The Cult

[Falcon]

Early word support for the North American leg of the  "Choice Of Weapon" tour will be Against Me and The Icarus Line.

Dates still being finalized....

[BurningHills]

Sound clips from all tracks on "Choice of Weapon" can be heard here:

http://www.amazon.com/Choice-of-Weapon/dp/B007O4VOQE/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1333140841&sr=1-3

This album is going to be a MONSTER.

Holy Crap.

[metallex78]

Sound clips from all tracks on "Choice of Weapon" can be heard here:

http://www.amazon.com/Choice-of-Weapon/dp/B007O4VOQE/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1333140841&sr=1-3

This album is going to be a MONSTER.

Holy Crap.

It does sound pretty promising. Sounds more solid than their last album

[Falcon]

A Duffy interview from Grammy.com at SXSW, BD's one cool cat.

Click on the vid link to the left of the page.

http://www.grammy.com/news/grammys-on-the-road-at-sxsw-with-the-cult-and-lights#ooid=NvZDljNDoBM1Qs3LnejIKfYY-39oOMBC

[Falcon]

A cryptic teaser regarding a special announcement this Wednesday:

"There is something on the horizon.....that we will be announcing on Wednesday, April 4th. STAY AWAKE!"

[BurningHills]

A cryptic teaser regarding a special announcement this Wednesday:

"There is something on the horizon.....that we will be announcing on Wednesday, April 4th. STAY AWAKE!"

US tour dates, I'd assume?

[FunkyMonkey]

THE CULT: Audio Samples Of Entire 'Choice Of Weapon' Album - Apr. 3, 2012

Audio samples of all 14 songs that are set to appear on THE CULT's new album, "Choice Of Weapon", are available for streaming at Amazon.com. The band's first full-length studio release in five years will be made available on May 22 via THE CULT's new label Cooking Vinyl.

http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=172151

[Falcon]

A couple of dates have surfaced as prelude to tomorrow's announcement:

The Cult with guests Against Me! & The Icarus Line

May 25, 2012 - San Diego, California, Humphreys Concerts By The Bay

Jun 8, 2012 - New York, New York, Terminal 5

 

[Falcon]

Another date:

Jun 9, 2012 - Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom

[Falcon]

Ian Astbury Talks First Album From The Cult in Five Years

The Cult?s Ian Astbury speaks with a lulling calm. This tranquility pervades all topics of conversation ranging from his band?s evolution, growth and forthcoming album, Choice of Weapon, to his passionate, yet dystopian views on the future of America and the world.
 
The British band, which burst out of the post-punk scene in 1984, has gone through numerous formations. Now on their ninth studio album, co-founders Astbury and Billy Duffy have teamed with John Tempesta and Chris Wyse and taken a mature musical and lyrical step. Each of the 10 tracks take listeners on a journey through pain and dysfunction but ultimately end in a place of release and acceptance.
 
When asked about the themes of Choice of Weapon, Astbury began by referencing one famous member of the Duwamish Native American tribe.
 
?Chief Seattle talked about the end of living and the beginning of survival and spoke about that in a way that?s prophesizing the 20th century and the future of mankind,? Astbury said. "We would stop living, really living, and we?d start surviving and being so dependent on an artifice to our spiritual and sexual needs. Became so dependent on a construct that we?re getting further and further away from our true nature and our true energies and look where it?s got us. We live in a time of heightened neurosis. We live in a time of heightened anxieties. And it?s fascinating to see that. Living in cities like Los Angeles, living in New York, living in London, intense metropolises. You experience everyday people unraveling in one way, shape or form.?
 
Astbury continued, explaining that he went through one of those unraveling times. Choice of Weapon, he stated, is about emerging from that head space.
 
?This record is about going through a dark self-destructive period of my life, where I definitely lost my way. I lost the vision of where I was going and I had no idea where I was anymore,? he said. ?It?s about coming out of that and the redemptive qualities. ?That?s why some of the song titles are like ?Life > Death,? ?The Night In The City Forever,? or ?Wilderness Now? or ?For The Animals.? They?re guttural, visceral, primal themes.?
 
Also included within those heavy themes lies an urgency to address a number of social and environmental issues; In conversation, Astbury referenced the benefits of a matriarchal society, the values of family and aging gracefully and his opinions on over-hyping celebrity. And while such ideas may scare off some listeners, Astbury believes that true fans will understand and recognizes that they provide the band a unique platform in the music industry.
 
?We definitely know that we?re outsiders in a way and we?d kind of like to smash our way back into the room,? he said.
 
?I?d like to have a shot because I think we have something to share. I think we?re bringing some heat, some knowledge. We?re watching people abuse their positions as cultural ambassadors or cultural icons and it?s like, enough of that shit. I think it?s time to shake it up a little bit.?
 
Astbury concluded, ?I think we made a really strong album and I think we made a piece of art that we really believe in.?
 
