Fire of Unknown Origin

Released: July, 1981
Genre: Hard Rock
Duration: 39:06
Label: Columbia
Producer(s): Martin Birch
Certified: Gold (RIAA)

OVERVIEW:

After a couple of rather commercially weak releases, Blue Öyster Cult rose from the ashes with new born confidence and an album that re-defined their career and introduced them to the audience of the ‘80s. The band’s mid-70s authenticity remained intact; however this time they did manage to put in a little something extra, crafting an immensely enjoyable and much friendlier sound. Many fans, including myself, consider “Fire of Unknown Origin” as Blue Öyster Cult’s finest effort for that exact reason – it’s a perfect hybrid between their dark, old-school rock&roll outlook and newly adopted musical direction. Patti Smith, rock critic Richard Meltzer and fantasy writer Michael Moorcock are some of the cameos, appearing on BÖC’s intriguingly catchy 1981 release. Their enigmatic lyrical approach is bringing so much life into the album!

“Burnin’ for You” is one of those rockers that actually deserved the attention it got. The infectious riffs, accompanied by Buck Dharma’s great vocal performance (which I personally prefer over Bloom‘s) and Allen Lanier’s worthy keyboard work, drew quite the picturesque melodic wonderland; no wonder the track conquered the charts and turned into one of their most famous songs.  The title song, “Fire of Unknown Origin” is as bizarre as ever but once those fiery guitars hit you, there’s no coming back. The synthesizer-driven “Veteran of the Psychic Wars” is one of BÖC’s best works. The ominous melody, along with Bloom’s threatening vocals is definitely something to look forward to on the album. Moreover, it was also featured on the soundtrack of the animated sci-fi film, “Heavy Metal”. “Heavy Metal: The Black and Silver” is a personal favorite – how can you not be captivated by that mighty guitar intro? “Vengeance: The Pact” is as close as we can get to BÖC’s old days. “Fire of Unknown Origin” doesn’t lose its appeal as we jump from one song to the next. The closing song, “Don’t Turn Your Back” keeps things interesting till the very end.

“Fire of Unknown Origin” is a solid piece, compiled of rather eccentric, yet highly appealing tunes. It’s safe to say that it’s one of BÖC’s most valuable releases and still deserves to be played and enjoyed!
Cheers to the timeless classics!

Fire of Unknown Origin

Veteran of the Psychic Wars

Burnin’ For You

Sole Survivor

Don’t Turn Your Back

References:

“Fire of Unknown Origin” Official Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_of_Unknown_Origin
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~