The Cult - Ceremony (1991)

Following the epic stylings of Electric & Sonic Temple, it could've been expected that The Cult would have just repeated the formula & put forward another straight rocker, it might have been great, but you can't rewrite the same riffs over & over. What they did instead, was fully fall into their Native American leanings & show us just how well real Rock can be combined with just about anything. 10 minutes into the album & one can basically smell the great plains & feel the stampedes of braves & bison rumbling through your body. From the opener Ceremony & the pow-wow music intro on Wild Hearted Son to the Native spirituality in Indian, you feel as though you are there, in the tee-pees, smoking the peace pipe, one with America's original people. The images & emotions are matched only by Ian & Billy. The double feature of Wild Hearted Son & Earth Mofo showcase (within 10 minutes) almost all their is to love about The Cult; Billy's riffs, pacing, groove & solos on his snow white Les Paul; & the Ian, with his raw feeling, throaty power & soaring runs. After that aforementioned Indian, melts your heart to the plight of the original Americans. Not The Cult's best, instead standing alongside Electric & Sonic Temple as a triple crown on The Cult's heads.

Best Tracks: Wild Hearted Son, Earth Mofo & Indian

The Cult - Electric (1987) [repost]

Repost of my inaugural review, fitting for the 1 week countdown to Choice of Weapon

I thought I should start with one I know, I know this one back to front. This album, The Cult's 3rd, is arguably their best, although it was at the time controversial as it was a complete departure from their 2 previous releases. Electric is what it says on the label, Electric, pure Electric. It gallops along at full speed dropping a couple of timeless songs along way. In the lower parts it is 7 out of 10 level hard rock that is fun & catchy, but at for more than half of the album the songs are unforgettable jams that show off the unmistakable Cult nuances; Ian Astbury's bluesy rasp & unreplicatable snarls; Billy Duffy's strong Gibson Les Paul tones & slightly punk influenced riffs; all tied together with pure (not to little, but definitely not too much) production, solid songwriting & (too steal from Wikipedia) "pseudo-mysticism" permeating their lyrics. Overall an essential for any Metalhead willing to try out something less harsh, Rock fans who are not afraid of rocking Hard & the occasional Punk who doesn't mind if the singer is absolutely pissed off ... or just pissed.

Best Tracks: Wild Flower, Electric Ocean, Bad Fun, Love Removal Machine, Outlaw & Memphis Hip Shake

The Cult - Beyond Good And Evil (2001)

With exactly a week to go 'till The Cult give us Choice of Weapon, I am preparing for the imminent arrival by acquainting myself with their often overlooked 2001 comeback album Beyond Good And Evil. More than six years after the ill-received self-title effort a.k.a "The Black Sheep Album", Billy Duffy & Ian Astbury reunited with some former & some new collaborates to produce one of The Cult's most distinctive albums. After Electric, The Cult built a career as a duo of volatile Bluesy Hard Rockers with hankerings toward Native American themes, paired with a revolving door line-up of bass players & drummers. Beyond Good And Evil however is darker & heavier than the The Cult's trinity of Electric, Sonic Temple & Ceremony. Replacing bite with bludgeon, & straying from the "He-Dog Sound" to bring forward darker songs that conjure a more Gothic & gritty atmosphere. The mesmerisingly murky American Gothic, misty Ashes And Ghosts & the charged Rise are magical moments of unique & hazy beauty lacquered in black with slight lashings of self-destruction, love, hate & torment. Alt. rock tinged cuts Speed of Light & Libertine further showcase Beyond Good And Evil's experimental & vital spirit, the album is far from the usual Cult style, Beyond Good & Evil is a standout in their discography & therefore is essential for any fan of The Cult.

Best Tracks: War (The Process), The Saint, American Gothic, Ashes And Ghosts, Speed Of Light & Libertine

Paradise Lost - Tragic Idol (2012)

Out for almost 3 weeks & still top of my listening charts, Paradise Lost's newest offering is a compelling testament of bleakness & hope rapped in strong but beautiful melody. Currently in the 24th year, the gloomy Yorkshireman have a reputation of pounding out solid albums (aside from their Synthpop phase), & this album, their 13th is no exception. I would even go far enough to say that it stands shoulder-to-shoulder to their classic albums, Icon & Draconian Times, maybe not as ground-breaking, but beautifully woven together with not a riff or lyric out of place. Slight hints of Alt. Rock & Dark Pop filter through, but Tragic Idol is squarely & staunchly Metal, gloomy Metal. Despite not being Goth, the album & the band in general could be described as Gothic, in the older sense of the word. Defined melodic leads & grinding riffs permeate standouts Fear Of Impending Hell & the title track. Other notable additions are pianos present of Solitary One & a magnificently soaring chorus on To The Darkness. A must have for anyone who has a romantic fascination with gray skies, dark lonely nights & darkly tormenting nightmares. & overall a hallmark for a band who at their age can still pummel, long after many of their contemporariness have fizzled out, or become self-parodying self-tribute acts.

Best Tracks: Solitary One, Fear Of Impending Hell, To The Darkness & Tragic Idol