A few years ago, the likelihood of me covering a new Blue Öyster Cult album here would have been next to nothing. Despite being a casual fan of albums like 1976's Agents of Fortune and 1981's Fire of Unknown Origin, my knowledge of the New York band was very limited. They were one of those bands who I was more familiar with due to their influence and stature than with their music itself, and any attempt to branch out beyond the handful of their songs that I liked left me cold. I resigned myself to the fact that Blue Öyster Cult were just not really for me, and essentially gave up on trying any harder - content with the occasional spin of Fire of Unknown Origin to fill my sparse Blue Öyster Cult-related needs. I am not sure what changed this long-standing mindset of mine, but over the last two or three years I have really grown to love the band. I really do not know what finally clicked with me regarding their music, but before I knew it I had amassed as many of their albums as I could find and was devouring them extremely quickly. Suddenly, the band's quirky, schizophrenic sound was hugely appealing - and they have probably been one of my most-listened to bands of the past few years. A show at London's legendary Hammersmith Apollo last year was what really sealed the deal however. Even though by the time the gig rolled around I was a convert to the band's sound, seeing them live really cemented my fandom. The band's current line-up, spearheaded by original members Eric Bloom and Donald 'Buck Dharma' Roeser, charged their way through a lengthy set in one of the country's best-love rock venues - and my love for the band has only continued to grow since that show. A new album to digest was the natural next step in my Blue Öyster Cult adventure, but until a few months ago that prospect seemed fairly remote. After all, it had been a long time since the band had last released a new album, with 2001's Curse of the Hidden Mirror being their last outing, but last year the band signed to Frontiers Records which resulted in a lot of great archive live albums being released, along with reissues of both 1998's Heaven Forbid and the aforementioned Curse of the Hidden Mirror - both of which were long out of print and original copies were hard to track down at sensible prices. The real jewel in the crown of the Frontiers Records signing however was the announcement that a new album was on the way - which finally materialised last month under the guise of The Symbol Remains. Despite the album being recorded recently, I get the impression that the band have been sitting on some of this material for a while and were waiting for the right opportunity to get it recorded and released. Demos of some of the songs had been released by Roeser previously, but that certainly did not detract from the excitement of the first new Blue Öyster Cult album in 19 years. It is great that the band's current, and mostly long-standing, line-up has finally got a chance to show what it can do in the studio - and two of the current line-up make their debut with the band in studio here. Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Richie Castellano and drummer Jules Radino, who have been in the band since 2004, finally can see their names on a Blue Öyster Cult studio album now, while bassist Danny Miranda, who returned to the fold in 2017 after a few years away, contributes to this third original Blue Öyster Cult release.
At 14 songs in length, The Symbol Remains is a lot to digest. This means that the album takes a good few listens to fully appreciate, but the variety of the material here helps it to stay fresh. That diversity is apparent from the off, with the first three numbers (all of which have been released as singles), showing different sides of the band. That Was Me kicks things off with a great old-school heavy guitar riff that really recalls the band's first couple of albums. Blue Öyster Cult's early work is characterised by a raw, garage rock sound - and That Was Me personifies this. Bloom takes the lead vocally; his gruff, gravelly voice giving the song the kick it needs - while Roeser and Castellano join forces for the simple, barrelling riffs. Albert Bouchard, one of the band's founding members, adds some additional vocals and percussion to boost the sound, while Miranda and Radino lock together for the song's stomping rhythm. While the more progressive side of the band will be explored later in the album, That Was Me is a perfect kick off number that brings the energy early on; with a decent chorus thrown in for good measure. If That Was Me personified Blue Öyster Cult in the 1970s, then Box in My Head is the band in the 1980s. The song sounds like a Fire of Unknown Origin cast-off, with Roeser's thin, musical voice sounding as good as it ever has. Spacey synths fill all the space around the main shuffling guitar rhythm, with the whole aesthetic being something of a contrast to the opening number. There is a lack of heavy rock energy this time, but the quirky melodies that the band have become known for over the years are present in a big way. Roeser's songs often have a strange vibe, and Box in My Head is no different - but the hooks are still extremely memorable. In many ways the song is a quintessential Roeser composition, with laid back guitar leads and a smooth, AOR-esque chorus helping to keep things interesting. Tainted Blood is the best of the opening trio however, and it is the first of three songs here sung by Castellano. Various Blue Öyster Cult members have contributed lead vocals over the years, and Castellano has now joined these ranks - his somewhat more youthful voice contrasting with the established tones of Bloom and Roeser. The track, written by Bloom and Castellano, is a spooky semi-ballad, with low-key verses that explode into what is possibly the album's best chorus. The chorus has a very 1980s vibe to it, with layers of harmony vocals and catchy hooks, while horror-esque organ grinds away in the background to fit with the song's themes. With this track Castellano marks his contribution to the wider Blue Öyster Cult legacy. He has written or co-written a good number of the songs here, but this is easily my favourite of his efforts.
