 of 32 Title: Heart of Soul Released: 1992 Tracks: 4 Duration: 18:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Heart of Soul (edit) (04:35) 2 Edie (Ciao Baby) (acoustic) (04:18) 3 Earth Mofo (04:49) 4 Heart of Soul (acoustic) (04:32) |
 | Album: 18 of 32 Title: Live Marquee London MCMXCI Released: 1993 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:31:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Nirvana (04:36) 2 Lil’ Devil (02:59) 3 Spiritwalker (03:53) 4 Horse Nation (03:52) 5 Zap City (05:09) 6 Brother Wolf; Sister Moon (06:41) 7 Revolution (06:16) 8 Love (05:58) 9 Rain (05:21) 1 The Phoenix (04:59) 2 Wild Flower (04:14) 3 She Sells Sanctuary (04:36) 4 Full Tilt (04:48) 5 Amplification Breakdown (05:28) 6 Peace Dog (04:12) 7 Love Removal Machine (05:52) 8 Earth Mofo (06:13) 9 Fire Woman (06:19) |
 | Album: 19 of 32 Title: Pure Cult: For Rockers, Ravers, Lovers and Sinners Released: 1993-02-09 Tracks: 35 Duration: 2:43:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 She Sells Sanctuary (04:13) 2 Fire Woman (05:12) 3 Lil’ Devil (02:45) 4 Spiritwalker (03:50) 5 The Witch (04:18) 6 Revolution (04:15) 7 Wild Hearted Son (04:26) 8 Love Removal Machine (04:17) 9 Rain (03:56) 1 Edie (Ciao Baby) (04:01) 2 Heart of Soul (04:34) 3 Love (05:26) 4 Wild Flower (03:37) 5 Go West (03:58) 6 Resurrection Joe (04:15) 7 Sun King (06:09) 8 Sweet Soul Sister (03:31) 9 Earth Mofo (04:42) 1 Nirvana (04:36) 2 Lil’ Devil (02:59) 3 Spiritwalker (03:53) 4 Horse Nation (03:52) 5 Zap City (05:09) 6 Brother Wolf; Sister Moon (06:41) 7 Revolution (06:16) 8 Love (05:58) 9 Rain (05:21) 1 The Phoenix (04:59) 2 Wild Flower (04:14) 3 She Sells Sanctuary (04:36) 4 Full Tilt (04:48) 5 Peace Dog (04:12) 6 Love Removal Machine (05:52) 7 Earth Mofo (06:13) 8 Fire Woman (06:19) |
| Pure Cult: For Rockers, Ravers, Lovers and Sinners : Allmusic album Review : Say what you want about the Cult -- a band which will certainly go down as one of the most schizophrenic in rock history -- but singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy could sure write a great tune. Just glance at a few titles included on their hard-to-find, but definitely best greatest-hits collection Pure Cult: "Edie (Ciao Baby)," "Love Removal Machine," "She Sells Sanctuary," "Wild Flower," "Fire Woman," "Rain," "Lil Devil," and "Sun King." Spread haphazardly across the disc (rather than in chronological order), each tracks uniqueness is even more evident, further showcasing the Cults fearless creativity. Early songs such as "Spiritwalker" and "Resurrection Joe" will surprise most fans with their class and maturity, while later cuts like "Wild Hearted Son" and "Heart of Soul" (from the disappointing Ceremony album) show new life when viewed on their own merits. And for those seeking some added collectors value, the band offers a fine new track in the industrial-tinged "The Witch." [After languishing for several years in an import release, Beggars Banquet released a virtually similar version of Pure Cult for American audiences in 2000.] | ||
 | Album: 20 of 32 Title: The Cult Released: 1994 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:01:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Gone (03:49) 2 Coming Down (Drug Tongue) (06:36) 3 Real Grrrl (04:26) 4 Black Sun (06:23) 5 Naturally High (04:23) 6 Joy (04:46) 7 Star (05:02) 8 Sacred Life (05:47) 9 Be Free (03:49) 10 Universal You (05:17) 11 Emperors New Horse (04:22) 12 Saints Are Down (06:54) |
| The Cult : Allmusic album Review : The self-titled follow-up to 1991s anemic Ceremony clearly shows a once great band trying to recapture the excitement of their earlier efforts. Sadly for the Cult, their problems were bigger than the sum of their parts. When it boils down to it, the constant musical tug of war between Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy would result in the band losing its focus and ultimately, its audience. From Love onwards, each Cult release would be greeted with a mix of awe (Electric), commercial triumph (Sonic Temple), and eventually, apathy as the bands fan base continued to be bedazzled and eroded due to the bands ever-changing styles. The Cult is a perfect case in point. If the arena rock of Sonic Temple proved to be Duffys brainchild, the subsequent faux pas of Ceremony (Astburys idea) only makes The Cult that much more confusing and frustrating. With a newfound sense of sobriety and spirituality, Astbury set out to make a record that would combine the guitar riffing of its two predecessors along with the singers newfound love for electronica. Re-hiring producer/songwriter Bob Rock proved to be a definite step in the right direction. Whereas, songs like "Real Grrrl," the scorching "Be Free," and "Star" evoke the Cult of yore (with a more modern-day treated sound, others like the Doors pastiche of "Joy" and the oh-where-have-our-heroes-gone cheese of "Sacred Life are a mess. If anything positive came out of these sessions, its nice to hear Astburys voice sounding lean and mean at the forefront of Bob Rocks mix. the Cult get an A for effort/enthusiasm and a B- for execution on this one. For Cult diehards and curiosity seekers only. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 32 Title: High Octane Cult: The Ultimate Collection 1984-1995 Released: 1996 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:13:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 In the Clouds (04:01) 2 She Sells Sanctuary (04:13) 3 Fire Woman (05:12) 4 Lil’ Devil (02:45) 5 Spiritwalker (03:50) 6 The Witch (04:18) 7 Revolution (04:16) 8 Coming Down (04:01) 9 Love Removal Machine (04:17) 10 Rain (03:56) 11 Edie (Ciao Baby) (04:01) 12 Heart of Soul (04:34) 13 Star (03:59) 14 Wild Flower (03:37) 15 Resurrection Joe (04:15) 16 Wild Hearted Son (04:26) 17 Sweet Soul Sister (03:30) 18 Beauty’s on the Street (04:42) |
