Year in Rock 2012 Nominee: The Cult

THE CULT
Honey From A Knife

From: Choice Of Weapon

Released: May 22

When you think of embattled bands from long ago that survived everything the world threw at them, you don't immediately think of The Cult. In a way, I suppose, that could have something to do with the fact that they didn't exactly survive so much as stubbornly refuse to stop. Most who remember them would claim they'd gone on a long losing streak after 1988's Sonic Temple, with a string of disappointing albums and half-assed comeback attempts (personally, I believe their 1994 self-titled release still holds some merit). 2007's Born Into This landed with all the excitement of the 40 year old who shows up uninvited at a high school party. Five years removed, here they come again with Choice Of Weapon. But this time, it feels different; no longer trying to fit in with the style of the times, The Cult have gone back to their strengths. After two decades or so of testing genres (from the hippiefied Ceremony to the grungy self-titled effort to the nu-metal tinged Beyond Good And Evil to the gutter-rock of Born Into This), The Cult have finally, seemingly, taken to the task of following up Sonic Temple.