When I spoke to Blue Öyster Cult singer and guitarist Eric Bloom in 2007, I asked him if the band had any plans to cut a new album. At the time, it had been six years since their most recent release, 2001’s The Curse Of The Hidden Mirror. He told me the BÖC didn’t have a label, though that didn’t seem to be the problem. “Maybe we’ll make one of our own and make it a download only,” he said. “There’s talk about it, but we have a lot of touring.” In subsequent years, Bloom repeated in other interviews that the band spent much of their time on the road, adding that making a record isn’t cost-effective and there’s simply no demand for a new BÖC record. Obviously, things have changed and in 2020, when touring isn’t really in the cards, Blue Öyster Cult has finally been able to release The Symbol Remains, their first new album of original material in nearly 20 years.
The first album to include guitarist and keyboardist Richie Castellano and drummer Jules Radino — members since 2004 — The Symbol Remains is a bold collection of heavy, accessible rock and roll, crafted to the band’s high standards. Castellano has a hand in a lot of the writing, and takes the lead vocal on three songs. In keeping with the tradition of previous BÖC albums, other writers, notably novelist John Shirley and rock critic Richard Meltzer, also contribute to the songwriting.
There isn’t anything on here as sticky as “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” “Godzilla,” and “Burnin’ For You,” though the album is filled with plenty of muscular hooks and melodic choruses. “That Was Me” is a strong opener, and “Box In My Head,” with guitarist Buck Dharma’s calm, assured vocal leading the way, cuts close to the classic BÖC methodology. Castellano’s turn at singing “Tainted Blood” adds a radiant and modern spin, while Bloom heads up “Edge Of The World.” Here, Castellano adds a dash of piano and background vocals to one of three songs he receives a sole songwriting credit. It proves to be one of the album’s more robust entries.
“The Return of St. Cecilia” and “The Alchemist” are two more, rich with the flavor of old-school BÖC. Dharma’s “Florida Man,” “Secret Road,” and “Fight” are somber, straightforward, and harmonious. All 14 songs on The Symbol Remains have their strengths and weaknesses, but the overall result is a fairly rigid record that fills a long-overdue gap. Once BÖC is back to playing shows, they’ll have more than enough contenders from this album to work into the setlist. Perhaps after that, fans won’t have to wait another 20 years for more new music.
~ Shawn Perry
