Everything from classic goth rock to new wave to atmospheric post-punk is fair game to The Cult Sounds. While the trio of musicians initially started the group after meeting at Webster University in Missouri back in 2012. Initially, it was lauched as a studio project, but years later, The Cult Sounds evolved into a full-on band.
"We tend to describe ourselves as 'dark rock' because we pull a lot of influences from all over the goth, punk, metal, and industrial spectrum, but it’s always dark and cinematic when we put it together," vocalist Bennett Huntley tells No Echo.
"Bands like AFI, The Cure, The Damned, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, Tribulation, Type O Negative, Misfits/Samhain/Danzig, David Bowie, the work of Jim Steinman, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Alkaline Trio, and John Carpenter’s film scores, are just a few of our influences we pull from.
"We never approach any single song wanting to do a specific style, it always feels very organic and freeing not having any pre-conceived notion of genre or style."
The Cult Sounds' latest release is a gloomy track called "The Seventh Seal," a precursor to their forthcoming debut album, Death of a Star:
Bennett talks a bit about the album: "Death of a Star was a concept we approached early on for what we wanted to do. Compared to our first EP, this was much more ambitious. We definitely weren’t afraid to take risks and incorporate different musical styles or genres when writing.
"2020, as a year had given us nothing but time to make everything just how we wanted, then listen to it over and over and go back and make any changes we felt the songs needed. If we were finding our identity with the first EP, then on this record we’re seeing how far we can take it.
"The title Death of a Star can be interpreted in different ways and each song explores the concepts of death in different facets and aspects in our everyday lives and in our culture."
Based in St. Louis, The Cult Sounds are part of a close-knit family of bands in the region. "We definitely feel a kinship and are lucky to be friends with bands like Abraxas, The Kentucky Vampires, Bellhead, Gary Robert and Community, and A Cloud of Ravens. Bands that are doing something different with post-punk or gothic music and not just doing the reverby synthy Joy Division and Sisters of Mercy thing."
Death of a Star will be out in May.
The Cult Sounds on social media: Instagram | Bandcamp
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