Secret Treaties

To this day I still don't understand why this album is more popular. This is one of the few albums where I can say I truly enjoy every single song. Each song manages to have its own personality, yet all of the songs maintain a feeling of fast paced and raw heaviness. That is until the album slows down for the epic "Astronomy" which eventually does speed up to reveal a bone chilling, head banging climax. The only way I can explain this albums relative unpopularity is the fact that it was released in 1974. If it had been released three or four years earlier, Secret Treaties would have fit perfectly along side bands like Sabbath, Zeppelin, and Purple who were prime members of the newly emerging heavy metal scene. Regardless of this albums historical popularity, it deserves every bit of recognition in the development of heavy metal and hard rock as the aforementioned bands. In short, this album rocks.

I don't think this is the masterpiece that others have made it out to be, but I still like it a bunch. It may contain their coolest song titles ever. Subhuman, Harvester Of Eyes and ME262 are good songs, though I prefer the live versions on On Your Feet Or On Your Knees. I dislike both Career Of Evil (now the title of a great book by Robert Galbraith, aka J. K. Rowling), and Cagey Cretins. And I don't like the mix, which has too many keyboards for my liking. But, heck, this album has grown like crazy on me lately and I find myself listening to it more than their other albums. The mini LP version by Culture Factory may be the best version of it ever released on CD and is a must have for BOC fans.

if you are like me and travel back in time to seek out treasures such as this-you wont be disappointed. I ashamed of mysel for waiting so long to tap into the BOC collection.

This is B.O.C. at their finest. Just raw rock and roll. A pure and honest recording. This was the first Cult album I owned and is time tested, still my favorite. Dominance and Submission stands out as does ME262. Well played, well written tunes you will know for the rest of your life.

With almost 40 years in the rear-view mirror and scant attention being paid to Blue Oyster Cult, it's difficult for the modern listener to appreciate the impact the first three BOC albums had on the direction of metal. Sabbath were the undisputed kings, but BOC really laid the foundation for speed metal and lyrically were light years ahead, delving into macabre (Harvester of Eyes, Flaming Telepaths, Career of Evil), otherworldly (Dominance and Submission, Astronomy) and just supremely intelligent (ME262) themes that would come to define metal. Back in the day, the only way to get the lyrics was to write to Columbia Records and they (eventually, after months of waiting) would send you pages of computer green bar printout; seeing this in the lyric sheet for ME262 "ME262 prince of turbojet, Junker's Jumo 004, blasts from clustered R4M quartets in my snout, see these English planes go burn" was simply astonishing. Someone was doing their homework and who thinks to write a song about a WWII German fighter plane?! The lyrics, their musicianship and the astonishing guitar dexterity of Donald (Buck Dharma) Roeser made these albums (especially Secret Treaties) phenomenal. Songs speed along led by a three pronged guitar attack and the incredible snare drum work of Albert Bouchard. About the time you think they're going to peak, Roeser tears off a jaw-dropping solo, the band kicks in again and finishes you off. The beginning of Flaming Telepaths is one of the all-time greats: a little snippet from a music box plays, Bouchard does a super-fast drum fill and the guitars roar to life. BOC, Tyranny and Mutation, Secret Treaties; buy them all as they were recorded originally (without all the bonus tracks). If you want to see where metal originated, you won't be disappointed. On a side note, I saw the Secret Treaties tour and I've still never seen a laser show to match it. BOC was one of the best live bands that ever walked across a stage.

I was a big fan of BOC back when I was in my teen years. The album that started things off with me was Fire of Unknown Origin. Unfortunately, at the time, I only ended up getting their later albums and stayed away from anything made before Spectres. When I rediscovered them just a few years ago, I finally purchased the albums that I had missed out on the first time. Secret Treaties is the definitive album from their early career (of evil). Not a weak song on the album. "Career of Evil" kicks things off with a bang and sets the dark, mystic, hard rocking feel that is maintained throughout the album. The album sounds fantastic and is mixed in such a way as to keep the flow going between songs. This collection of songs are definitely meant to be listened as a whole. Obviously some of the songs such as "Dominance and Submission" and "Astronomy" went on to become BOC classics that were performed regularly for years, but don't discount the rest that Secret Treaties has to offer. BOC never rocked harder and more to the point. Unfortunately, their later albums do not gel as good as this one as they tried to become more radio friendly. The only album that comes close is "Fire of Unknown Origin".

Probably the best Cult album out...had this LP back in 70's...rocks today like it did then, a must own. Also " on your feet or on your knees" live album, another great one...loved the old black & blue tours with sabbath & cult...old rock still rules !!!!!

This album has always been among my favorites by the BOC. Complex melodies overlay standard BOC rock and roll riffs. This combined with otherworldly and evocative lyrics give this record a unique place among all rock albums, and certainly among BOC records. Unlike the first 2 LPs which were hard rockers, this one relies more complex textures and interesting musical ideas. I don't think they did anything as good as this record, making this a sort of 'peak'. Like a lot of groups who would go on to embrace a more commercially viable sound, the peak (among purists) often occurs early. It may be provacotive to suggest as much, especially among people who've gotten a different 'idea' of BOCs sound - based on the more popular releases. So, while it may take a little getting used to, ultimately, it's a very satisfying record with a high level of poeticism and musical achievement throughout.

This is usally referenced as the fan favorite of all BOC's albums, and does not dissapiont. It's all good, but deffinately get Astronomy, D&S and Flaming Telepaths. On a side note this is Steven Kings favorite band!

B.O.C. rocks "cagey cretins" and "DOMINANCE and submission" our my standouts,it still bends my mind to listen to the lyrics to d/s."on your feet or on your knees" and "some enchanted evening" is mandatory listening so people understand that these guys were Heavy Metal gods.