Blue Oyster Cult - Tyranny and Mutation (5022352) CD

Tyranny and Mutation is the second studio album by American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, originally released in 1973. Expanding on the sound of their debut, the album delivers heavier riffs, darker themes and a more aggressive style that helped establish the band as one of the most distinctive acts of 1970s rock.

Produced by Murray Krugman and Sandy Pearlman, the album showcases the group’s blend of hard rock, proto-metal and cryptic lyrical imagery. Highlights include The Red and the Black, Hot Rails to Hell, and Baby Ice Dog.

The record’s original vinyl release famously divided its sides into “The Black” and “The Red,” reflecting the band’s fascination with mysticism and symbolism. Issued on CD, Tyranny and Mutation remains an essential early release in the Blue Öyster Cult catalogue and a key album in the development of 1970s hard rock.

1. Red and the Black
2. O.D.'d on Life Itself
3. Hot Rails to Hell
4. 7 Screaming Diz-Busters
5. Baby Ice Dog
6. Wings Wetted Down
7. Teen Archer
8. Mistress of the Salmon Salt (Quicklime Girl)
9. Cities on Flame With Rock & Roll [Live in Rochester, NY 1972]
10. Buck's Boogie [Studio Version, outtake]
11. 7 Screaming Diz-Busters [Live July 5, 1974, Portland, Oregon]
12. O.D.'d on Life Itself [Live July 5, 1974, Portland, Oregon]