The Cult?s Choice of Weapon is set for a May 22 release on Cooking Vinyl.

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/04/the-cult-set-to-release-first-album-in-five-years.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[Falcon]

NA Dates confirmed:

May 25/2012 - San Diego, California, Humphreys Concerts By The Bay
 May 26/2012 - Las Vegas, Nevada, M Resort
 May 27/2012 - San Francisco, California, The Fillmore
 May 30/2012 - Denver, Colorado, Ogden Theater
Jun 1/2012 - Chicago, Illinois, Congress Theater
 Jun 2/2012 - Windsor, Ontario, Windsor Riverfront Amphitheatre (Beaverfest)
 Jun 3/2012 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Stage AE
 Jun 5/2012 - Boston, Massachusetts, House Of Blues
 Jun 7/2012 - Buffalo, New York, Erie Canal Harbor Central Wharf
 Jun 8/2012 - New York, New York, Terminal 5
 Jun 9/2012 - Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
 Jun 10/2012 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Electric Factory
 Jun 12/2012 - Silver Springs, Maryland, The Fillmore Silver Springs
 Jun 13/2012 - Norfolk, Virginia, The Norva
 Jun 15/2012 - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, House Of Blues
 Jun 16/2012 - Orlando, Florida, House Of Blues
 Jun 17/2012 - Atlanta, Georgia, The Tabernacle
 Jun 19/2012 - Houston, Texas, House Of Blues
 Jun 20/2012 - Dallas, Texas, House Of Blues
 Jun 22/2012 - Tempe, Arizona, Marquee Theater

[BurningHills]

I'll be at the Philly show come hell or high water!

[Falcon]

A quick blurb from Ian on the upcomig tour:

"This is going to be a very intense, high-energy tour," said The Cult's vocalist, Ian Astbury. "We are really looking forward to the time we spend on stage connected to our music and our audience. That's our purpose."
 

[Falcon]

Official Tour Poster

[Falcon]

Premier Guitar review of "Choice Of Weapon"

Album Review: The Cult - "Choice of Weapon"

Rich Osweiler

Choice of Weapon will likely have Cult devotees?and newbies alike?in disbelief that it?s been almost 30 years since the band broke onto the scene.
The early ?80s frequently get a bad rap?most times for good reason. During the window of time following punk and preceding grunge, synth-heavy new wave music reigned king. Thankfully, the era didn?t keep quality and soulful hard rock start-ups from making an entry, and some seriously influential and important music did come from the days of excessive mousse and neon. Sitting at or near the very top of that list is The Cult, not only one of the most powerful, straightahead, intense rock bands to emanate from the time, but a band that has endured and evolved for decades with their totally unique brand of hypnotic, riff-based rock.
 
The Cult continues to bring it with their first studio record in five years: Choice of Weapon. Written by the principal and founding members Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury, the album was recorded between July and December 2011 in a handful of locales before the finishing touches were applied by long-time Cult collaborator/producer Bob Rock. Backed by drummer John Tempesta and bassist Chris Wyse, the hallmark guitar work of Duffy and haunting colors of Astbury?s shamanic voice on Choice of Weapon will likely have Cult devotees?and newbies alike?in disbelief that it?s been almost 30 years since the band broke onto the scene.
 
Both the very first track ?Honey from a Knife? and the album?s first single ?For the Animals? had me ready to jump into my car and drive really fast, reminiscent of the feeling I got from forceful tunes like ?King Contrary Man? or ?Outlaw? from Electric, a record many contend is one of the important rock albums of the past 25 years. The record?s third track, ?The Wolf,? has a vague resemblance to Love?s ?She Sells Sanctuary,? but Choice of Weapon is not Electric, nor is it Love or Sonic Temple. It?s an effort that seems to draw on the group?s entire career while still bringing a freshness to their vast but core landscape of modern, driving, psychedelic rock.
 
Both ?Lucifer? and ?Until the Light Takes Us? deliver the trance inducing, shoegaze fire the Cult has always been so capable of serving up. ?Lucifer? in particular possesses a vibe similar?but much heavier?to the heyday of the Manchester acid house scene, and brought me back to ?Phoenix,? a dark, driving Love tune and one of my personal favorite Cult offerings.
 
Let me emphasize again that Choice of Weapon is not a rehash from a band with their best days far behind them. After watching them tear it up live on their last couple of tours, I?d say they?ve got quite a few ahead. Astbury and Duffy truly sound as intense and inspired as ever. ?We have great fans and they deserve our best,? says Duffy, ?and I feel this is one of our best records ? maybe the best.? While I?ll need a few more listens before possibly reaching that agreement, it?s not that far-fetched.
http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2012/May/Album_Review_The_Cult_Choice_of_Weapon.aspx

[BurningHills]

Premier Guitar review of "Choice Of Weapon"

Album Review: The Cult - "Choice of Weapon"

Rich Osweiler

Choice of Weapon will likely have Cult devotees?and newbies alike?in disbelief that it?s been almost 30 years since the band broke onto the scene.
The early ?80s frequently get a bad rap?most times for good reason. During the window of time following punk and preceding grunge, synth-heavy new wave music reigned king. Thankfully, the era didn?t keep quality and soulful hard rock start-ups from making an entry, and some seriously influential and important music did come from the days of excessive mousse and neon. Sitting at or near the very top of that list is The Cult, not only one of the most powerful, straightahead, intense rock bands to emanate from the time, but a band that has endured and evolved for decades with their totally unique brand of hypnotic, riff-based rock.
 
