BLUE ÖYSTER CULT
“The Symbol Remains”
Album Review by Chris Palmer

8/10

The current pandemic situation has made this past year a rather difficult one to say the least. However, the Rock and Metal music scene has continued to thrive regardless, with hundreds of excellent albums being released throughout the last twelve months. One such release saw the return of Classic Hard Rockers Blue Oyster Cult.

The five-piece stormed onto the scene back in 1972 with the launch of a self-titled debut album. Three more albums swiftly followed, the last [“Agents Of Fortune” (1976)] of which included THAT song! And, for a majority of the mainstream public, it’s THAT song alone for which the band are associated with. However, the band has indeed delivered fourteen albums between 1972 and 2001, the last of which was “Curse Of The Hidden Mirror”.

Back in October, the current incarnation of the band, which includes Eric Bloom [Vocals], Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser [Guitars], Richie Castellano [Multi-Instrumentalist], Danny Miranda [Bass], and Jules Radino [Drums], released its fifteenth album… its first full-length release for 19 years!

The new album is entitled “The Symbol Remains” and is available via Frontiers Records. Containing fourteen tracks and running for over an hour, “The Symbol Remains” sees the band on top form, as Eric Bloom and Co deliver that unique sound of theirs to perfection.

Its a collection of non-stop Hard Rock with that Classic Rock edge, which these Americans are synonymous for, and it kicks off with opening number “That Was Me” and its terrific bass-driven rhythm. The tempo increases a little shortly afterwards, as the quintet launch into “Box In My Head” with a flurry of guitars. “Box In My Head” is an excellent serving of Classic and Melodic Hard Rock, which leads you into the slower, ballad-styled “Tainted Blood”. With a powerful vocal attack and wonderful guitar solo, “Tainted Blood” is a song that’ll have the lighters flying in a live concert.

At five-and-a-half minutes in length, “Nightmare Epiphany” is the second longest track on offer in this collection. And it launches straight at you with a terrific combination of guitars, keys, and drums. The rhythm of “Nightmare Epiphany” will have you tapping your feet instantly, and is one that’ll remain in the mind for some considerable time, before your lead towards the “Edge Of The World” and its more melodic chorus sections.

A mobile phone rings to announce the arrival of “The Machine”, before Eric Bloom and Co launch into an impressively heavier rhythm. Driven by some superb guitar-licks and solos, “The Machine” is one of the best tracks on offer here, as it really gets the juices flowing and begins to stretch those neck muscles. The same can be said about “Train True”, which sees this five-piece offer a brilliant serving of Blues-infused Rock ‘N’ Roll, as they chug along in style before turning up the tempo for the utterly superb “The Return Of St Cecilia”, which reminds me a little of Thin Lizzy.

Danny Miranda’s heavy bass reverberates through the headphones, before “Buck Dharma’s” guitars join the fray during the opening sections of “Stand And Fight”. Then Jules Radino’s drums come in and the band launch into a thunderous rhythm that’ll have you headbanging slowly throughout. With additional vocal chants, “Stand And Fight” is a heavy call to arms that is worth repeating several times. After repeated attempts of stomping around the room, while punching the air and chanting “Stand And Fight”, a little respite is allowed as the tempo decreases for “Florida Man”. Whilst Blue Oyster Cult have done a u-turn from the previous chapter, the rhythm still rocks and the guitar solo is exquisite.

That u-turn continues full-circle once again, as the quintet surprise you with wonderfully heavy riffs, which announce the arrival of the pummelling “The Alchemist”. At six minutes in length, “The Alchemist” is the longest and one of the heaviest numbers on offer here, and the shredding guitar solos during the second half are pure ecstasy. Ending with equally impressive keyboards from Multi-Instrumentalist Richie Castellano, you’re then directed towards “Secret Road”, which offers calm, yet melodic sounds, as the band walk with you in another direction.

Penultimate number, “There’s A Crime”  turns the dial up a notch with three-and-a-half minutes of good ole fashioned Heavy Rock ‘N’ Roll. This is swiftly followed by those familiar guitars that draw you into the final number, “Fight”, which closes the album perfectly.

As silence greets you, it doesn’t seem possible that an hour has passed by. And that, my friends, is the mark of a good album. “The Symbol Remains” might be more than an hour long, and it might have fourteen tracks. But it draws you in, gets its hooks in you, and keeps you focused during the entire duration.

When all is said and done, “The Symbol Remains” is a solid collection of Hard Rock ‘N’ Roll songs. It’s an album that has the ability to take the listener on a wonderful journey back in time, yet also remain relevant to the present. It’s an album that sees Blue Oyster Cult at their brilliant best, and is an important addition to any self-respecting music aficionados collection.

TRACKLIST

That Was Me
Box In My Head
Tainted Blood
Nightmare Epiphany
Edge Of The World
The Machine
Train True
The Return Of St Cecilia
Stand And Fight
Florida Man
The Alchemist
Secret Road
There’s A Crime
Fight

http://www.blueoystercult.com/
https://www.facebook.com/blueoystercult/

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