Nightmare Epiphany shines the spotlight back on Roeser, his musical voice driving what is a strange-sounding track, full of shuffle, groove, and boogie piano. There is a subtle energy here, with Radino's drum groove really snapping out the speakers, while Roeser's main guitar rhythms provide something of a counter to it - with occasional bursts of raw southern-esque guitar riffing changing the tone briefly. It is a strange song, but it instantly feels at home on the album. Roeser's song have often been some of the band's most 'out there', and the album's variety largely comes from his compositions. In many ways, it is Roeser that gives Blue Öyster Cult their trademark quirkiness, and Nightmare Ephiphany is another in a long line of strange songs that are packed full of sleeper melodies and strange grooves. Edge of the World, written by Castellano but sung by Bloom, is a bit weightier, but some of the spooky vibes that filled Tainted Blood return. The main guitar lead has something of a stadium rock quality to it, but this strident vibe is soon cast aside for a sparse verse that is packed with atmospheric keyboards that act as a great contrast to Bloom's rough delivery. In fact, this contrast is a big part of the song. Despite it seeming weightier than some of the material here, there is still a lot of the band's trademark atmosphere. Occasional heavier riffs and Bloom's voice clash with the melodic vocal harmonies provided by the rest of the band and the layers of keyboard form perfect hints of that classic Blue Öyster Cult sound - which makes it another strong cut on an album that is packed with them. Castellano takes the lead again for The Machine, a more straight ahead rock song with driving guitar riffs and a punchy drum pattern. His powerful, melodic voice really suits the song, while plenty of guitar leads are thrown in to create additional melodies. In many ways, the song feels like an old-school 1970s rocker that has been fed through modern production techniques. The riffing and guitar work is very classic-sounding, while the Hammond organ that is constantly roaring away in the background also evokes that era. The song is one of the simpler efforts here, but the melodies and the energy really help it to stand out. Train True (Lennie's Song), in contrast, is possibly the strangest song here however. Blue Öyster Cult have never gone full country before, but this song really goes for it in a big way - with a cheesy bluegrass chorus that sounds like nothing the band have ever done before . Radino's shuffling groove throughout allows the speedy country sound to hit home, while Roeser's vocals and snappy guitar work bring the song to life. When I first heard the song I was not sure at all what I thought of it, but is has certainly grown on me somewhat. I am not sure that country is a natural sound for Blue Öyster Cult, but it works well as a one-off; with a deliberately over-the-top sound coming off with something of a knowing nod and a wink.
