The Cult Complete a Trilogy With Their 10th Studio Album ‘Hidden City’

Matt Matasci

The Cult has always been an enigmatic group, difficult to label as a specific genre of rock music. The West Yorkshire band was heavily influenced by vocalist Ian Astbury’s first band, Southern Death Cult, even appropriating a portion of the group’s name. Over the course of several decades, The Cult has evolved from punk to post-punk and goth eventually becoming a major presence on mainstream hard rock radio with singles like “Love Removal Machine” and “Fire Woman.” After breaking up, reuniting, breaking up again and reforming in 2005, the band is on the brink of releasing their 10th studio album “Hidden City” on Feb. 5.

“Hidden City” is the final installment of a trilogy that began with 2007’s “Born Into This” and continued five years later with “Choice of Weapon.” Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy brought back producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe) who manned the soundboard for their classic hard rock album “Sonic Temple” from 1989 as well as several subsequent albums including 2012’s “Choice of Weapon.” Sonically, the result of this partnership is a professional-sounding batch of songs that never crosses into the dreaded territory of over-production. Songs like the first single “Dark Energy” and “Dance the Night” have enough of an edge for the band’s hard rock audience while the powerful guitar tones and Astbury’s strong vocal hooks bring pop appeal. “Hinterland” is the second single to be released from “Hidden City” and it ranks among the best in The Cult’s entire discography. The song is propelled by a throbbing bass line and Eastern-influenced guitar riff building an eerie ambiance that is shredded by the driving, distorted guitars in the chorus.

In general, Astbury and Duffy stick to a songwriting blueprint, although there are a few exceptions to the rule. “In Blood” and album-closer “Sound & Fury” are haunting, piano-led numbers with moments that recall Nick Cave or Tom Waits’ gruff vocal styles. Conversely, “Avalanche of Light” is the fastest song on “Hidden City,” increasing the beats per minute to the point that it treads close to punk rock territory.

The pairing of Astbury’s unmistakable vocals and Duffy’s versatility as a guitar player is one of the reasons “Hidden City” is such a success. Duffy offers moody passages when the songs call for a haunting feel, expertly creating the mysticism The Cult has become famous for. And like in the past, his solos and riffs are as timely, providing plenty for the guitar-tech segment of the band’s fan base to get excited over. As the counterbalance to the band’s sound, Astbury has lost nothing as a vocalist over the years. His voice is as rich and passionate as it has ever been, injecting emotion into every line. “Hidden City” is another strong outing from a band that has exhibited an incredible amount of longevity and adaptability without ever compromising their sound.

“Hidden City” is available on Apple Music Feb. 5. The Cult debuts the album and tour in Los Angeles with two sold-out appearances, one on Feb. 4 at The GRAMMY Museum and the other Feb. 5 at Tower Theatre. A limited quantity of tickets for the Feb. 4 concert can be found here, and for Feb. 5 a select few can be found here.