 | Album: 22 of 32 Title: The White EP Released: 1997-05-06 Tracks: 4 Duration: 23:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 White (07:56) 2 Faith Healer (05:16) 3 Full Tilt (live) (04:52) 4 Love Removal Machine (live) (05:11) |
 | Album: 23 of 32 Title: Pure Cult: The Singles 1984-1995 Released: 2000-06-05 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:17:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 She Sells Sanctuary (04:13) 2 Fire Woman (05:10) 3 Lil’ Devil (02:45) 4 Spiritwalker (03:13) 5 The Witch (04:18) 6 Revolution (04:15) 7 Love Removal Machine (04:17) 8 Rain (03:56) 9 In the Clouds (04:01) 10 Coming Down (Drug Tongue) (04:03) 11 Edie (Ciao Baby) (04:01) 12 Heart of Soul (04:34) 13 Wild Flower (03:37) 14 Star (04:00) 15 Resurrection Joe (04:19) 16 Go West (03:58) 17 Sun King (04:56) 18 Wild Hearted Son (04:26) 19 Sweet Soul Sister (03:30) |
| Pure Cult: The Singles 1984-1995 : Allmusic album Review : Say what you want about the Cult, a band who will certainly go down as one of the most schizophrenic in rock history, but singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy could sure write a great tune. Just glance at a few titles included on the greatest-hits collection Pure Cult: The Singles 1984-1995: "Edie (Ciao Baby)," "Love Removal Machine," "She Sells Sanctuary," "Wild Flower," "Fire Woman," "Rain," "Lil Devil" -- you get the picture. Spread haphazardly across the disc (rather than in chronological order), each tracks uniqueness is even more evident, further showcasing the Cults fearless creativity. Early songs such as "Spiritwalker" and "Resurrection Joe" will surprise most fans with their class and maturity, while later cuts like "Wild Hearted Son," "Heart of Soul," and "Coming Down" (from their disappointing latter-day albums) are given new life when viewed on their own merits. Boasting almost identical track selection to another Pure Cult collection (including a few rare outtakes) of a few years earlier, this ones merely a tad more career-spanning complete, but the small differences arent worth stressing over. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 32 Title: Best of Rare Cult Released: 2000-10-17 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:14:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love Removal Machine (Peace remix) (05:16) 2 Zap City (05:15) 3 Faith Healer (05:16) 4 She Sells Sanctuary (long version) (06:58) 5 Edie (Ciao Baby) (acoustic) (04:18) 6 Little Face (04:54) 7 Spanish Gold (04:55) 8 Love Trooper (03:54) 9 The River (06:51) 10 Lay Down Your Gun (version two) (05:11) 11 No. 13 (04:40) 12 Bleeding Heart Graffitti (05:00) 13 Sea and Sky (03:31) 14 Go West (Crazy Spinning Circles) (original mix) (03:45) 15 Join Hands (05:03) |
| Best of Rare Cult : Allmusic album Review : Best of Rare Cult, the companion piece to the Cults expansive box set Rare Cult, features an interesting collection of rarities, unreleased material, B-sides, studio experiments, and just plain throwaways. If youre just an average fan or a curiosity seeker, the Best of Rare Cult single CD will do just fine. Featuring 15 cuts by, admittedly, one of Englands best rock bands of the 80s and 90s, Best of Rare Cult gets underway with the original version of "Love Removal Machine." Yet more rarities permeate this release as "No. 13" (the B-side to "Sanctuary") and "Sea and Sky" (which dates all the way back to the bands Southern Death Cult days) are available for mass consumption here for the first time as well. Both are essential historical documents. 1984s "Go West" simply reaffirms this concept. "Join Hands" ends Best of Rare Cult on an anthemic note replete with na-naa-naa-naa choruses, thereby putting a lid on a hit and miss, yet fascinating collection of Cult oddities. In conclusion, its interesting to note that through all their trials and tribulations, re-listening to these Cult tracks later, one can garner a finer appreciation for just how far this band has traveled over the years. The Cult have managed to transform themselves from innocent, cloak and dagger goth boys into a world-class, pants and flares, arena rock & roll band replete with drug and booze problems. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 32 Title: Rare Cult Released: 2000-11-21 Tracks: 102 Duration: 8:33:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ghost Dance (radio session) (03:20) 2 Bad Medicine Waltz (radio session) (04:25) 3 Resurrection Joe (radio session) (05:11) 4 Go West (Crazy Spinning Circles) (radio session) (04:15) 5 Bone Bag (03:46) 6 Sea and Sky (03:31) 7 She Sells Sanctuary (Howling mix) (08:25) 8 No. 13 (04:40) 9 The Snake (08:09) 10 (Here Comes the) Rain (06:19) 11 Little Face (04:54) 12 Spiritwalker (radio session) (03:57) 13 Revolution (radio session) (06:01) 14 All Souls Avenue (radio session) (04:18) 15 Big Neon Glitter (radio session) (04:35) 1 Revolution (full length remix) (05:29) 2 Judith (05:29) 3 Sunrise (05:11) 4 All Souls Avenue (04:45) 5 Electric Ocean (original version) (04:02) 6 Go Go Guru (original version) (04:05) 7 Love Removal Machine (radio session) (04:02) 8 Conquistador (radio session) (02:48) 9 King Contrary Man (radio session) (03:53) 10 Electric Ocean (radio session) (04:10) 11 Zap City (demo) (04:44) 12 Love Trooper (demo) (03:53) 13 El Progresso (demo) (02:45) 14 Peace Dog (demo) (04:06) 15 Oink (version one) (demo) (03:50) 16 Waltz (demo) (03:49) 17 Untitled (one) (demo) (02:49) 18 Groove Co. (demo) (03:36) 19 Untitled (two) (demo) (02:29) 1 Love Removal Machine (05:16) 2 Wild Flower (04:11) 3 Peace Dog (05:09) 4 Aphrodisiac Jacket (04:26) 5 Electric Ocean (04:11) 6 Bad Fun (06:24) 7 Conquistador (02:53) 8 Zap City (05:15) 9 Love Trooper (03:54) 10 Outlaw (05:07) 11 Groove Co. (04:21) 12 Walk My Way (jam session) (08:56) 1 Wild Flower (extended rock mix) (05:50) 2 Outlaw (alternate mix) (02:53) 3 Wolf Child’s Blues (07:20) 4 Go Go Guru (Rubin version) (03:59) 5 Down So Long (05:58) 6 Soldier Blue (Werman version) (04:38) 7 Zodiac (demo) (03:29) 8 Yes Man (demo) (05:08) 9 Citadel (demo) (04:15) 10 The Crystal Ocean (demo) (05:08) 11 Lay Down Your Gun (version one) (demo) (06:52) 12 Bite on the Bullet (demo) (05:06) 13 Iron Star (demo) (04:24) 14 Star Child (demo) (03:39) 15 Messin’ Up the Blues (05:44) 16 Sonic Temple Radio Promo (00:30) 1 Fire Woman (NYC rock mix) (07:21) 2 Medicine Train (demo) (04:31) 3 New York City (demo) (05:00) 4 Sweet Soul Sister (Rock’s mix) (06:55) 5 Bleeding Heart Graffitti (05:00) 6 The River (06:51) 7 Indian (demo) (03:39) 8 Spanish Gold (version one) (demo) (05:51) 9 Host of Angels (demo) (05:48) 10 Northern Man (demo) (04:53) 11 Auto (demo jam) (03:27) 12 Red Jesus (04:54) 13 Join Hands (05:03) 14 Edie (Ciao Baby) (acoustic) (04:18) 15 Love Removal Machine (live session) (05:12) 1 Faith Healer (05:16) 2 Full Tilt (live session) (04:53) 3 Earth Mofo (live session) (04:48) 4 Heart of Soul (acoustic) (04:32) 5 The Witch (full version) (06:56) 6 Coming Down (Put the Boot In) (07:08) 7 Breathing Out (05:59) 8 Gone (Degenerate) (04:19) 9 Down on Me (05:15) 10 Beauty’s on the Street (04:42) 11 Splunge / Relapse (05:07) 12 North (04:36) 13 Sacred High (06:05) 14 In the Clouds (alternate edit) (03:56) 1 Resurrection Joe (long version) (06:07) 2 She Sells Sanctuary (Assault on Sanctuary) (07:30) 3 Love Removal Machine (extended version) (05:39) 4 Wild Flower (guitar dub) (03:38) 5 Soldier Blue (extended version) (05:59) 6 Fire Woman (L.A. Rock mix) (10:04) 7 The Witch (dance remix) (10:25) 8 Coming Down (Butchered) (07:08) 9 Gone (dub vocal) (05:05) 10 Love Removal Machine (Small Soldiers mix) (06:19) 11 Resurrection Joe (Hep Cat mix long version) (06:04) |
| Rare Cult : Allmusic album Review : Increasingly, and especially in a day and age where music is so widely and readily available thanks to advanced technologies, when a company or act wants to make a good box set, it had better deliver. To its credit, Beggars Banquet did just that with Rare Cult, an astoundingly comprehensive and entertaining collection that packs in 90 tracks over the course of six discs. Living up to its name, Rare Cult doesnt touch on the familiar smashes, at least in their most well-known forms, that made the Cult a true monster of a band in its 80s heyday. Instead, the focus is on everything from radio sessions and random B-sides to curious remixes and a slew of demo sessions and back again. Its not for the casual fan in the slightest; those content with the Pure Cult greatest-hits set will need look no further. But the fact that enough Cult obsessives still remained to warrant its appearance was justified when the limited-edition run of the set sold out in three months. Not bad for a fairly expensive package. Perhaps the best question about the set at the start is whether its deserved, or rather if the band deserves it. On balance, the Cult makes for an incredibly inconsistent band, as apt to stumble and collapse as it is to totally nail everything right on the head. Still, for all that, Ian Astbury goes completely over the top in terms of singing and lyrical imagery at points, while Billy Duffy is sometimes content to replicate the past instead of taking inspiration from it, when their partnership is on, its unstoppable. Given that Rare Cult looks primarily at numbers never meant for regular release, or cuts often judged unsatisfactory for an album placement, the suspicion would be that things would be more of a mess than success. Yet actually what comes through best is the groups quality. Astbury may be dramatic to a fault, but to his credit rarely delivers a half-assed performance, while Duffy similarly wants to rock & rock no matter what, using his skill for concentrated, memorable melodies and riffs instead of pointless technical wankery. The performers around the two kept changing, perhaps most fatally for the group when Jamie Stewart departed after Sonic Temple, but