Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Born into This
2. Citizens
3. Diamonds
4. Dirty Little Rockstar
5. Holy Mountain
6. I Assassin
7. Illuminated
8. Tiger in the Sun
9. Savages
10. Sound of Destruction

Disc 2:

1. Stand Alone [*]
2. War Pony Destroyer [*]
3. I Assassin [*][Demo Version]
4. Sound of Destruction [*][Demo Version]
5. Savages [Full Length Version][*]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41798 in Music
• Released on: 2007-10-02
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Special Edition
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Album Description
Legendary alternative rock band The Cult return with all guns blazing on their eighth studio album, Born Into This, their first in six years. Reminiscent of earlier works Love and Electric, the album sees the band returning to their rock roots while embracing several modern sonic elements in many of the songs. With Born Into This, The Cult have created an album that not only speaks to their rabid fans, but seeks to put them squarely back on the map as one of greatest straight up rock & roll bands in the world. Quintessential Cult songs like Dirty Little Rockstar and I Assassin and their enormous hooks will allow them to do just that.

Customer Reviews

I desperately wanted to love this album... But...
DISCLAIMER: I am a huge Cult fan, so you can take this review with a grain of salt.

Virtually everytime the Cult has come out with a new album, even as a fan, the first 3 or 4 times I listen, my head is full of question marks as to whether I like the album or not... "Born Into This" is no exception. The first time thru, I felt my skin crawling during the opening line of "Holy Mountain" where Ian starts off sounding like a washed up Elvis. Yet once I got past that, I found myself sort of getting into it. Nonsensical lyrics are nothing new with the Cult - its part of what makes them so endearing.

On to the album;

Two albums in a row now, the Cult has left off a demo from the album and either a) put it on the import version (like 'Libertine' from BG&E - available on the Australian import) and b) "Stand Alone" - from Born Into This. In both cases (just my opinion) these two songs are not only the most Cult like but the best songs from each period.

Interestingly, the special edition of this album is selling much better than the standard version. That said, the majority are getting - my opinion - the best song on the album.

I find myself asking about the production as it sounds like it was recorded in a garage, perhaps that was on purpose after the bands own admission that BG&E was way over produced. The raw sound brings us back to Love and Dreamtime.

1. Born into this - Good riff - Missing the classic main verse that makes a Cult Song a Cult Song - 2 Stars

2. Citizens - Don't like it, missing too much of the main verse and Ian sounds tired - 1 star

3. Diamonds - Just average - like the beginning, but I find myself thinking about other things before the songs over - 1 Star

4. Dirt(y little rockstar) - This is where the album turns the corner - that said, I didn't get into this one until about the 10th listen, now it just soars to me - 4 Stars

5. Holy Mountain - I want to like it, but if you have Spirit/Light/Speed (Ian's dud 2000 solo album) - this sounds way too much like "Wild Like a Horse" - I swear its the same song with different lyrics - not bad, but Ian sounds better slow when he's rocking out to "Ciao Baby." This one belongs in the lounge - 2 Stars

6. I Assassin - Love the riff! I get more into this one with each listen - 3.5 Stars

7. Illuminated - I hear a little "Hollow Man" in this one - 3 Stars

8. Tiger In The Sun - One of the two gems on the album - reminds me of Creeds "Higher" in that its not a fast paced song, but Ian delivers a great main verse with a lot of passion. 4 Stars

9. Savages - a Rocker - reminds me of "Shake The Sky" (one of the more underated songs from BG&E - along with "American Gothic") - Billy sort of goes off the deep end with this one - 3 Stars

10. Sound of Destruction - Solid, solid - like the guitar work, the non sensical lyrics - catchy. 3.5 Stars

11. Stand Alone - The lone GEM on the album that you can really hang your Cult hat on. 5 stars

12. War Pony Destroyer - bad title, bad lyrics, good guitar, only Ian could make a main verse out of the words "War Pony Destroyer..." - 2.5 Stars

13. I Assassin (DEMO) - Can't tell which is better, the album version or the demo - like 'em both about the same, love the rawness of the demo. 3.5 Stars

14. Sound of Destruction (demo) - Cleaner sounding than the album version - 3.5 Stars

15. Savages (Extended) - Don't know that we need an extended version of this song... But even as I write this, I'm hearing it for about the fifth time, and frankly, it gets considerably better with successive re-plays... 4 Stars

All and all, I'm thrilled they're back, wish there were more Sanctuaries or Rains mixed in, but this is the Cult afterall, every album is a bit of a departure from the previous, with the only real distinguishing characteristic being Ian's voice. Like the new sound, and as I've mentioned, with each successive listen, I'm finding more to like about the album... See you in Tampa on October 30th...

DOA
Like many of the other reviewers, I am a huge Cult fan. For years, I wished for a new Cult album until 2001, when "Beyond Good and Evil" was released. I bought the album, but feared the worst - these "comeback" album usually suck and break the hearts of hardcore fans. I was amazed at how good that album was! There was no question - The Cult still had the juice.

It's amazing how much can change in six years. "Born Into This" is the stereotypical lame flop I've been fearing. Asbury sounds shaky and weak... he just sounds "old". Duffy needs to find where "11" is on his amp again. And the production just leaves the whole album flat; it sounds like a high school AV club project. I had to force myself to listen all the way through the disc, hoping that it would improve. I then forced myself to listen to it again, hoping that it would grow on me.

Neither worked, and this disc is ending up on the heap of examples of why music "sharing" is so popular. We are sick of paying good money for turds like this. I think my "Cult fan" status has now officially become "classic Cult fan".

The CULT are back!
This is a 2 CD set and while first CD is the same as the "Born into This" standard edition the second disc contains an extended version of the "Savages" song which is a great tune. Two demo versions of songs on the first disc which are interesting to listen to since they have a totally different sound. There are also two new songs not on the first disc. One of them being possibly the best song on the whole set (War Pony Destroyer).

I have noticed some people have panned this CD but I totally disagree. This is a very solid set of songs with high production standards but with a raw feel to them. It is very much a Cult CD with the Indian and mystical connotations, roaring guitars, and Ian Astbury's one-of-a-kind vocals. My faves on the set are the rockers: "Savages", "Sound of Destruction", "War Pony Destroyer", and "Dirty Little Rockstar". There is also a very good slow song "Holy Mountain" that really showcases Ian's vocals.