Review Summary: A fitting yet somehow satisfying example of 80's era Blue Oyster Cult, this will definitely please long-time fans of the band, but perhaps not those who are looking for the band's 'rockier' works.
Let's face it-by 1980 almost everything had changed regarding the genres of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple appeared to be on their last legs, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath were proving to the world that they still had some life in them, and the Punk Rock scene was manifesting itself into something much more different than, say, the stripped down rawness of the late 70's. However, Blue Oyster Cult was unaffected. In fact, every one of the band's records released in the 70's deemed them a steadily improving musical act that had both pleased their growing fan-base and expanded their musical talent.
It is well known that with 'Mirrors' Blue Oyster Cult could have at least been a tad more original and creative with their song-writing, and the 'polished' sound they had experimented with only made things more disappointing. But come 'Cultosaurus Erectus', a cunning title to signify the band's success as a dominative musical force all over the world, the band seemed to be firing on all cylinders once again-as if it was 1976 all over again. It's true that whereas the band's success failed in huge album sales, their worldwide tours and sold-out arena shows proved them to be masters of their own creative style.
Fans of the band will undoubtedly love the exciting guitar work of Bloom and Roeser, the ode to Michael Moorcock's fictional work 'Stormbringer' that is stunning opener 'Black Blade' giving off the impression of a band fully in their prime. Not to mention the faster paced numbers 'Monstrous' and 'Fallen Angel', which in turn each have their own significance within the album. Are the solos here too? Of course they are! The solos were arguably one of the outstanding highlights of the band's first few albums, and just in case you thought the solos to be indifferent to each other, by listening to 'Cultosaurus...' you will surely prove yourself wrong.
The band haven't lost any of their creativity either. Using out-of-this-world lyrical content (and it certainly is 'out of this world'!) on 'Black Blade' and the mid-paced rocker 'Deadline', the band's intent to retain what has always kept their music different to other musical groups is here in spades. However, if it wasn't for the fact that each member of the band singing didn't sound the same all the way through, this would be an even better album. Yes, each singing member has a different voice, but that doesn't mean to say they have much of a range. Listening to every one of 'Cultosaurus Erectus's tracks, you may feel as if whoever is singing on a particular track really wants to sing on there. Compare it to the more exciting sounds of 'Tyranny and Mutation' and 'Secret Treaties', and you'll see what I mean.
Nonetheless, 'Cultosaurus...' is still a damn fine album in it's own right. Even if you become tired and weary with the band's everlasting blues influences, there is always the brief jazz interludes on 'Monsters' or the cheekily borrowed opening notes of 'Smoke on the Water' on 'Marshall Plan', the latter of which sounds as if it was recorded live. Thing is, 'Cultosaurus Erectus' serves as a very apt introduction to 80's era BOC, as on later records the minor pop influences would become much greater, most notably on the interesting yet slightly underwhelming 'Imaginos'. Buy this if you are curious about how the band's sound had changed within the 70's, but not if you are expecting the same stunning work of BOC's first few albums.