the duo kept going, an off-kilter but productive partnership. The start of the set captures the band at almost the exact moment of transition from its earlier self, a 1984 BBC session done shortly after Dreamtimes recording that starts with a Death Cult number, the entertaining stomp of "Ghost Dance." A less queasy but still strong version of "Resurrection Joe," with crisp, clear vocals from Astbury, and an inspiring "Go West" also succeed, leading into a brace of early B-sides and remixes from both Dreamtime and Love. The mighty "She Sells Sanctuary" appears in its somewhat notorious "Howling Mix," featuring actual wolf cries, often treated with creepy effects for extra atmosphere (a pity the actual mix itself tries but cant approach the originals sheer power). Treats include the downright sprightly "No. 13," perhaps the closest the Cult ever got to sweet power pop, and Duffys guitar showcase "The Snake," pumping up the early-80s post-punk atmospherics with just enough bite to the central melody. Another radio session closes out the first disc; the song choices are good, but the delivery on "Spiritwalker" and "Revolution" is only fair, with slightly slower tempos and Astbury sounding a bit breathless at points. A romp through "Big Neon Glitter," though, improves the mood. The second disc continues with more Love material, starting with a pleasant but little different remix of "Revolution," which at least isnt laden with the unsuccessful dance grooves of the "She Sells Sanctuary" revamp. The highlight of the remaining Love-era tracks is "All Souls Avenue," a calmer song named after a street in the Notting Hill area of London Astbury lived in at the time. Next up are some early takes on later material: the pretty good original version of "Electric Ocean," as recorded for the Out of Bounds soundtrack, and the balls-out blast of "Go Go Guru." The bands final BBC session follows; the brilliant "Love Removal Machine" got its first public airing here, in a much different, very Love-sounding version that makes for a great contrast to the ultimate take. Even the famous drum/clipped riff start is absent! The other tracks sound raunchier, including the strutting kick of "King Contrary Man" and another take on "Electric Ocean." The remaining tracks on the disc come from the demo sessions of what would become the "lost" album Peace, at points sounding much more like songs from Electric in their simplicity if not their Rick Rubin-produced power. Some numbers are random throwaways or instrumental backing jams, like the slightly surf rock touch of "El Progresso" and the lovely, skipping chime "Untitled (One)," one of the bands most atypical efforts. Others, including the pleasant riff and punch of "Love Trooper," with some fine Astbury vocals, and the harder-rocking anti-hippie slam of "Oink," stand up quite well. Disc three is a fairly straightforward affair, containing the contents of the unreleased Peace, presented in its originally intended running order. Ironically enough, Peace had mostly been available years before, as the Cult picked many of the recordings to serve as B-sides to later singles from Electric. Put together in one place, though, its easier to hear what the band was trying to come up with at that time and also why they were unsatisfied in the end with it. Most of the songs reappeared on Electric (and thankfully the abominable cover of "Born to Be Wild" had yet to be recorded), so on that level, Peace is as successful as its eventual descendant. However, one can hear the differences between Steve Brown and Rick Rubins production styles pretty clearly. Brown adds the overdubs and booming rhythm echo to create a cavernous, almost intimidating sound, sometimes with inspired results but at other points with messy ones, not helped by Astburys often thrashed, forced delivery. In contrast, Duffy sounds solid, cranking it up and letting it fly, though some of the extra soloing makes for gratuitous moments unsurprisingly missing from the Electric takes. The hitherto unheard recording of "Love Removal Machine" is actually the equal to the final version: its huge sounding and driving, more expansive than the latter take but just as fierce. Other brawlers like "Outlaw" and "Bad Fun" lumber along, exuding energy to spare but sounding all too often like skull-crushing sonic architecture without direction. Theres one hilarious bonus at the end, an unearthed jam, titled long after the fact by Duffy "Walk My Way." Its a lengthy, raunchy, goof, with Duffy, Stewart, and drummer Les Warner all more or less in one piece, but Astbury sounds like hes been gargling Drano, while the occasional backing vocals from the others dont help matters! The fourth disc collects remaining cuts and session from the Electric days along with the first material planned for Sonic Temple. The first cut is perversely amusing -– a dance remix of "Wild Flower" by disco figure Francis Kervorkian -- combining just about every supposedly unhip 70s influence in one place as a result! Its a good mix, though, letting Rubins blunt punch set the mood. Other cuts provide some curiosities, including another, brusquer blast through "Go Go Guru" with Rubin at the helm and an early, somewhat half-hearted version of "Soldier