The Cult

Their first studio album in seven years, The Cult’s seventh full-length release is yet another rock-n-roll attempt at recapturing past glory.

Sure, ‘94’s The Cult did find the band working familiar classic-meets-alternative-rock territory with moderate success. But by most fan accounts they were sinking into rock oblivion with the release of ‘91’s Ceremony. And with the release of ‘96’s greatest hits compilation, High Octane Fuel, the deal seemed to be sealed.

Yet The Cult refuses to die. Now they find themselves in a new rock era, one that was born from the ashes of the ‘80s musical landscape that they helped define. The scene today is opposite their ethos. No longer are decadent guitar solos the standard. It’s all about the grinding rhythms now, and The Cult has made a move to keep up with the Joneses.

“War (The Process)" invokes a distortion-layered wall of sound more akin to today’s grindcore/minimalist guitar approach, while "The Saint" and "American Gothic" hark back to their glory days in the ‘80s. And don’t forget the sappy ballads. This CD has its share. Don’t worry though, the live show still kicks ass!