There’s a lot to be said for longevity. Although The Cult have split and reformed three times since their 1983 inception, they are the quintessential “survivors” of British rock.
It's not too surprising, therefore, that there is little sense of reinvention or revelations on Ian Astbury & co's landmark 10th album, the last in a trilogy that began with 2007's Born Into This.
These are dark, rugged rock tunes that harken back to The Cult's 1980s heyday (the bustle of Birds of Paradise and Hinterland, the slow, stalking, string-supplemented buzz of Deeply Ordered Chaos).
Atmosphere comes at the expense of innovation, but Hidden City is certainly a listenable collection, if perhaps only one for established fans who already know exactly what to expect.
