Beyond Good and Evil (album) explained

Beyond Good and Evil
Type:	studio
Artist:	The Cult
Cover:	Beyondgoodandevil.jpg
Released:	5 June 2001
Recorded:	2000
Length:	51:03
Label:	Atlantic, Lava
Producer:	Bob Rock
Prev Title:	The Best of Rare Cult
Prev Year:	2000
Next Title:	Born into This
Next Year:	2007

Beyond Good and Evil is the seventh studio album by English rock band The Cult. Released in 2001, it marked their first new recording in six and a half years. The record debuted at No. 37 on the charts in the United States, No. 22 in Canada, No. 25 in Spain.

Only one single, "Rise", was officially released and had a music video. The songs "Breathe" and "True Believers" were released as promotional singles but not as official singles.

This album marked the return of Matt Sorum as The Cult's drummer. Although Sorum had previously toured with the band on the Sonic Temple tour in 1989 and 1990, this was the first time that he had recorded a studio album with the band. It is the only Cult album to feature Sorum.

Background and writing

The title of the record is a reference to Friedrich Nietzsche's 1886 book of the same title, and it briefly had the mock working title of Bring Me the Head of Dave Grohl, referencing the frontman of Foo Fighters, and also the former drummer of Nirvana.^[1] In 2006, singer Ian Astbury claimed via the band's website that his preferred choice for the record's title was Demon Process.December 2023.

"My Bridges Burn" was originally titled "Save Me"; "Breathe" originally had the slightly longer title "Breathe (You Bastard)" along with an overdub of keyboards after the guitar solo which was later removed; and "Speed of Light" went through several different titles: originally titled "Black California", then "Who Plays the Devil" before the band decided on its final title.

There are several CD acetates of early recordings of the songs later featured on Beyond Good and Evil. A CD-R of demo versions of the songs leaked out, unofficially referred to as Unmixed, Unmastered, Unsequenced, and a bootleg CD-R of later, but still unfinished versions of the songs are also in circulation.

Track listing

All songs written by Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy, except where noted.

1. "War (The Process)" - 4:12
2. "The Saint" - 3:36
3. "Rise" - 3:39
4. "Take the Power" - 3:55
5. "Breathe" (Astbury, Duffy, Mick Jones, Marti Frederiksen) - 4:59
6. "Nico" - 4:49
7. "American Gothic" - 3:56
8. "Ashes and Ghosts" (Astbury, Duffy, Bob Rock) - 5:00
9. "Shape the Sky" - 3:29
10. "Speed of Light" (Astbury, Duffy, Rock) - 4:22
11. "True Believers" - 5:07
12. "My Bridges Burn" - 3:51

Different bonus tracks were added in certain regions:

13. "Libertine" (Bonus track - in Australia and Japan)

Other versions

• In mainland China, this record was issued in a cardboard foldout sleeve.
• In Taiwan, it was released with an obi strip.
• "Nico" was incorrectly listed as "Niko" on some German CD pressings.
• In Australia, a six-song demo disc was given to record company executives.
• A promotional disc was released in a slimline plastic CD case in Germany, with a completely different front cover.

Personnel

The Cult^[2]

• Ian Astbury - vocals
• Billy Duffy - guitar
• Matt Sorum - drums, percussion

Additional musicians

• Martyn LeNoble - bass on tracks 5, 10, 11, 12
• Chris Wyse - bass on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13

Notes and References

1. Web site: THE CULT: Bring Me The Head Of DAVE GROHL . 2006-02-18 . Blabbermouth.net.
2. 83440-2 . . liner notes . 2001 . . Atlantic Records.