Rock by and for the collective.
Adam Tilzer released his debut solo album Cult Leader on June 13, 2025. The album is a socio-emotional blast of rock, resistance and love delivered with an expansive array of styles.
Tilzer is no first-timer however; Cult Leader is just the latest step on his musical journey, one which spans over 300 produced songs and 2 other bands (Avon Junkies and The Defectives, both punk bands out of New York). In a press release, Tilzer explained “I’ve been lucky enough to produce and work with a crew of people who constantly support and lift each other up, and because of this, people have nicknamed us ‘the cult,’” regarding the title of the song “I’m Gonna Start A Cult,” and by extension the title of the album. This collaborative spirit is not for show; according to the press release, the album has over two dozen collaborators.
Cult Leader is certainly a rock album, but it’s not limited to standard rock arrangements; synths buzz between guitar riffs, strings and horns make the occasional appearance and energy sways from punk to ska to light rock at the drop of a hat. Tilzer’s vocals provide a frankness to the performance, and the many guest features in the instrumentation and vocals keep the sound fresh and deep.
Opening song “Choking On Vomit” is a largely instrumental rock track that begins with a brief introductory passage regaling the speaker’s death before launching into an intense wall of sound, stopping for a moment in the middle to then switch to a more technical display of guitar skill. It’s followed by “I’m Gonna Start a Cult,” a punk rock ballad that embraces the straightforward yet vulgar mix of kinship and political charge the genre embodies. Third track “The Best Fucking Plan” seamlessly carries the torch forward into a faster, even more political statement with the backing of a simple yet addictive synth riff, before ending with a haunting orchestral arrangement.
“Can’t be Wrong” shifts the register of hate to a personal statement of disgust against a former lover, backed by a lighter rock track that allows the track to function as something of a sonic and emotional breather. The listener is plunged right back into the fire with “My Man,” another punk-rocking track that rails against state-sanctioned violence over a backing that’s both melodic and forceful, fading away with a comedic sample at the end. Sixth track “Burn It Down” opens with a low and mournful string instrument over an ambient tone, then continuing into an almost gothic track that blends rock and ska influences with the strings playing a low dirge through it all.
Seventh track “Gram” is the slowest and gentlest song on the album, with the duet between Tilzer and guest vocalist Giselle taking on a tragically romantic quality. Following it is “Love You Till You Cry,” another romantic track that trades the sadness for just a dash of punk edge to keep things from getting too sappy. Penultimate track “Les Lius” is echoey, ambient and almost industrial or noise-rock in construction; the track is absent of any vocalization save for a harmonizing backing choir. Final track “And I’ll Die” is a final breath of misery and pain delivered with a rock track that starts gentle and shifts into a fast-paced final display of instrumental creativity, ending on an answering machine sample muttering “have a miserable night, scumbag!” before the phone hangs up.
Cult Leader is a statement in both the political and the personal. Tilzer makes sure that his beliefs, grievances and extensive community are known to the listener; it’s a boast, but not an unearned one.
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