Blue Oyster Cult - The Symbol Remains

[Zzzptm]

I picked up this "gramps with amps" album today so I could consider it in the overall list of 2020 albums.

My first impression is that this album would have zero trouble slotting in between Cultosaurus Erectus and Fire of Unknown Origin. It has a DEFINITE 80s hard rock feel to it, like it's the missing soundtrack to Heavy Metal or something like that. There are a few songs that sound like end-credit soundtrack tunes from movies that involved karate, car races, and/or bikers with hearts of gold. I'm half way through it and have enjoyed Box in My Head and Train True most.

[Zzzptm]

The Return of St. Cecilia is another one of those 80s-sounding tracks, especially with that new guy doing vocals. But it's a helluva fun tune, I'm really liking it.

[Zzzptm]

"The Alchemist" is the hardest track on the album - the rest of the album is much more 80s in feel, what Charger would NOT consider to be metal! I wouldn't, either, for that matter. It's not as limp as Mirrors or as turgid as Club Ninja, by no means. But it's also not as hard as Secret Treaties or Tyranny and Mutation.

"There's a Crime" is the second-hardest track, and it's a right rocker of a tune, but there's a lot of mellow sci-fi sounds on this album in and around those two big rocks.

[Charger]

Thanks for the heads up ZZZ...

Sounds like I WON'T be buying this album after all...I was kind of hoping that they would have gone more to the Alchemist route but it seems like that was the odd song out instead...

Very disappointed by that.

[Zzzptm]

Thanks for the heads up ZZZ...

Sounds like I WON'T be buying this album after all...I was kind of hoping that they would have gone more to the Alchemist route but it seems like that was the odd song out instead...

Very disappointed by that.

Yep, thought of you as those 80s flavors seeped through my speakers. I like it overall. Is it metal? No, just those two tracks. Is it top ten 2020 material? I dunno, certainly not top 5, where I'd probably put DP, Armored Saint, Sky Valley Mistress, La Iglesia Atomica, and 1000mods. Even if my top five shuffles around, those are five bands I can think of off the top of my head that did a better album than this one. At the same time, I had more fun with it than several others I picked up, so it's not a bottom feeder, either.

Oh wait, there was also that tribute album to the Hollywood Brats... yeah, my top five can shuffle, but BOC not in the consideration.