THE REVÖLUTION BY NIGHT

Blue Oyster Cult may be primarily revered as proto-metal and hard rock pioneers, but a broader look at their discography reveals that there's always been this tension between the heavier and poppier sides of their sound, with one aspect or another usually holding sway over any particular album.

Take, for instance, The Revolution By Night, the first studio album put out after the original, classic lineup that had endured from their debut to Fire of Unknown Origin had come to an end. Sure, four of the five classic members are here, with newcomer Rick Downey taking Albert Bouchard's spot on the drum stool, but that's not the only thing that's different - this time, the band have gone even deeper into a 1980s pop sound than they were on the previous album, with synths and reverb aplenty.

This will shake anyone who was highly invested in the heavier side of the group's music - but as I become more accustomed to the pop side of BOC's music, I find that it's an interesting album in its own right. They might not be heavy any more, but they're still weird - dropping more UFOlogical references in opening track Take Me Away to remind us that they're still not your typical 80s pop group. The 2012 remaster makes the album sound more palatable than it has in a long time.