Cultösaurus Erectus
Cultösaurus Erectus | ||||
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Cover art by Richard Clifton-Dey | ||||
Studio album by Blue Öyster Cult | ||||
Released | June 14, 1980 | |||
Recorded | Kingdom Sound Studios, Long Island, New York | |||
Genre | Hard rock, heavy metal | |||
Length | 41:10 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Martin Birch | |||
Blue Öyster Cult chronology | ||||
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Singles from Cultösaurus Erectus | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 10/10[2] |
Cultösaurus Erectus is the seventh studio album by the American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released in 1980. Following the experiment with a more polished sound in the album Mirrors of 1979, this recording was an attempt to return to the band's earlier hard-rock sound. The first track "Black Blade" features lyrics by fantasy and sci-fi writer Michael Moorcock and is about Stormbringer, a black sword wielded by Elric of Melniboné, the most famous character in Moorcock's mythology.
This album also features the first collaboration with British producer Martin Birch (Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden), who would go on to produce the successful following album Fire of Unknown Origin in 1981. The riff to Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water", a song that Birch helped record, is referenced in "The Marshall Plan".
While the album sold more than its predecessor, it stalled at Gold status. However, during this time Blue Öyster Cult were arguably at their peak as a live act, filling halls and arenas with ease. The tour promoting Cultösaurus Erectus found them co-headlining sports arenas in the United States with Black Sabbath as part of the Black and Blue Tour (see Black and Blue).
The album cover features a part of the painting Behemoth's world by the British artist Richard Clifton-Dey. The cover art was also used for the 1991 video game Ork.
Track listing
Side one | ||||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
1. | "Black Blade" | Eric Bloom, Michael Moorcock, John Trivers | Bloom | 6:34 |
2. | "Monsters" | Albert Bouchard, Caryn Bouchard | Bloom | 5:10 |
3. | "Divine Wind" | Donald Roeser | Bloom | 5:07 |
4. | "Deadline" | Roeser | Roeser | 4:27 |
Side two | ||||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
5. | "The Marshall Plan" | Bloom, A. Bouchard, Joe Bouchard, Allen Lanier, Roeser | Bloom | 5:24 |
6. | "Hungry Boys" | A. Bouchard, C. Bouchard | A. Bouchard | 3:38 |
7. | "Fallen Angel" | J. Bouchard, Helen Wheels | J. Bouchard | 3:11 |
8. | "Lips in the Hills" | Bloom, Roeser, Richard Meltzer | Bloom | 4:24 |
9. | "Unknown Tongue" | A. Bouchard, David Roter | Bloom | 3:55 |
Total length: |
41:10 |
Personnel
- Band members
- Eric Bloom – guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser – lead guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals
- Allen Lanier – keyboards, guitar
- Joe Bouchard – bass, vocals
- Albert Bouchard – drums, vocals
- Additional musicians
- Don Kirshner – introduction for "The Marshall Plan"
- Mark Rivera – saxophone
- Production
- Martin Birch – producer, engineer, mixing
- Clay Hutchinson – engineer
- Paula Scher – art direction
Charts
Album
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1980 | Billboard 200 (United States) | 34[3] |
UK Album Chart | 12[4] | |
RPM100 Albums (Canada) | 77[5] |
References
- ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Blue Öyster Cult Cultosaurus Erectus review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
- ↑ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 978-1894959315.
- ↑ "Cultosaurus Erectus Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
- ↑ "Cultosaurus Erectus Chart Stats". Chart Stats.com. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
- ↑ "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 33, No. 21, August 16, 1980". Library and Archives Canada. 16 August 1980. Retrieved 2012-01-19.