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The Cult / Sonic Temple 30th anniversary expanded sets

By Paul Sinclair

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69

The Cult / Sonic Temple 30th anniversary expanded sets

The Cult‘s 1989 album Sonic Temple is getting the 30th reissue treatment in September with a series of expanded physical sets.

Their fourth album, Sonic Temple was produced by Bob Rock and delivered three top 40 hits in the UK (‘Fire Woman’, ‘Edie (Ciao Baby)’, ‘Sun King’) and sold over 1.5 million copies in the US alone.

Beggars Arkive will reissue this album in three physical variations including a 5CD super deluxe box set with the album, B-sides, remixes demos and live tracks and a 3LP+cassette box set which covers similar ground. An expanded 2LP vinyl edition (featuring six B-sides) is also available.

The box sets feature enhanced, rebooted artwork and the 5CD set comes in book form. The 3LP vinyl package with the cassette is limited to 3,000 units and comes with a host of facsimile memorabilia including replica of original laminate, backstage pass, original press releases, and the like. The label have confirmed to SDE that there is no download code with either of the vinyl sets.

These will be released on 13 September 2019 and are available to pre-order via the SDE shop by clicking on this link or using the buttons below.

Sonic Temple 30 / 5CD super deluxe

CD 1
1 Sun King
2 Fire Woman
3 American Horse
4 Edie (Ciao Baby)
5 Sweet Soul Sister
6 Soul Asylum
7 New York City
8 Automatic Blues
9 Soldier Blue
10 Wake Up Time For Freedom

CD 2
1 Sonic Temple Radio Promo
2 Fire Woman (Edit)
3 Messin’ Up The Blues (from the Fire Woman single)
4 Medicine Train (From the Edie (Ciao Baby) single)
5 Fire Woman (NYC Rock Mix) (from the Fire Woman CD EP)
6 Edie (Ciao Baby) (Edit)
7 Bleeding Heart Graffiti (from the Edie (Ciao Baby) CD EP)
8 Sun King (Edit)
9 Sweet Soul Sister (Edit)
10 The River (From the Sweet Soul Sister single)
11 Soldier Blue (Werman Extended Version)
12 Fire Woman (LA Rock Mix)
13 Sweet Soul Sister (Rock’s Mix)
14 Edie (Ciao Baby) (Acoustic) (From The Heart Of Soul CD single)

CD 3
1 Medicine Train (demo)
2 New York City (demo)
3 American Horse (demo)
4 Sun King (demo)
5 Automatic Blues (demo)
6 Yes Man (demo)
7 Fire (demo)
8 Wake Up Time For Freedom (demo)
9 Citadel (demo)
10 The River (demo)

CD 4
1 The Crystal Ocean (demo)
2 Cashmere (demo)
3 Edie (Ciao Baby) (demo)
4 Bleeding Hearts Revival
5 My Love (demo)
6 Star Child (demo)
7 Medicine Train (Rock Demo)
8 New York City (Rock Demo)
9 Fire (rock Demo)
10 Spanish Gold (jam Demo)

CD 5
1 New York City (live) *previously unreleased)
2 Automatic Blues (live) *previously unreleased)
3 American Horse (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
4 Sun King (live) *previously unreleased
5 Soul Asylum (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
6 Rain (live) *previously unreleased
7 Sweet Soul Sister (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
8 She Sells Sanctuary (live) *previously unreleased
9 Fire Woman (live) *previously unreleased

Sonic Temple 30 / 3LP + Cassette box set (with memorabilia)

LP 1
A1 Sun King
A2 Fire Woman
A3 American HorseA4 Edie (Ciao Baby)

B1 Sweet Soul Sister
B2 Soul Asylum
B3 New York City
B4 Automatic Blues

LP 2
C1 Soldier Blue
C2 Wake Up Time For Freedom
C3 Medicine Train (From the Edie (Ciao Baby) single)
C4 The River (From the Sweet Soul Sister single)

D1 Bleeding Heart Graffitti (from the Edie (Ciao Baby) single)
D2 Messin’ Up The Blues (from the Fire Woman single)
D3 Fire Woman (NYC Rock Mix) (from the Fire Woman CD EP)
D4 Edie (Ciao Baby) (Acoustic) (From The Heart Of Soul CD single)

LP3
E1 New York City (live) *previously unreleased)
E2 Automatic Blues (live) *previously unreleased)
E3 American Horse (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
E4 Sun King (live) *previously unreleased