Blue," recorded as a possible standalone single (and produced by Mötley Crüe boardsman Tom Werman, of all people). "Down So Long" takes a slower, blues-touched strut to things, while "Wolf Child Blues" make it even more clipped and minimal; both good efforts, Astbury and Duffy give it their all. Half of the disc consists of selections from the earliest Sonic Temple demos, concentrating on material that didnt make the final cut or only surfaced later in much different form. Many of the cuts were understandably left behind -– the performances show the band, with temporary drummer Eric Singer, having a good time, but the songs themselves were generally nondescript. A few winners stand out, though: "The Crystal Ocean" is an easygoing number that benefits from toning things down all around, while "Lay Down Your Gun" tells a Western-themed story with a solid slow burn. As with disc three, this one ends with the Cult having a laugh in the studio, though this cut, "Messin Up the Blues," surfaced as a B-side. Astbury throws in all sorts of references to friends and inspirations while Duffy plays loose, engaging acoustic twang, and Stewart sounds almost rockabilly; call it the Cult goes T. Rex for one nutty moment. Theres also a bonus track, a U.K. radio ad for Sonic Temple with an unintentionally hilarious narrator. The fifth disc captures the band at its arguable peak, with a slew of Sonic Temple-related material. Mickey Curry proved to be an excellent studio drummer for the recordings, able to mix subtlety and punch, while Stewarts bass playing in his last hurrah with the band was equally strong. As for Astbury and Duffy, they clicked like nobodys business; even the overwrought "Edie (Ciao Baby)," featuring in an acoustic version recorded a couple of years later, had just enough dramatic sweep to carry itself through. Starting with a less moody but strong enough "NYC Rock" mix of "Fire Woman," featuring some good tribal-touched drum work in a nod to the groups earliest days, the disc unearths a variety of intriguing rarities, including the dreamy "Bleeding Heart Graffiti." Perhaps most interesting in context are early acoustic demos of "Indian" and "Spanish Gold," featuring the groups 1989 touring drummer, Matt Sorum, in his only studio recording with the Cult before joining Guns N Roses (ironically, Sorum later rejoined the Cult for its late-90s revival). Another great find is the earliest version of the underrated highlight "The Witch," here titled "Northern Man" in explicit homage to the Happy Mondays, from whom the Cult clearly borrowed the funky drummer attack. Some other demos riff along in rough, loose fashion, like "Medicine Train." Toward the end of the disc things shade into Ceremony-era recordings, and as Duffy freely admits in the liner notes, the band found itself in an unproductive rut. Some highlights crop up, though, including a fun treat that closes out the disc: a live, in-the-studio smash through "Love Removal Machine," with Curry providing the drumming attack. The set as a whole concludes with the remainder of the Ceremony-era songs and scattered recordings from the self-titled album sessions and beyond. One of the groups only two recorded cover versions kicks things off, namely the Sensational Alex Harvey Bands glam classic "Faith Healer." Its good but not great, a description for the Cult in general at that point. Those tracks immediately following similarly suffer from the general Ceremony disease -- the parts are all there, but memorable songs arent -- but all this is made up for by the nearly seven-minute-long rampage that is the full version of "The Witch." Produced by Rick Rubin in a smart reuniting of forces without simply trying to redo Electric over again, with its blasting fuzz bass, screaming funk guitar from Duffy and Astburys charismatic, killer singing, its worth the entire Ceremony album and then some. The remaining cuts come from the Bob Rock-produced sessions for the self-titled record, featuring ex-Sisters of Mercy/Mission bassist Craig Adams in the lineup. While the album itself was a muddled attempt at a more garage/MC5/Stooges focus crossed with hip-hop and techno touches, ironic considering the slick metal power of Rocks earlier work on Sonic Temple, the varying selections here include many winners. "Breathing Out" has a slow, ominous crawl to the rhythm and delivery, while "Down on Me" is both a slow, T. Rex-style groover and a sharp, passionate rocker, thanks to Astburys grand delivery. One great number from the vaults is "North," with guest guitarist -– and fellow Manchester-born and raised, one-time Morrissey collaborator -– Johnny Marr, a longtime friend of Duffys. The lyrics slyly celebrate being from, indeed, north London –- well north –- while all concerned turn in a sharp, smart performance. To top everything off, even though the set was a limited edition to start with, the earliest numbers in that run themselves had an extra bonus, a separate disc of additional remixes from throughout the groups career. Organized chronologically as the set is, aside from being framed by extended mixes of "Resurrection Joe," its a fun catch-all for those utterly obsessed with the band, with a few fun tracks to recommend it. A couple of the mixes were