Title: Beyond Good And Evil

Atlantic Records

By Orren Merton

Some boys never grow up. Thank God! Welcome to the zero-growth zone, Cult style. That's right, this reunion, comeback, call it what you will has all the elements you've seen before. Billy Duffy plays catchy melodic, moody, slightly effected hard rock/blues guitar lines. Ian Astbury still tries to channel Jim Morrison, bless his soul, and his rich voice sounds completely undiminished even after all the decades of hard living. Even Matt Sorum, live drummer during The Cult's Sonic Temple days returns, sounding punchier and more at ease than he ever did in Guns and Roses. The band still uses those Big Rock Choruses. Bob Rock is back at the helm, keeping the production immaculate and fresh, sometimes pinching some "nu metal" tones but nothing that ventures into Limp Triskit or Papa Wretch territory. There's a song about an Andy Warhol associated woman (Velvet Underground's Nico this time, in what is a surprisingly heartfelt song). There's even a paean to those deathrock fans who've stayed loyal called "American Gothic." It's a sort of metal version of "She Sells Sanctuary" where Ian praises an "American gothic raven boy, monster child with insect hair" for "eating the cancer cells of the dead machine." Go Ian. I kid, but it's actually a really good song. Seriously, there's nothing not to like about this album, if you've ever liked The Cult (well, since they went hard rock in the late-80s at least). This album won't save the world or teach us anything new about ourselves, but unlike Radiohead, they aren't trying to. It's just a really good rock album. Who can argue with that?