F1 Soul Asylum (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
F2 Sweet Soul Sister (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
F3 Fire Woman (live) *previously unreleased

Cassette

Side 1
1 Sonic Temple Radio Promo
2 New York City (demo)
3 American Horse (demo)
4 Sun King (demo)
5 Automatic Blues (demo)
6 Yes Man (demo)
7 Wake Up Time For Freedom (demo)
8 Citadel (demo)
9 The River (demo)

Side 2
1 The Crystal Ocean (demo)
2 Cashmere (demo)
3 Edie (Ciao Baby) (demo)
4 Bleeding Hearts Revival
5 Star Child (demo)
6 Medicine Train (Rock Demo)
7 New York City (Rock Demo)
8 Fire (Rock Demo)
9 Fire Woman (live) *previously unreleased

The Cult Sonic Temple 30 / 2LP vinyl

LP 1
A1 Sun King
A2 Fire Woman
A3 American HorseA4 Edie (Ciao Baby)

B1 Sweet Soul Sister
B2 Soul Asylum
B3 New York City
B4 Automatic Blues

LP 2
C1 Soldier Blue
C2 Wake Up Time For Freedom
C3 Medicine Train (From the Edie (Ciao Baby) single)
C4 The River (From the Sweet Soul Sister single)

D1 Bleeding Heart Graffitti (from the Edie (Ciao Baby) single)
D2 Messin’ Up The Blues (from the Fire Woman single)
D3 Fire Woman (NYC Rock Mix) (from the Fire Woman CD EP)
D4 Edie (Ciao Baby) (Acoustic) (From The Heart Of Soul CD single)

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69 Comments

69 thoughts on “The Cult / Sonic Temple 30th anniversary expanded sets”

  2. The Amazon US release date IS October 25th. They’ve confirmed stock from the label to note that as the current pre-order ship date. The manufacturing problems really delayed US availability. Still much better than having to deal with returns if the faulty batch got released so I’m happy.

  5. The release date for the 5 CD set in the US was supposed to be October 11, 2019 yet my pre-ordered item on Amazon is still unavailable as of October 17, 2019. Is this item delayed even longer or has the 5 CD set been cancelled permanently?

    2. @Joe – I’m in the same boat and won’t cancel my US order because I’ve locked in a $22.00 preorder price. I think the revised date of release is now October 18th.

    2. Perhaps all of their expected first shipment quantity is pre-sold?, and when they have a confirmed next shipment (or date for) then it will be shown as available to (pre) order? I noticed something similar happened (on amazon.ca) for the Def Leppard Volume Two CD box set. That one was back as being available again, so I’m guessing that The Cult will too. Probably nothing to worry about (I hope).

        1. That may be specific to the US. Since we are selling this on the SDE shop I’m a bit more clued up than usual (!), and 13th/20th is correct for UK at least.

  11. I never saw an answer to the first question above? :-)

    Does anyone know if these tracks are newly remastered by modern standards from original tapes or are these just the same files from the original remasters at the turn of the millennium? I’d rather just download 24-bit FLACs if they are. I have no need for new CDs of the same 16-bit files from 2000-ish.

  12. Does anyone know if these tracks are newly remastered by modern standards from original tapes or are these just the same files from the original remasters at the turn of the millennium? I’d rather just download 24-bit FLACs if they are. I have no need for new CDs of the same 16-bit files from 2000-ish.

  13. Hello Paul
    Can you please confirm if the 3LPs in the box set are blue coloured vinyl as shown in several sites like Amazon and Recordstore and SOV (link attached)? To add to confusion, in the description of the box set it says pressed on black vinyl.
    Appreciate your help
    Cheers
    Premgiri

    1. Yes, it seems that they are the blue coloured vinyl! Apologies for confusion, but that wasn’t communicated at the time by the label to SDE.

  14. The £85 price tag for the Vinyl Box Set is pretty outrageous, especially considering there is nothing on it that isn’t on the CD Box Set and there’s not even a standard MP3 download code, (let alone a high def one)… and despite the somewhat dubious & seemingly over-hyped cassette ‘revival’ I doubt the inclusion appeals to many + they wasted space by including Fire Woman (live – previously unreleased) as the last track when it’s also on LP3… & who really needs the ‘stuff’, (tat?), thrown in; what do people actually do with these bits?

    I agree with others that it’s a wasted opportunity as to why there’s no full live show… and no Blu-ray or even DVD – overall seems a pretty lacklustre effort!