never released, including an extended version of the Tom Werman-produced "Soldier Blue" and a searing, ten-minute long rip through "The Witch" that just confirms how utterly amazing song, band, and producer were on that effort. As for the rest, some are utterly of their time while others hold up pretty well in retrospect. "Assault on Sanctuary" wins the best title award, being indeed one heck of a revamp job on "She Sells Sanctuary" that even makes the other remix on the set proper look like a clone of the original. Everything from mock sitars and squirrelly synth lines to a full countdown at the start of the song goes into this particular demolition and reconstruction job. One interesting curiosity is the "Small Soldiers" mix of "Love Removal Machine," so named due to its appearance on the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The band itself was on hiatus, so hearing one Mickey Petralia turn the tightly wound buzz of the original into a dark, charging tech-rocker, not quite industrial or techno but borrowing from both genres, makes for a different listening experience. Rare Cult deserves notice on a technical level as well. The sound throughout is fantastic, on par with the labels laudable work with its catalog, while the appearance of the set, a smartly packaged black box containing a liner note booklet and the discs, two per fold-out case, is simple and effective. The liner notes themselves, meanwhile, redefine exhaustive, a good case for the abilities of longtime Beggars employee Steve Webbon, who has done similarly inspired work for Gary Numan reissues. Full technical details regarding where and when items were recorded, the performers and folks behind the desk, and where they were originally released if at all are provided for each song, while interview snippets with Astbury, Duffy and others appear throughout the text. The end result is a good canned history of the band, accompanied by a slew of photos from 1984 to 2000 (the final shots are of Astbury and Duffy holding photos of their nearly 17-years-younger selves, a fun coda). | ||
 | Album: 26 of 32 Title: Beyond Good and Evil Released: 2001-06-01 Tracks: 12 Duration: 51:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 War (The Process) (04:12) 2 The Saint (03:36) 3 Rise (03:39) 4 Take the Power (03:55) 5 Breathe (04:59) 6 Nico (04:49) 7 American Gothic (03:56) 8 Ashes and Ghosts (05:00) 9 Shape the Sky (03:29) 10 Speed of Light (04:22) 11 True Believers (05:07) 12 My Bridges Burn (03:51) |
| Beyond Good and Evil : Allmusic album Review : 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 Astburys consistent wails and moans. In the opener, "War (The Process)," Astbury hollers "whoa" just like the old days, except now he does it over Duffys Metallica-like rifts and frenetic drumming by Matt Sorum. The band also shows theyve 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 Cults 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. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 32 Title: Rare Cult: The Demo Sessions Released: 2002-08-12 Tracks: 77 Duration: 6:06:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love Removal Machine (04:44) 2 Peace (04:15) 3 Zap City (demo) (04:44) 4 Love Trooper (demo) (03:53) 5 Angel (05:17) 6 Tom Petty (04:02) 7 Brown’s Gone to Ausy Land (05:58) 8 Baby Walker (04:13) 9 Surf Nazi (03:09) 10 Groove Co. (backing track) (03:39) 11 Oink (version one) (demo) (03:50) 12 Oink (version two) (03:52) 13 Waltz (03:50) 14 Blues One (03:03) 15 Untitled 1 (02:50) 16 El Progresso (demo) (02:45) 17 Untitled 2 (02:32) 18 Groove Co. (demo) (03:36) 1 Medicine Train (one) (04:20) 2 New York City (one) (05:19) 3 American Horse (one) (05:10) 4 Sun King (one) (05:33) 5 Automatic Blues (04:53) 6 Yes Man (05:13) 7 Zodiac (03:31) 8 Fire (one) (06:03) 9 Wake Up Time for Freedom (one) (04:58) 10 Bite on the Bullet (05:11) 11 Fred Divinyls (03:44) 12 Citadel (04:19) 13 The River (06:51) 14 The Crystal Ocean (05:07) 1 Cashmere (06:51) 2 Edie (one) (05:41) 3 Bleeding Heart Graffitti (05:17) 4 Lay Down Your Gun (version one) (demo) (06:52) 5 My Love (03:59) 6 Iron Star (demo) (04:24) 7 Star Child (demo) (03:39) 8 Wake Up Time for Freedom (two) (05:20) 9 Lay Down Your Gun (two) (05:16) 10 Medicine Train (two) (04:34) 11 New York City (two) (05:01) 12 Fire (two) (05:13) 13 American Horse (two) (04:46) 14 Sun King (two) (04:49) 15 Edie (two) (04:31) 1 Ceremony (06:12) 2 Full Tilt (05:07) 3 Earth Mother (04:11) 4 Crazy Hearted Lover (04:23) 5 Friend (06:21) 6 Wonderland (07:01) 7 Bangkok Rain (05:04) 8 Red Eye (05:28) 9 Spanish Gold (take two) (04:19) 10 White (07:20) 11 Host of Angels (demo) (05:48) 12 Black Cat (05:28) 13 Pre-Take Jam (01:15) 14 Northern Man (demo) (04:53) 15 Auto (demo jam) (03:27) 1 Angel (Lil’ Devil) (03:14) 2 Upbeat Track (03:58) 3 Downbeat Track (04:07) 4 Tight Lip (04:53) 5 Spanish Gold (’89) (05:51) 6 White (’89) (04:55) 7 Track Four (05:55) 8 Indian (’89) (03:41) 9 Track Six (05:58) 10 Track Seven (05:00) 11 Track Eight (03:44) 12 Spanish Gold (take one) (04:08) 13 Northern Man (session mix) (05:15) 14 Host of Angels (session mix) (06:19) 15 Sweet Salvation (session mix) (06:13) |
