SPECTRES

Here comes the same old problem with the "prog related" entries. Everybody expects to listen to prog, and a very good rocking album (like this one) ends up being much underrated because it doesn't sound like that. The Blue Oyster Cult are normally protagonist in heavy metal sites and forums, widely considered hard rock heroes. Of course their metaphisical and well-educated experimental hard rock appeals to many prog listeners (and shares more than a point with prog rock), but please, don't forget what B.O.C. really are! "Spectres" is not their masterpiece, yet it's still quite an enjoyable album, in my opinion even superior to "Agents of Fortune", straighter but also harder (take that "monster" riff of Godzilla, or the light-spirited R.U. Ready 2 Rock, a very simple piece, but also more aggressive than the stuff on "Agents..."). "Death Valley Nights" and "Fireworks" wouldn't be out of place in their masterpiece "Secret Treaties", reviving that kind of on-the-road epic and melodic mastery typical of the band. There's also a little room for nostalgy (Goin' through the motions) and the emerging arena rock - A.O.R. scene (the charming "Celestial the Queen"). And finally, I can't help considering "I love the night" and "Nosferatu" two real masterstrokes: wonderful melodies and perfect arrangements for the first one, a real film without images the second one. Come on, let's say this is a pretty good rock album!