Album Review: “Fire of Unknown Origin” By Blue Oyster Cult

Considered as a comeback of sorts for Blue Oyster Cult, Fire of Unkown Origin is the eighth studio album that had the band bring back the creative minds that made their earlier material such a hit with the masses. Among these were Patti Smith, Sandy Pearlman, and Richard Meltzer, with the participation of science fiction and dark fantasy writer Michael Moorcock.

Here, BOC’s sound is augmented by a ton of synthesizers and keys, which would surprise most that haven’t heard of the record, but the band surprisingly retains a heavy looming feel in the music. Paired with the lyric writing prowess from the aforementioned persons, Blue Oyster Cult once again regained their reputation of being a cut above the rest.

The title track is one great example of synthesizers put to good use, while “Burning For You” carries a noir theme to it – and does it surprisingly well. The aptly-named “Heavy Metal: The Black and The Silver” prides itself in carrying a lumbering, doomsday progression, while glam-rock makes a resurgence with “Joan Crawford”. Another heavy, apocalypse-themed track is the overdone “Veteran of Psychic Wars” features thick synths, a lead duet, and some interesting percussion punches that put in in a category on its own, not only in relation to contemporaries but alongside its fellow track listers as well.

Fire of Unknown Origin proved the band still had the bite it had from their earlier years, being a commercially successful album at the time of its release. It only went to show that getting the right people to work on your stuff goes a long way.