The Cult Perform an Earth Ceremony in the Desert with Their Video for “Vendetta X”

By any means that we find
Rip your flesh, steal your mind
We’re gonna take it back

The Cult’s indomitable presence is set to reign supreme on stages across Europe this year as they embark on a summer tour supporting their eleventh studio album, Under The Midnight Sun. Heralding their travels, the band has unleashed their latest visual wonder for “Vendetta X” – the third single off the album. This mesmerizing cinematic vision is helmed by none other than Juan Azulay, a visionary director known for his work with the ethereal Sigur Rós.

Immersing viewers in a raw, pagan-tinged world, the video captures a captivating dance ritual set against an awe-inspiring desert vista. Intricate costumes and enigmatic symbols punctuate the mysterious Earth ceremony, drawing the audience deeper into its trance. Ian Astbury’s commanding vocals reverberate through the soul as he croons a powerful anthem about reclaiming what has been stolen – be it land, language, power, or culture.

This potent theme courses through the veins of the entire album, with Astbury striving to evoke primal and transcendent emotions in listeners – mirroring the profound experiences he underwent during the record’s creation. The tracks on Under the Midnight Sun find their muse in the Finnish festival Provinssirock, a multi-day event where the sun defiantly refuses to set during the summer months. The enigmatic mindset that emerged from The Cult’s time there in 1986 has been distilled into a collection of eight tracks, conjured by frontman Ian Astbury as he nostalgically reflected on the band’s past during the pandemic.

Astbury posits, “At the core of it all, music contains the vibrational frequency of how we once communicated before we could even speak. Bird songs, animal calls, string theory, quantum physics, psychedelics… The record ultimately becomes about discovering and celebrating anew the beauty from those strangely natural moments that surround and inspire us.”

Watch the video for “Vendetta X” below:

Helmed by producer Tom Dalgety (Pixies, Ghost, Royal Blood) and marking their debut on Black Hill Records, Under the Midnight Sun showcases the undeniable esoteric prowess of co-founders Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy.

Duffy’s ethereal riffs and luminous solos intertwine seamlessly with Astbury’s raw vulnerability, creating a potent sonic potion. Astbury’s enigmatic and mystical lyrical approach elevates the album’s arcane alchemy, making it a testament to The Cult’s unwavering artistic evolution and enchanting power.

The Cult are set to connect with European fans through their forthcoming summer tour, with headlining performances and major festival appearances, beginning in Brussels, Belgium, on June 14 and culminating in Scarborough, UK.

Order Under The Midnight Sun here.

The Cult European tour dates:

• June 14 – Ancienne Belgique – Brussels, BE
• June 15 – LKA Longhorn – Stuttgart, DE
• June 21 – La Riviera – Madrid, ES
• June 22 – Razzmatazz – Barceona, ES
• June 23 – BBK Bilbao Music Legends Festival – Bilbao, ES
• June 25 – Les Docks – Lausanne, Switzerland
• June 27 – Budapest Park – Budapest, HU
• June 29 – Arsenal Fest – Kragujevac, RS
• June 30 – SRC Salaata – Zagreb, HR
• July 01 – Pordenone Blues Festival – Pordenone, IT
• July 04 – Cardiff Castle – Cardiff, UK
• July 05 – Halifax Piece Hall – Halifax, UK
• July 06 – Scarborough Open Air Theatre – Scarborough, UK

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