| Rare Cult: The Demo Sessions : Allmusic album Review : If the extensive six-CD box set Rare Cult wasnt enough, Beggars Banquet followed it up with this obsessive item to end all obsessive items for Cult fans: a five-CD collection detailing all available demo sessions done by the band between 1986 and 1991. Clearly this was aimed only at those completely dedicated enough to want absolutely everything; being no fools, Beggars released it in a limited edition of 3,000, sold by mail order only through its website. Packaged to resemble the earlier set, Rare Cult: The Demo Sessions makes for well over six hours of Ian Astbury, Billy Duffy, and various drummers and bassists working through songs and fragmentary jams. Theres a number of songs on the earlier set that reappear here in their original context, but not so many as to make this a duplicated rip-off, thankfully. Perhaps the most enjoyable thing about the various sessions is hearing how the normally heavily and precisely produced band -- even in its Electric days with Rick Rubin -- sounds in a truly raw context, unadorned and exploratory. The Astbury/Duffy partnership has a charge even then -- if Astburys singing is clearly rough and mostly there just to fill out the corners at points, hes usually hurling himself with gusto into the proceedings, while Duffy riffs, cranks, and roars just as one would expect him to do. On a fan level, the most interesting recordings might be the "jam" demos from 1989, eight songs worth that feature the last efforts of original bassist Jamie Stewart in tandem, along with the only studio drum work of Matt Sorum with the Cult until the bands revival in the new millennium. The most flat-out exhaustive are for the Sonic Temple sessions, however -- two and an half hours worth of takes and tentative efforts. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 32 Title: Born Into This Released: 2007-10-02 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:04:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Born Into This (04:04) 2 Citizens (04:32) 3 Diamonds (04:06) 4 Dirty Little Rockstar (03:40) 5 Holy Mountain (03:42) 6 I Assassin (04:13) 7 Illuminated (04:07) 8 Tiger in the Sun (05:07) 9 Savages (03:54) 10 Sound of Destruction (03:30) 1 Stand Alone (05:13) 2 War Pony Destroyer (04:21) 3 I Assassin (demo) (04:37) 4 Sound of Destruction (demo) (04:25) 5 Savages (full length version) (04:32) |
| Born Into This : Allmusic album Review : Ever since 1987s Rick Rubin-produced Electric, the Cult have never shied away from reveling in the trashiest aspects of rock & roll culture. No doubt, Ian Astburys 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 Cults 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, its clear that Born into This is going to rock as hard as Electric or 1989s 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 Astburys time fronting the Doors and Duffys 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 theyve recorded since the 80s, like the trailer single "Dirty Little Rockstar" or the similarly trashy "Diamonds." Astburys vocals are as muscular as theyve ever been, although his quavering vibrato on the ballad "Holy Mountain" marks it as a latter-day Cult song. Duffys songwriting edge may have dulled slightly, but his lead guitar and the production of longtime British associate Youth make up for any inadequacy. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 32 Title: Music Without Fear Released: 2008-06-30 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:12:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Lil Devil (02:46) 2 She Sells Sanctuary (05:16) 3 Wild Flower (03:49) 4 Breathe (04:50) 5 Fire Woman (05:11) 6 Rain (04:24) 7 Sweet Soul Sister (04:49) 8 Edie (Ciao Baby) (04:19) 9 Rise (04:01) 10 The Witch (05:02) 11 Love Removal Machine (03:42) 12 Peace Dog (03:42) 13 True Believers (04:17) 14 My Bridges Burn (03:46) 15 War (The Process) (04:34) 16 In the Clouds (03:49) 17 Take the Power (04:05) |
 | Album: 30 of 32 Title: Choice of Weapon Released: 2012-05-21 Tracks: 14 Duration: 58:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Honey From a Knife (03:06) 2 Elemental Light (04:45) 3 The Wolf (03:33) 4 Life > Death (05:32) 5 For the Animals (04:28) 6 Amnesia (03:02) 7 Wilderness Now (04:33) 8 Lucifer (04:40) 9 A Pale Horse (03:14) 10 This Night in the City Forever (04:45) 1 Every Man and Woman Is a Star (03:26) 2 Embers (05:01) 3 Until the Light Takes Us (04:19) 4 Siberia (03:36) |
| Choice of Weapon : Allmusic album Review : Its been five years since the Cult released the Youth-produced Born into This. While it was plain that Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy -- with the newly hired rhythm section of bassist Chris Wyse and drummer John Tempesta -- were attempting to reach back to the hard rock attack of Electric and Sonic Temple, the impact of Duffys guitar sound was blunted by their producer. By contrast, Choice of Weapon, co-produced by Chris Goss and Bob Rock, is urgent, militant, and pissed off. Tempesta and Wyse are no longer hired guns, but the most enduring, tightest rhythm section in the Cults history. Astburys youthful wail has been replaced by a deeper, smoother delivery; hes in excellent form and an iconic rock & roll singer. Duffys guitar roars up front where it belongs. Hes as