The Cult

The Cult have evolved through many sounds, from their beginnings as Southern Death Cult, one of the most important Goth bands of the early '80s. As they slowly mixed in rock 'n' roll to their fiendish sound, they progressed from their debut, Dreamtime, under the abbreviated "The Cult" moniker, to mascara'd mystic Goth rock of Love. From there, they shed more of the muslin and gauze for the glam and psychedelia of Electric and donned leather pants and babbled desert imagery for Sonic Temple's anthemic hard rock. Ian Astbury's uniquely high, hard and resonant voice is forever haunting, yet carries the power and force of early album rock heroes like Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant. Guitarist Billy Duffy's riffage pierces like a horror film stinger, echoes with gothic melancholy, and pounds with classic rock aggression.