A Newly Reformed Cult

Observe a brief, offhand moment for the Cult: Standing in sandals and baggy shorts for an afternoon sound check at the Santa Barbara Bowl, spiky-haired guitarist Billy Duffy is riffing through a new song, “Take the Power.” The sound is loud and raw, matching classic rock volume with a post-punk flavor.

Watching him is singer Ian Astbury, a gray bandanna knotted over his brow, forearms tattooed with dragons and tigers. And as Duffy slips into a typically epic solo, Astbury’s knees buckle and he flashes the guitarist the universal hand signal for metal nirvana: the devil’s horns. Just like a couple of players in a garage band.

If the Cult’s reemergence after half a decade of inaction comes as a surprise to some rock fans, the band appears determined not only to regain its position as a musical force, but also to enjoy the experience. With a new album, “Beyond Good and Evil,” in stores, the Cult is set to perform at the KROQ Weenie Roast on Saturday at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.

“There is a dynamic between Billy and myself,” says Astbury, 39, who remains an outspoken provocateur on the state of rock music and the Cult’s place in it. “Together the chemistry is very strong, and I think it’s evident on this record. It’s a very muscular record, it’s a very sensual record.

“I hear a lot of contemporary music that has a morose quality; it’s very negative. Obviously the world is in a downward trend, certainly spiritually and materialistically, but I think what we offer is something more celebratory of life. It’s a celebration instead of a denigration.”

The Cult emerged in the ‘80s as a rare hybrid that bridged the gap between contemporary metal and the punk aesthetic, providing both punks and headbangers at least one band to agree on while sending the albums “Electric” and “Sonic Temple” high on the sales charts.

It’s a sound that Duffy now jokingly describes as “Lynyrd Skynyrd playing Sex Pistols songs.”

The irony is that the Cult broke apart at the height of the ‘90s alternative rock movement, a scene that might have embraced the English rock veterans. While the singer and guitarist appear chummy today, their relationship has seen darker days: At one point they traveled on separate tour buses and saw one another only on stage.

The band’s problems in the ‘90s were compounded, says Duffy, by turmoil at the Cult’s record company, Warner Bros., peaking with the departure of longtime label chief Mo Ostin just as the band’s 1994 album, “The Cult,” was released.

“Most of the ‘80s, everything was going with us, and then all of a sudden the fun factor diminished, just on a business level and stuff around the band,” says Duffy, 42. “The other side of being a musician ground us down.”

Astbury abruptly quit after a concert performance in Brazil. He soon formed the short-lived, glam-flavored Holy Barbarians, then recorded a solo album and traveled through Cuba and Tibet. Duffy returned to England, dabbling in music only occasionally, as on a onetime project with longtime friend and former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr.

“I was a little upset at the time,” Duffy says now with a grin, recalling Astbury’s sudden exit. “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t that bothered. I could see it coming.”

The Cult’s first step toward reuniting came in early 1999 during the regular weekly set by the Viper Room house band, the Neurotic Outsiders, which included former Sex Pistol Steve Jones and onetime Cult drummer Matt Sorum. Astbury was invited to sing one night, and Duffy decided to go along, leading to their first performance together since Brazil.

Afterward, Jones encouraged the duo to reform the Cult, says Astbury. “He was one of our mutual friends who kind of put the word in our ears--’You guys should do it. The time is now.”’

Sorum also insisted on reclaiming his seat behind the drums. What soon followed were several small, high-profile gigs in Los Angeles, including seven sold-out nights at the House of Blues.

After signing to Atlantic Records, the band slowly pieced together “Beyond Good and Evil” with producer Bob Rock. The final album included the single “Rise,” now enjoying airplay on rock radio.

“We were trying to get the songs right,” says Duffy. “We knew it was important. And we knew there was a little bit of pressure. We couldn’t come back with a mediocre record. I just knew we could do it.”

* The Cult, Saturday at the KROQ Weenie Roast, Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, 8808 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, 2 p.m. Sold out. (949) 855-2863. Also Aug. 3 at the Universal Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, 7:30 p.m. $27.50 to $37.50. (818) 622-4440.