The Cult have announced the October 7th release of their new album, Under The Midnight Sun, produced by Tom Dalgety (Pixies, Ghost, Royal Blood) and coming out via Black Hill Records. And today, the celebrated band shares the first taste of what will be their 11th studio album by way of “Give Me Mercy.” The single makes clear that The Cult’s co-founding members, Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy, have spent the six years since their last LP pushing further into their esoteric strength. Flanked by Duffy’s dynamic guitar riff, Astbury reaches new heights of sinewy vulnerability. He shares, “I was absolutely enamored with this piece of music Billy had written, and it perfectly fit these thoughts I’d been having about our culture’s need to move past assumptions of duality. We need new language because words can’t express where we’re going.” Duffy says, “‘Give Me Mercy’ has all the hallmarks of the new classic Cult to my ears … fresh yet familiar.”

Tomorrow sees The Cult return to life on the road as they embark on a July tour of North America. The dates kick off in St. Paul, MN and conclude July 30 in Orillia, ON.  The tour includes stops in Chicago, New York City, and Detroit.  Tickets are on-sale here and all dates are listed below. 

When the sun just wouldn’t leave the sky one evening in Finland, Ian Astbury took notice. Walking the grounds of the Provinssirock festival, Astbury found himself reveling in the surreal, almost occult moment that comes with the “midnight sun,” the summer stretch where the sun doesn’t go down north of the Arctic Circle. “It’s three in the morning, the sun’s up, and there’s all these beautiful people in this halcyon moment,” Astbury remembers. “People are laying on the grass, making out, drinking, smoking. There were rows of flowers at the front of the stage from the performances earlier that evening. It was an incredible moment.” While reviewing archival footage of the performance, Astbury found new mysticism in that moment and imbued it into the forthcoming Under the Midnight Sun.  

The Cult tour dates

July 8 – Palace Theatre – St Paul, MN 

July 9 –  Cellular Stage at Summerfest- Milwaukee, WI

July 10 – The Factory at The District – Chesterfield, MO

July 12 – Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL

July 14 – PNC at Riverbend – Cincinnati, OH

July 15 – Rose Music Center at The Heights – Dayton, OH

July 16 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA

July 19 – The Anthem – Washington, DC

July 20 – The Rooftop at Pier 17 – New York, NY

July 22 – Metropolitan Opera House – Philadelphia, PA

July 23 – Leader Bank Pavillion – Boston, MA

July 24 –  College Street Music Hall – New Haven, CT

July 26 – Crouse Hinds Theater – Syracuse, NY

July 27 –  Meadowbrook Amphitheater – Detroit, MI

July 29 – Hogs for Hospice Charity Event at Seacliff Park – Leamington, ON

July 30 – Casino Rama – Orilla, ON