Cultösaurus Erectus

Cultösaurus Erectus

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, progressive rock, heavy metal
Length 41:10
Label Columbia
Producer Martin Birch
Blue Öyster Cult chronology

Mirrors
(1979)		 Cultösaurus Erectus
(1980)		 Fire of Unknown Origin
(1981)
Singles from Cultösaurus Erectus
  1. "Here's Johnny (The Marshall Plan) / Divine Wind"
    Released: June 1980
  2. "Fallen Angel / Lips in the Hills"
    Released: July 1980
  3. "Deadlines / Monsters"
    Released: October 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Martin Popoff [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
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Black Blade"  Eric Bloom, Michael Moorcock, John Trivers 6:34
2. "Monsters"  Albert Bouchard, Caryn Bouchard 5:10
3. "Divine Wind"  Donald Roeser 5:07
4. "Deadline"  Roeser 4:27
Side two
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
5. "The Marshall Plan"  Bloom, A. Bouchard, Joe Bouchard, Roeser, Allen Lanier 5:24
6. "Hungry Boys"  A. Bouchard, C. Bouchard 3:38
7. "Fallen Angel"  J. Bouchard, Helen Wheels 3:11
8. "Lips in the Hills"  Bloom, Roeser, Richard Meltzer 4:24
9. "Unknown Tongue"  A. Bouchard, David Roter 3:55
Total length:
 41:10

Personnel

Band members
Additional musicians
Production

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1980 Billboard 200 (North America)[3] 34
UK Album Chart[4] 12
RPM100 Albums (Canada)[5] 77

References

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "Blue Öyster Cult Cultosaurus Erectus review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  2. ↑ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1894959315.
  3. ↑ "Cultosaurus Erectus Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  4. ↑ "Cultosaurus Erectus Chart Stats". Chart Stats.com. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  5. ↑ "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 33, No. 21, August 16, 1980". Library and Archives Canada. 16 August 1980. Retrieved 2012-01-19.