BLUE ÖYSTER CULT

The whole "biker rockers dabbling in the occult" deal got off to an atmospheric start on this debut. Oddly enough, the album cover is a completely apt representation to the album's contents, being linear yet spacey. Reverb is everywhere, softening up the distorted guitars and endowing the drums with with a floating, drifting aura. It's a really unusual production for this sort of music, and it actually works in a strange way as it gives this album a lot of character and a truly unique vibe.

"Transmaniacon MC" is a great opener with a cool riff, introducing that combo of hard rock with spaced-out trippy leanings in grand fashion juxtaposed with Eric Bloom's strange ramblings involving bikers, Satan, rock performances in a weird haze. Personally I consider it one of their gems. Other winners include the eerie "Screams" and its segue into the even creepier "She's as Beautiful as a Foot", in which the 'echoey' production aids in establishing an uncanny aura. "Then Came the Last Days of May" is classic rock ballad mystery with some fantastic guitarwork and pleasant vocals by Buck Dharma. "Cities on Flame" is probably the best known track, and certainly one of the hardest as well with its mammoth riffs (though tempered by the mix).

It's not all great, as "I'm On The Lamb But I Ain't No Sheep" (gotta love these titles), though kind of cool in its own way, would be transformed into an absolute barn-burner on their next album. Overall, though, this is a pretty cool album, with a heightened sense of moodiness that often overrides aggressive posturing. Not exactly the true representation of their sound, but easily worth grabbing. Honestly though, their first three albums (the Black and White trilogy so to speak) are all pretty damn killer in their own diverse ways.