The Return of St. Cecilia is more typical of the band's sound however, and it acts as something of a sequel to one of their very early songs - when they were still known as the Stalk-Forrest Group. It is Castellano's last lead vocal on the album, and it is possibly the most classic-sounding Blue Öyster Cult song of his three vocal contributions. There is a great, upbeat rhythm to the whole song, with driving piano and Hammond constantly filling any gaps left by the crunchy guitar rhythms, while a hooky chorus brings in some of the band's trademark vocal harmonies. It is one of the songs that really stood out to me on my first listen to the album, and it has remained a favourite thanks to its soaring melodies, energy, and plentiful lead guitar work. Stand and Fight feels like a cousin of That Was Me, a heavier track with raw guitar riffing and Bloom's gruff vocal delivery. Miranda's bass opens the song, and dominates throughout, while the guitars add chugging rhythms and droning chords over the top. It is probably the album's heaviest moment, with gang vocals filling the simple chorus while Bloom snarls his way through the lyrics. Both Heaven Forbid and Curse of the Hidden Mirror had some heavier moments, and this song sounds like a continuation of the sound forged on those albums. Much of this album is fairly whimsical or has more of a traditional rock sound, but this song borders on metal - and it is great to hear the band really going for it here. Florida Man instantly transports the listener back to Roeser's strange world however, with the atmospheric piece perfectly representing his core songwriting style over the years. The opening guitar line seems to deliberately reference (Don't Fear) The Reaper a little, with a discordant take on a similar pattern heralding what is to come, but this is a song that is characterised more by atmosphere than by any standout riff or melody. The chorus is so laid back that it might as well be horizontal, but the melodies contained within soon worm their way into your brain, while layers of keyboard help to enhance the gentle shuffle that is created by Radino and Miranda. It is another fairly odd song, but one that long-time Blue Öyster Cult fans will instantly latch on to. Another song that long-time fans will instantly love however is The Alchemist. It is possibly the biggest-sounding song here, and another great songwriting contribution from Castellano who has really made his mark on the album. Bloom sings the song; his expressive voice bringing the spooky lyrics to life. The song is based on the H.P. Lovecraft tale of the same name, and some of the lyrics are direct quotes from its pages. Topics like this are common fodder for the band, and Bloom's Alice Cooper-esque delivery is perfect for the theatrical, gothic nature of the piece. Ringing piano constantly adds another dimension to the song, but it is the guitars that give the tune its bulk - as Castellano and Roeser join forces for powerful riff after riff, before descending into an Iron Maiden-esque lead guitar trade-off that is easily the album's most explosive guitar moment. The song is a real album highlight, and will no doubt become a live favourite in the years to come.
The album's final three songs are probably the weakest cuts here, but they are still enjoyable. The amount of quality material here means that there is always likely to be a handful of numbers that do not reach the same heights, but it seems that they were all saved for the end here. Secret Road is another Roeser track, but it sounds very similar to Florida Man - so it ends up rolling into the previous song a little, especially as only one song separates them. The laid back grooves are present again, and the chorus even has a very similar melody. This is probably the only song that I would have cut from the album, as it sounds too similar to other numbers here, and the melodies just do not really stand up on their own. There's a Crime, written by Radino and New York music school owner Jeff Denny, is probably the best of the final three songs - with a great hard rock vibe forming the perfect bed for Bloom's final vocal on the album. It is certainly not the best track here, but the raw vibe again recalls those early Blue Öyster Cult albums and there is plenty of excellent lead guitar work throughout. The main riffs are raw and simple, but there are some excellent solos here that really bring the best out of Roeser and Castellano. The album comes to a close with Fight, another Roeser track that has a catchy hypnotic guitar running throughout. It might have been wiser to end the album on a heavier note, but Blue Öyster Cult have never been a band to do things the 'usual' way - and in some ways this strange, atmospheric piece works well as an album closer. It is certainly spiker than many of Roeser's contributions to the album, with some tasty riffing throughout, but it is still a trademark Roeser song in the sense that it is packed with layers of keyboard and strange melodies. It is another song that has grown on me a lot, and it could end up being another favourite in time. Overall however, and despite the quality dipping a little at the end, The Symbol Remains is a great comeback from Blue Öyster Cult - and one that deserves to get a lot of attention in the rock press. There are a handful of fantastic songs here, and most of the rest are extremely enjoyable too. There is a lot to digest here, but any fan of the band throughout the years is likely to instantly recognise the band's signature styles at work here. It is also an album that I feel I will only grow to love more over time, and it is quite likely to be one of my favourite releases of the year when it comes to writing my Top 10 Albums of the Year list at the end of December.
The album was released on 9th October 2020 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for That Was Me.
No comments:
Post a Comment