Songfacts®:

• 'Hinterland' is a German word referring to an area behind a coast or the shoreline of a river. It is derived from 'hinter' ("behind") and 'land' ("land"). The term was first used in English in 1888 by George Chisholm in his book Handbook of Commercial Geography.
• The Cult recorded this track for their Hidden City album. Stemming from the Spanish phrase "La Ciudad Oculta" or "hidden city," the record reflects an awakening of consciousness. "Hidden City is a metaphor for our spiritual lives, our intimate interior lives," explained frontman Ian Astbury. "I find today's gurus are trying to peddle some cure, product or insight as if it's a new phenomenon. My place is to respond, not react, to observe, participate and share through words and music. There is no higher authority than the heart."
• The Cult filmed a haunting video for the track where a mysterious young woman enters a dream world: "'Hinterland' is a place both real and imagined, a hidden city symbolic of a new Rome," Astbury explained to Billboard magazine. "Through the eyes of several witnesses, we observe a young woman as she realizes her enlightened self in a dystopian dream world. 'Hinterland' is filled with symbolism, reflecting a new aeon in the shift of human consciousness as we realign with our planet's natural rhythms."
• Ian Astbury explained the song's meaning to The Sun. "Hinterland is a place that's known and unknown. It's the power of nature. We're at a place in our evolution where we don't know what's going to happen. There's more conflict, the oceans are full of plastic... It goes back to the theme of existential spiritual crisis – the human condition."