    I’ve pre-ordered the double vinyl which is currently only £19.55 on Amazon.co.uk but I’ll give the Vinyl Box a miss, (if it was in the range of £40-£50 I might seriously think about it), and as the CD Box Set doesn’t appear to be limited I’ll probably wait for a bargain in a few months, as I’ve got the Rare Cult & Demos Box Sets I have pretty much everything I need from that period anyway.

    I totally agree with the comments about a Deluxe remaster of Dreamtime & the Dreamtime Live album that came with the original vinyl…. and the B-sides+ – well overdue!

  15. Cool. This is by far their best album where they finally achieved the sound they wanted. It combines the best elements of Love and Electric. Looking forward to this.

  16. I think I will pass on this. Sonic Temple was my least favorite Lp, as they were really trying to sellout with that rock sound . I prefer Love and Ceremony and later efforts like the self titled one and Beyond Good and Evil.

  20. Really fancy the three LP set.
    But all the interesting tracks are on tape which means I have to sit in my twenty year old Toyota which I use solely to take the dogs out. Not sure if the Pugs are Cult fans but the Frenchie is.
    What are the chances of a Download code ??
    Thanks for the heads up.

      1. That’s a bit annoying Paul. Also the lack of (not your fault I agree) info regarding the remaster I have alas cancelled my order for now. Sorry. No download and No idea where remaster is from is a “Pause” for me.

  21. I will not make a pre order on a ‘suprise’ remaster – especially not with the massive fire at Universal archives in California 2008 in fresh memory. So many original tapes were destroyed that day (GnR ‘Appetite…’, Nirvana ‘Nevermind’ etc etc…) so it needs to be confirmed that the original analoge tapes for Sonic Temple actually exists and who will be responsible for the task of remaster them, cut them and transfer them into a separate vinyl master. Then the question on which pressing plant to be used for this release… I would love to see Bernie Grundman take on the task – and perhaps a half speed mastering ? The only decent pressing plants in the US is QRP (Quality Records) and in Europe Pallas Plant or Optimal.

  22. Unfortunately Beggars have already rinsed The Cult archives for the Rare Cult and Demos box sets so there is literally nothing here for the die hard fan. Unless you like replica backstage passes and press releases (anyone?). I find the inclusion of a cassette with the vinyl box baffling too, especially as there’s no download code. And surely they must have a complete show somewhere – they toured this album for well over a year and only recorded one show? Vinyl is my format of choice but the box set is way overpriced so will probably pick up the CD set when the price drops a bit. Overall though this is pretty disappointing. On the plus side the accompanying tour should be a blast.

  23. As an owner of the box sets from 2000 just curious what this collection brings that I don’t already own. I have think the box has the b-sides and the remixes.

  24. No shock with a 5 CD set featuring 4 CDs of B’sides, demos, out-takes and other stuff. They had loads of extras in those years.

  25. Yeah !!!!

    Deluxe editions of DREAMTIME, ELECTRIC and CRREMONY !!!!

    The LOVE omnibus edition should be reissue since it was released in 2009 (ten years ago) or receive the same treatment as Sonic Tample to be update !!!!

    Someone has any hint of what’s to come ?

  26. When they first announced the ST anniversary tour and that a deluxe edition would be released later in the year, I thought they would include a live concert blu-ray and/or cd. Hopefully a show from the anniversary tour will be released later but if not, then it’s a big missed opportunity. I’d also like to see a deluxe edition for Dreamtime

  27. Honestly a bit surprised Beggars Banquet is going through this much trouble for this particular album. Of all The Cult’s 80’s/90’s albums, this one has by far the most dated production and hasn’t aged well over the years. As it’s been stated before in this thread, the out-takes, demos, b-sides and remixes have appeared previously on the Rare Cult and Demo box sets – I would have rather they simply re-pressed those sets as especially the Demos box goes for big money these days among re-sellers. Also, is the 5 CD set going to be in the same sized box/book as the previous “Love Omnibus Edition” was?

    I hope the pressing quality for the vinyl is better than the Electric/Peace double LP from a few years back. I went through 3 copies before settling on what is still a mediocre, dirty, noisy copy. The 2 LP set will be enough for me as really, aside from the album itself, the only 2 really essential non-LP tracks are The River and Bleeding Heart Graffiti.

  28. I was just thinking of The Cult recently,not sure what stuff i own amongst my music collection now but will probably get this without reservations,i’ll soon be insolvent again with all this continual expense paul

  29. Wow! I was really looking forward to this — in surround!

    Pity.