The Cult continues to bring it with their first studio record in five years: Choice of Weapon. Written by the principal and founding members Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury, the album was recorded between July and December 2011 in a handful of locales before the finishing touches were applied by long-time Cult collaborator/producer Bob Rock. Backed by drummer John Tempesta and bassist Chris Wyse, the hallmark guitar work of Duffy and haunting colors of Astbury?s shamanic voice on Choice of Weapon will likely have Cult devotees?and newbies alike?in disbelief that it?s been almost 30 years since the band broke onto the scene.
 
Both the very first track ?Honey from a Knife? and the album?s first single ?For the Animals? had me ready to jump into my car and drive really fast, reminiscent of the feeling I got from forceful tunes like ?King Contrary Man? or ?Outlaw? from Electric, a record many contend is one of the important rock albums of the past 25 years. The record?s third track, ?The Wolf,? has a vague resemblance to Love?s ?She Sells Sanctuary,? but Choice of Weapon is not Electric, nor is it Love or Sonic Temple. It?s an effort that seems to draw on the group?s entire career while still bringing a freshness to their vast but core landscape of modern, driving, psychedelic rock.
 
Both ?Lucifer? and ?Until the Light Takes Us? deliver the trance inducing, shoegaze fire the Cult has always been so capable of serving up. ?Lucifer? in particular possesses a vibe similar?but much heavier?to the heyday of the Manchester acid house scene, and brought me back to ?Phoenix,? a dark, driving Love tune and one of my personal favorite Cult offerings.
 
Let me emphasize again that Choice of Weapon is not a rehash from a band with their best days far behind them. After watching them tear it up live on their last couple of tours, I?d say they?ve got quite a few ahead. Astbury and Duffy truly sound as intense and inspired as ever. ?We have great fans and they deserve our best,? says Duffy, ?and I feel this is one of our best records ? maybe the best.? While I?ll need a few more listens before possibly reaching that agreement, it?s not that far-fetched.
http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2012/May/Album_Review_The_Cult_Choice_of_Weapon.aspx

...Is it May 22nd yet?

[Ali]

NA Dates confirmed:

May 25/2012 - San Diego, California, Humphreys Concerts By The Bay
 May 26/2012 - Las Vegas, Nevada, M Resort
 May 27/2012 - San Francisco, California, The Fillmore
 May 30/2012 - Denver, Colorado, Ogden Theater
Jun 1/2012 - Chicago, Illinois, Congress Theater
 Jun 2/2012 - Windsor, Ontario, Windsor Riverfront Amphitheatre (Beaverfest)
 Jun 3/2012 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Stage AE
 Jun 5/2012 - Boston, Massachusetts, House Of Blues
 Jun 7/2012 - Buffalo, New York, Erie Canal Harbor Central Wharf
 Jun 8/2012 - New York, New York, Terminal 5
 Jun 9/2012 - Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
 Jun 10/2012 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Electric Factory
 Jun 12/2012 - Silver Springs, Maryland, The Fillmore Silver Springs
 Jun 13/2012 - Norfolk, Virginia, The Norva
 Jun 15/2012 - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, House Of Blues
 Jun 16/2012 - Orlando, Florida, House Of Blues
 Jun 17/2012 - Atlanta, Georgia, The Tabernacle
 Jun 19/2012 - Houston, Texas, House Of Blues
 Jun 20/2012 - Dallas, Texas, House Of Blues
 Jun 22/2012 - Tempe, Arizona, Marquee Theater

I would like to go to this show.  I saw the Icarus Line years ago open for APC.  I have no desire to see them again 

Ali

[Falcon]

I would like to go to this show.  I saw the Icarus Line years ago open for APC.  I have no desire to see them again 

Ali

I've never seen The Icarus Line before, was familiar with them when Aaron North was in the band but lost track when he took the NIN gig.

I was hoping they go with someone like The Eagles of Death Metal or Boots Electric but this bill will due just fine.

[Falcon]

Longer samples of all songs from "Choice Of Weapon" are now up on ITunes.

Search "The Cult" and click on the "Choice of Weapon" album cover.

[BurningHills]

Longer samples of all songs from "Choice Of Weapon" are now up on ITunes.

Search "The Cult" and click on the "Choice of Weapon" album cover.

Can't wait to check them out!