BLUE ÖYSTER CULT

As debuts go, this one is pretty impressive. BÖC had a unique sound right from the outset, not really sounding derivative of bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, and while there are a few missteps here (She's As Beautiful As A Foot), this remains one of their strongest albums after all these years. The band traverses a wide variety of sounds here, but they all link together with a sort of internal logic that keeps the album from meandering. From the blistering hard rock of "Cities On Flame," to the gentle beauty of "Then Came The Last Days of May" and the zany finale "Redeemed." Along with Secret Treaties, this is about as proggy as the band ever got. "Before The Kiss A Redcap" is a good example of this, and is the highlight of the album. In my opinion, all of BÖC's first three albums are worth picking up, especially if you're interested in the roots of heavy metal.