Death Cult is a British gothic/post-punk rock band formed in 1983 from the previous group Southern Death Cult, before taking the name The Cult for most of its career. Originally made up of Ian Astbury (vocals), Billy Duffy (guitar), Jamie Stewart (bass) and Ray Mondo (drums), replaced by Nigel Preston, Death Cult quickly made their mark on the alternative scene with their combination of raw post-punk energy and gothic ambience over tribal rhythms. Signed to independent label Situation Two, the band entered the UK charts at number 124 with the track "God's Zoo", following the release of the Death Cult EP. After the name change and the Cult's musical evolution towards hard rock, Death Cult returned to the spotlight with the Ghost Dance (1996) and Paradise Now (2004) compilations, before being relaunched by Ian Atsbury and Billy Duffy. In 2025, Death Cult covered tracks from Southern Death Cult, Death Cult and The Cult on a North American tour, resulting in the January 2026 release of the album Paradise Live.
