antiMusic.com: The Cult - Choice of Weapon Review

The Cult - Choice of Weapon
by Kevin Wierzbicki

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The Cult is not the kind of band that's going to give their fans anything to worry about. They're not going to drastically change their sound or bring in someone like Skrillex to do some tinkering. No, they're going to stick with the tried-and-true riffing that garnered so much radio play with songs like "Fire Woman," "Wildflower" and "Love Removal Machine." So does Choice of Weapon rock, or what? Yes and no. The album doesn't contain any song as strong as any of the above-referenced hits but lead-off track "Honey from a Knife" comes very close. Instantly recognizable as the Cult thanks to Ian Astbury's honeyed rasp, the song, a "let's do drugs/let's not do drugs" conflict actually has two separate chorus hooks not to mention a thundering rhythm and biting guitar solos from Billy Duffy. "The Wolf" is also modeled after the classic Cult sound but a few mid-album songs falter a bit, especially the well-intentioned but less-than-thrilling "For the Animals." But never fear, Cult fans, the album ends on a very strong note with the screeching rocker "Lucifer," the Cult/John Lee Hooker blues rocking mash-up "A Pale Horse" and the Jim Morrison-influenced "This Night in the City Forever." There's enough good stuff here to make Choice of Weapon a keeper.

The Cult - Choice of Weapon
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