canny as ever in his ability to coax enormous yet infectious ringing riffs from his strings. (Check his rework of his vamp from "She Sells Sanctuary" on "The Wolf," and his pedal to the metal blast on the first single "For the Animals.") As usual, Astburys lyrics are filled with shamanistic imagery from Native American religion to tantric Tibetan Buddhism (the inner sleeve features photographs of a hunting knife in union with a double vajra), married to political, social, and environmental indignation; throughout his conviction rings true. Even when his lyrics are overly metaphorical, as in "Pale Horse," his delivery is fierce and cuts through the excess. "Honey from a Knife" features a gigantic, distorted chug by Duffy, Wyse, and Tempesta, pushing Astbury to the breaking point, but hes buoyed by a backing vocal chorus and James Edwards pumping piano (think the Stooges Raw Power album), and he soars. As a rhythm section, Tempesta and Wyse are buck solid; they provide the proper throb and crunch for Duffy and Astbury to climb atop. Given the pulse of this set, even when a synthetic keyboard is used to introduce "Lucifer," it merely becomes part of the aggressive (yet always accessible) attack. Choice of Weapon is the Cults finest moment in 23 years; its the true swaggering heir to the period that birthed Electric and Sonic Temple, and proof that -- contrary to even Astburys stated belief in 2009 -- the album is far from dead. [As a bonus, the Cult has included a bonus CD with four tracks from 2010s Capture EPs.] | ||
 | Album: 31 of 32 Title: Electric Peace Released: 2013-07-29 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:29:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wild Flower (03:37) 2 Peace Dog (03:34) 3 Lil Devil (02:44) 4 Aphrodisiac Jacket (04:11) 5 Electric Ocean (02:49) 6 Bad Fun (03:33) 7 King Contrary Man (03:12) 8 Love Removal Machine (04:17) 9 Born to Be Wild (03:56) 10 Outlaw (02:52) 11 Memphis Hip Shake (03:59) 1 Love Removal Machine (05:17) 2 Wild Flower (04:12) 3 Peace Dog (05:10) 4 Aphrodisiac Jacket (04:26) 5 Electric Ocean (04:14) 6 Bad Fun (06:26) 7 Conquistador (02:54) 8 Zap City (05:17) 9 Love Trooper (03:56) 10 Outlaw (05:09) 11 Groove Co. (04:14) |
 | Album: 32 of 32 Title: Hidden City Released: 2016-02-05 Tracks: 12 Duration: 52:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dark Energy (04:28) 2 No Love Lost (03:13) 3 Dance the Night (04:15) 4 In Blood (04:48) 5 Birds of Paradise (06:26) 6 Hinterland (05:06) 7 G O A T (03:18) 8 Deeply Ordered Chaos (04:32) 9 Avalanche of Light (04:31) 10 Lilies (04:16) 11 Heathens (03:39) 12 Sound & Fury (03:54) |
| Hidden City : Allmusic album Review : The Cult have been many things over the last three decades; consistent isnt one of them. Hidden City, the bands tenth studio album -- and fifth with producer Bob Rock -- is the final installment in their loose-knit "spiritual" trilogy that began with 2007s Born into This and continued on 2012s inspired Choice of Weapon. This set touches on almost every period in their history. First single "Dark Energy" is an excellent choice for an opener. Billy Duffys signature boogie-matic post-Electric riffing struts out in front of drummer John Tempestas hard-swinging snare and thumping tom-tom vamp. Ian Astburys baritone remains a tremendous thundering force, authoritatively delivering a typically messy lyric swamp of Tibetan Buddhist mysticism and Native American spirituality that warns of coming karmic consequences for exploitative and destructive behavior. Rocks wildly busy, over the top production swirls around it all. "G O A T" is even stronger. It blasts forward, buoyed by an unapologetic cock-rocking swagger that approaches "Wildflower." Duffys manic wah-wah soloing and fills compete with enormous kick drum, crash cymbals, and rim shots. Astbury is way over the top, wailing away, almost babbling. "Hinterland" combines aesthetic textures found on Sonic Temple and Ceremony. The squalling guitar atmospherics and thrumming, in-the-red bassline counter the modal melody. Astburys apocalyptic neo-hippie lyrics would be hilarious delivered by another vocalist; but he is so committed, hes almost convincing. "Deeply Ordered Chaos" looks back on Dreamtime and Love simultaneously. But oddly enough, Astbury deliberately invokes post-Scary Monsters-era David Bowie in the bridge, even aping his phrasing and vocal timbre. The well-placed synth strings underscore that notion. Bowie is also the referent in the midtempo, multi-textural smear of the even more effective "Lillies." "In Blood" harks back to Dreamtime, while the gothic glam of "Dance the Night" is a nice campy touch that points in a direction the Cult should explore further. But Hidden City contains a lot of filler. "Birds of Paradise" is only a half-baked idea that sounds like a jamming demo and goes on forever. "Avalanche of Light," with its off-key vocals, sounds like it came from the cutting-room floor of a Lou Reed session. The two closers, the rocker "Heathens" and the utterly silly ballad "Sound and Fury," should never have have been recorded. Hidden City would have made a great EP, but falls far short of the mark as an album. It closes this arbitrary trilogy on a strange and unsatisfying note. | ||