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Artist: Blue Oyster Cult

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CD Title: Fire of Unknown Origin

 

Category: Hard Rock

Year: 1981

Label: Columbia Records

Catalog Number: 37389

Personnel

Eric Bloom bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals
Albert Bouchard synthesizer, guitar, harmonica, drums, vocals
Joe Bouchard vocals, bass, guitar, piano, bass
Allen Lanier bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals
Donald Roeser synthesizer, bass, guitar, percussion, keyboards, vocals
Tony Cedrone percussion
Bill Civitella percussion
Sandy Jean backing vocals
Karla DeVito backing vocals
Buck Dharma percussion, sound effects
Ellen Foley vocals

Tracks

1.	Fire of Unknown Origin	4:09
2.	Burnin' for You	4:29
3.	Veteran of the Psychic Wars	4:48
4.	Sole Survivor	4:04
5.	Heavy Metal: the Black and Silver	3:16
6.	Vengeance (The Pact)	4:40
7.	After Dark	4:24
8.	Joan Crawford	4:54
9.	Don't Turn Your Back	4:02
Total Running Time:		38:46

If you see any errors or omissions in the CD information shown above, either in the musician credits or song listings (cover song credits, live tracks, etc.), please post them in the corrections section of the Heavy Harmonies forum/message board.

The music discographies on this site are works in progress. If you notice that a particular Blue Oyster Cult CD release or compilation is missing from the list above, please submit that CD using the CD submission page. The ultimate goal is to make the discographies here at Heavy Harmonies as complete as possible. Even if it is an obscure greatest-hits or live compilation CD, we want to add it to the site. Please only submit official CD releases; no bootlegs or cassette-only or LP-only releases.

EPs and CD-singles from Blue Oyster Cult are also welcome to be added, as long as they are at least 4 songs in length.

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Existing comments about this CD

From: ViperDSnake	Date: June 14, 2001 at 19:45
Besssst musssssic I have ever hisssssed to! A Mussssst have.

From: Curious B	Date: January 31, 2002 at 13:14
Loved this album growing up. If your interested in BOC, start with this one. Good buy!!

From: masque	Date: October 23, 2002 at 21:53
wonderful album.one of their best.and perfect production.and what a classic stuff boc give us here..amazing.vetern of psychic wars..the vengance..burning for you..joan crawford..superb!

From: koogles

Date: October 25, 2002 at 16:17

Very dark CD, especially "Vengeance (The Pact)" and "After Dark". The band manages to maintain the tone throughout the whole record, which is a breaktrhough after inconsistent efforts like "Mirrors" and "Cultosaurus". "Joan Crawford" is a horror movie disguised as a 5 minute pop song. "Burning" is also pop without a speck of compromise (especially in the lyrics). A great CD that ranks up there with "Agents", "Imaginos" and the debut as BOC's finest works.

From: The Fizzy One	Date: October 25, 2002 at 19:48
Iced Earth does a MEAN version of "Burnin' for You," from the covers disc in their box set. "Cities On Flame" is also on there. Just thought y'all would like to know. Anybody out there like Iced Earth?

From: Joe	Date: May 28, 2003 at 3:43
BOC at their best. Every song is good here. This album is keyboard driven with Buck playing the guitar, as usual, better then perhaps anybody else. Dark and menacing is defined by this album.

Heavy Harmonies Volunteer
From: Blue Charvel	Date: July 16, 2003 at 18:03
This is just freakin' awesome! I just replaced my vinyl version (with a big scratch on side 2) via iTunes and I couldn't be happier. It's all good, but songs 6-8 really kick my ass. "Joan Crawford" is killer. Lot of depth, very crisp production (I like to hear them hi-hats). 9/10 in my book, I'd give it a 10 but a couple of the tunes don't blow me away.

From: ashman

Date: October 26, 2003 at 1:00

Probably the best BOC album created. Brilliant production (light years beyond the 70's releases), solid song-writing, and well tuned musicianship come togther for an album without a single flaw. Most of the songs were crafted for the 1981 movie 'Heavy Metal', though only 'Veteran...' made the soundtrack. Buck's eeire feedback on the track 'Heavy Metal' is awesome and the lyrics are simply unequaled in the genre. No party tunes here, just hard hitting, space-age macabre.

