22-05-2012, 13:13
online listen
damn fine rock vocals
Meat Loaf/Paul Rodgers
and a tight band
= a good album
makes the list
1.8 from me and a converted 2.4 from the pros at allmusic
from the album - For The Animals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTKLJUZcUFw
released May 22nd, 2012
![[Image: s50621v8frz.jpg]](http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drs500/s506/s50621v8frz.jpg)
Bio - from allmusic
Following a succession of name and stylistic changes, the Cult emerged in 1984 as one of England's 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 1989's 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, which would become a recurring theme in his songwriting. Astbury eventually settled in Bradford,
Yorkshire, where he met a group comprised of 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 mother's 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 group's 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 Preston's 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
group's 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 group's summer single, "She
Sells Sanctuary," the band was joined by Big Country's drummer, Mark Brzezicki. "She Sells Sanctuary" became a major
U.K. hit, peaking at number 15. During the recording of the group's 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 band's 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 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 Hunt's Vent 414 before leaving
to pursue a solo project. In 2000, the band's 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 and Martyn LeNoble 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.
Album Review - from allmusic
It's 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 Duffy's 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 Cult's history. Astbury's youthful wail has been replaced by a deeper, smoother delivery; he's in
excellent form and an iconic rock & roll singer. Duffy's guitar roars up front where it belongs. He's 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 peddle to the metal blast on the first single "For the Animals.")
As usual, Astbury's 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 he's
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 Cult's finest
moment in 23 years; it's the true swaggering heir to the period that birthed Electric and Sonic Temple, and proof
that contrary to even Astbury's stated belief in 2009 that the album is far from dead. [As a bonus, the Cult has
included a bonus CD with four tracks from 2010's Capture EPs.]
Track Listing
1. Honey From a Knife
2. Elemental Light
3. The Wolf
4. Life > Death
5. For the Animals
6. Amnesia
7. Wilderness Now
8. Lucifer
9. A Pale Horse
10. This Night in the City Forever
damn fine rock vocals
Meat Loaf/Paul Rodgers
and a tight band
= a good album
makes the list
1.8 from me and a converted 2.4 from the pros at allmusic
from the album - For The Animals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTKLJUZcUFw
released May 22nd, 2012
Bio - from allmusic
Following a succession of name and stylistic changes, the Cult emerged in 1984 as one of England's 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 1989's 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, which would become a recurring theme in his songwriting. Astbury eventually settled in Bradford,
Yorkshire, where he met a group comprised of 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 mother's 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 group's 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 Preston's 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
group's 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 group's summer single, "She
Sells Sanctuary," the band was joined by Big Country's drummer, Mark Brzezicki. "She Sells Sanctuary" became a major
U.K. hit, peaking at number 15. During the recording of the group's 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 band's 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 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 Hunt's Vent 414 before leaving
to pursue a solo project. In 2000, the band's 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 and Martyn LeNoble 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.
Album Review - from allmusic
It's 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 Duffy's 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 Cult's history. Astbury's youthful wail has been replaced by a deeper, smoother delivery; he's in
excellent form and an iconic rock & roll singer. Duffy's guitar roars up front where it belongs. He's 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 peddle to the metal blast on the first single "For the Animals.")
As usual, Astbury's 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 he's
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 Cult's finest
moment in 23 years; it's the true swaggering heir to the period that birthed Electric and Sonic Temple, and proof
that contrary to even Astbury's stated belief in 2009 that the album is far from dead. [As a bonus, the Cult has
included a bonus CD with four tracks from 2010's Capture EPs.]
Track Listing
1. Honey From a Knife
2. Elemental Light
3. The Wolf
4. Life > Death
5. For the Animals
6. Amnesia
7. Wilderness Now
8. Lucifer
9. A Pale Horse
10. This Night in the City Forever
