Tag: the cult (Page 1 of 2)

This is the band’s fifth studio album and the follow up to the awesome Sonic Temple. It’s also the one that no one seems to talk about, an almost forgotten record. Of course the band were basically just a duo at this point and hired hands were brought in to play bass and drums.

Opening track and the title track has huge Zeppelin influences right from Billy’s guitar sound to the Bonham style drums, but the bv’s in the chorus sound like Def Leppard. Ian Astbury’s obsession with Native American imagery and sounds is there for all to hear at the intro to Wild Hearted Son before the huge riff and groove kick in. Earth Mofo is a kick ass uptempo rocker with a great riff from Billy. White opens and the intro is classic Cult, then those huge Zeppelin vibes take over. If starts off with just Ian singing and a piano, and you forget just how good a voice he has.

Full Tilt kicks Side 2 into gear and that riff is pure Sunset Strip. Great guitar sound and groove, and I love the time change! Heart Of Soul was released as a single. I love the huge drum sound in Bangkok Rain, channeling the inner Bonham for sure. Indian is the big acoustic ballad on the album with no drums, returning to the Native American narrative. Sweet Salvation is a big power ballad in true hair band style. The album closes out with Wonderland, returning to more Cultish sounds and grooves. The riff and swing to this are awesome and it’s my favourite track.

It’s very interesting, just as other bands were dumping the polished hair rock sounds for earthier grunge tones in ’91, The Cult came out with their hair rock album. I think that’s down to Ritchie Zito’s production. I do love this album, and the vinyl sounds awesome.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This is where The Cult went into the big leagues. Everything came together perfectly for this album, great songs that were made to sound superb by a killer production from Bob Rock. I know he has his haters in the rock world, but for a band like The Cult he was tailor made for them. I also think the album cover is really cool as well, with guitarist Billy Duffy giving it the big guitar hero pose.

This was The Cult’s fourth album, released in late April ’89. Four singles were released from the record: Fire Woman, Edie (Ciao Baby), Sun King, and Sweet Soul Sister. Of which, Fire Woman does it most for me. Every song feels as though it’s a big anthem, but the biggest sounding of them all is Souls Asylum driven by that big Zeppelin style drum sound – it’s my favourite on the album.

Glad to see they are still out there making good records, but this album is their career high point and is a worthy addition to anyone’s collection.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

Long before The Cult were the big rock behemoth they are today, they were the new waves’ big new heroes. “The Cult” was a shortened name from Death Cult, and Southern Death Cult before that. Frilly shirts and haircuts were new fashions that were a big thing at the time, and The Cult were in the middle of that even though the music was different.

Go West has that big new wave sound with odd drum beats and jangly guitars. Spiritwalker upped that vibe by 10. A killer tune, great vocals, and I love the guitar sound. 83^rd Dream has a huge goth vibe to the intro, and the whole song is very post punk. Butterflies is an epic moody tune with a killer vocal from Ian Astbury. Bad Medicine Waltz closes out Side 1 with a very blues based tune. Including a slow picked guitar and pedestrian beat.

Horse Nation is a song from the Death Cult phase, and it opens up side 2. It’s the oldest track on the album. You get a glimpse into the future with this song as that big rock groove is developing. A Flower In The Desert follows with the big jangly guitar goth vibes at the front just below Astbury’s vocal. Dreamtime is up next. I love the guitar sound and groove. A very simple hook and chorus. Rider In The Snow is my favourite track on the record. Love the vocal, and when the song breaks into the hook and chorus it gets me every time. The album close out with Gimmick and the intro feels like a spaghetti western. There are also parts of this song that are very Prog. I like this album a lot and it’s cool to see how much they have changed.

8/10 from The Grooveman.