From: Rycheage	Date: February 16, 2004 at 0:36
Excellent production and tunes. "Burning For You" and "Fire Of Unknown Origin" rock!! A must own.

From: Lynchomaniac	Date: October 14, 2004 at 11:24
I've been recommended this one, as Imaginos (why is that album missing from these charts), Agents of fortune, Tyranny and mutation and Secret treaties where right on the spot as far as my taste is concerned

From: Propane	Date: December 2, 2004 at 15:24
Very strong recording, masterful musicianship. Buy this!

Heavy Harmonies Volunteer
From: Jez	Date: June 10, 2005 at 6:04
This one would have surpassed 'Cultosarus Erectus' if it weren't for a couple of below par tracks later on (Heavy Metal - The Black & Silver ,'After Dark'), but besides those,this is great great album throughout and Another must have album in the BOC library.

From: markosherrera

Date: February 11, 2006 at 17:00

estoy en desacuerdo con todos yo tenia este album y solo me gustaba burning for you pues era pasable como tema poprock comercial pero yo que no conocia el grupo al ver la caratula, el nombre del grupo y de los temas creia que iba a ser progresivo pero son pesimos instrumentistas yo escucho kansas ,journey,toto,eagles,genesis,yes,jethro tull,king crimson,uk,asia etc etc etc este es un pobre grupito perdonen sus fans argumentenme a ver si me convencen de lo contrario.

From: Adam Blackheart	Date: February 26, 2006 at 12:57
Ouch! This cd gives me more thrills than any other album from this era. Original, avangarde but still rockin'. "Joan Crawford" and "Veteran Of Psychic Wars" are the soundtracks of my life. Does anybody believed that they could repeat the "Agents Of Fortune" success? They could and they have done it!!! (btw. sorry for my english, I hope that you understand what I mean)

From: underworld king	Date: March 11, 2009 at 6:38
A classic. One of my all time favorite B.O.C. albums. Not a weak song on this one IMHO and it brings back great memories of my youth.

From: Remastered Reason

Date: March 28, 2009 at 9:53

Though BOC had enjoyed success previously, it seemed as if the stars again alligned for them here. Joining the usual aggressive riffs & melodic leads, came an outstanding textured wall of keys with this album. Also, the menacing vocals of Bloom & underrated pounding of drums by Bouchard, shine at the height of their powers. Pretty much every song has something distinct to offer. There is a chilling guitar crunch on "Heavy Metal: the Black and Silver". "Veteran of the Psychic Wars" offers some of the best sci-fi keys & drumming anywhere, while "Vengeance" serves up killer waves of harmony vocals & keys, followed by a soaring lead by Buck & even a headbanging, galloping bass by mid-end. Not to be outdone, "Joan Crawford" maybe the crowning goulish gem within their entire catogue. If by chance all one knows is "Burning for You" from this album, then one is seriously missing out on a great rock record.

From: rick kerch vzla	Date: May 18, 2014 at 12:50
Good album by BOC..."Burning For You" is by far the best cut in here and one of the best songs done by the band,period!.Some other fine moments are "Veteran Of The Psychic War"( ),"Vengeance(The Pact)","After Dark","Joan Crawford" & "Don't Turn Your Back"...the whole album in general lines is acceptable...83/100

From: Doug

Date: February 14, 2019 at 12:35

So, I pulled this CD out the other day and have been listening to it a bit. Reading the comments over the years, it seems all are favorable. But for me, except for "Burnin' for You," which is simply stellar and a song that quite frankly, it's production and sound value is completely better than anything else on this album, the rest of the songs are really a mish-mash of techno, "tinny" type songs. The album has no real identity to it, IMO.

From: Auslander

Date: May 27, 2023 at 1:48

I am late to the BOC fanclub. But I have been steadily picking up their albums recently. This album was my gateway to the band. Burning for You is a pop masterpiece. Somehow it sounds heavy even though it isn't. My other favourite track is Veteran of the Psychic Wars which continues the ever reliable use of science fiction themes in BOC songs. I love the music, the album art, everything about this album. Grade A classic hard rock.

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