RATINGS: A = must own B = buy it C= average D = yawn F = puke
The Cult – Choice of Weapon
Cooking Vinyl
www.cookingvinyl.com
Rating: B+
A few years back Cult vocalist Ian Astbury said making albums was ‘a dead format’ and that the band would never make another one. Well, on May 22nd, The Cult will release their ninth album titled Choice of Weapon. Not sure what changed Astbury’s mind, but thank goodness something did as this album, for lack of a better word, rocks!
No one will confuse this with “She Sells Sanctuary” or “Love Removal Machine” as instead of poppy, hard metal, the band pump out a steady stream of hard rock that is emotionally charged. Oddly enough, both positive and negative emotions intertwine, often within the same song. This dichotomy of emotions draws the listener in, as his or her brain has to process the mixed emotions, often in rapid succession. The result culminates in a powerful and emotive recording.
The disc starts off with the electric “Honey from a Knife.” This is a fantastic song by The Cult that features incredible performances by Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy. “The Wolf” contains the classic Duffy riffage and the low register vocals of Ian Astbury, sounding a tad like U2, if they had balls!
The album turns dark with the song “Life Death.” The gloomy, spooky and shadowy tune slowly grows bigger and bigger, yet it stays sublime. Astbury’s lyrics on this epic tune are the best on the album. “Amnesia” is another classic sounding Cult tune and could be a good choice for a single as it comes closest to evoking the ‘good old days’ as any song on the new album.
The best song on the album is the dynamic “Lucifer.” Astbury sings his tail off on this one as Duffy delivers big on the guitar. On this tune, the backing band of Chris Wyse and John Tempesta add to the driving force of the tune.
The bottom line is that The Cult are alive and well and paying attention to the world around them and, as any true artist will do, reporting what they see to the rest of us. From their wide worldview to today’s confusing interpersonal relationships, The Cult have their finger on the pulse. They have returned with a great album that will have their hardcore fans wetting their pants with excitement. Yep, this one is that good…well, maybe not literally pants wetting good... but you get the idea.
Go to Amazon.com and pre-order this one today. What are you waiting for? Click the link. Go…now…
By Jeb Wright