    This redbook (16/44.1) 2.0 cd was fine from day one in ‘89 – at least mine was. Plenty of clarity and room to increase dBs w/out distortion. Enjoyed the layered guitars and ability to hear ALL of them – even in 2.0!

    For me, though, this could have been a showcase for how to peel the onion while not losing the immersive nature of this album’s “groove” in 5.1+

    In all, this is probably my favourite CULT album front to back, which (for me) makes this (certainly) another missed opportunity for surround enthusiasts in a year of lack (so far) for 5.1+ rock/pop/jazz releases.

    1. I think a lot of 80’s/90’s bands see 5.1 as a gimmick or just for films not music,its a shame because its great to hear music you love in a different way other than good old stereo.

  30. It seems odd there isn’t a 2 CD version with the second disc being the remixes/edits/selected demos/selected live cuts.

    A five CD set is great for the hardcore Cult fans, but for the “regular” fan of this album I see a lot of people passing.

    For all these reissues, I feel there should be “small, medium, large” options so everyone has something to buy.

    Just my 2 cents.

    2. You raise valid points Craig as consumers would prefer to customize what they buy (I didn`t want the 6 CD edition of the White album, just the blu ray, but no success there). But I think casual fans are just listening to stuff on spotify or other streaming services. I think LPs are selling better than CDs these days so for casual fans, the novelty of an LP is preferable.

      So: LP > Spotify > CD

      1. There is no doubt that (sadly) most casual music fans now just listen to Spotify or Apple Music. That’s what my kids and wife do. And I would argue my kids are not causul fans (they are 19 and 21), but they are perfectly happy with Apple Music and Spotify.

        I am just guessing here, but I am thinking most enthusiasts still buying CD’s are in their 40’s-50’s (with younger people listening to streaming, older looking to simplify or fixed income or hearing starting to decline). And I am firmly in the middle of that.

        Also, based on my own visits to the local used stores, most of these consumers are male.

        So the demographic for these CD reissues is very targeted. Which of course does not bode well for the format going forward (especially with cars now not coming with CD players).

        That being said, the market is there now, and record companies should be taking advantage of it now, while it still exists. Every year it gets smaller.

        Taking this release for example, it would be minimal cost to press a 2 CD version and package it in a simple digipak or jewel case. Nothing fancy, but could yield incremental sales.

        For the market as a whole, once the vinyl “resurgence” fades, the reissues will basically stop because they won’t be needed. With streaming you can just make/curate a playlist.

        I actually find this a fascinating subject (and it applies to physical media for movies to a lesser degree too).

        Paul, maybe you could do a story on the state of/future of the reissue market with some perspective from some record labels?

  32. The live disc seems to be the only plus side here, I believe, because the demo recordings are already released on the great 5-cd Rare Cult – The Demo Sessions set. Of course one expects to hear major sonic improvements on the original album.

    1. That’s true, but that Demo Sessions box was very limited, so my guess is a lot of fans don’t have them. Looking forward to this.

  34. Have I read it right? Some of the extra tracks in the larger vinyl set are only on cassette .
    Strange decision!
    So to get those those you have to go Cd set only or big vinyl set and find a cassette player. What’s wrong with all on vinyl and more discs or, if they didn’t want the extra discs do those tracks on CD with the triple vinyl (as everyone must still have a CD player.)

  35. Paul, do you think this will show up on amazon too? I want to support your shop but I`m in Canada so the shipping charges are huge…

    1. Thanks Marco. To be honest, you may well get them somewhere locally. I do understand the situation re shipping and I think we’re going to be moving to a new provider soon to try and get transatlantic shipping cheaper than it is now.

  37. I like everything about the 3LP + cassette set… other than the price. How does 1 extra album, a cassette and some bits & pieces = extra £60? Curious to know how their pricing works!

  38. Any word on any kind of sonic improvements? I played my CD of this album about a million times back in the day, but I don’t recall it being particularly great sound-wise.

      1. While your asking Beggars Arkive the other question Paul would you mind asking if they are going to do anything of a super deluxe nature with Dreamtime or even raid any vaults for Southern Death Cult material please?…and a Wolfgang Press boxset would be VERY welcome too!!
        Thanks!

        2. Beggars did an In Camera reissue a few years back and Rema Rema this year, so they’ve been working on the Wolfgang Press-related stuff. Certainly WP themselves are long overdue for a proper reissue.

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