Ominous scenarios, cryptic lyrics, ripping guitar and memorable hooks are what Blue Oyster Cult is known for, and the 14-cuts on The Symbol Remains are packed with all of it. Want a hit single with a chorus that you can't get out of your head? The story of evil incarnate told with devilish delight that is "That Was Me" fills the bill. On a much lighter note, "Box in My Head" rocks the classic Blue Oyster Cult made-for-radio sound, again with an earworm chorus. If you're a big fan of the band's pre-superstardom work, like Tyranny and Mutation and Secret Treaties, the hard-edged guitars on "Stand and Fight" and "The Alchemist" will lead you to familiar musical ecstasy.

In a bit of a departure for Blue Oyster Cult, the guys have a blast raving up a real blues-rocker on "Train True (Lennie's Song)" where harmonica mimics a train whistle, the beat rocks like a runaway locomotive and rapid-fire lyrics will challenge those who are determined to sing along. Elsewhere "Tainted Blood" is ostensibly about a vampire couple but some will interpret the song as being about a drug-related death. "Florida Man," another surefire sing-along inducer, is about how was Florida was inhabited by indigenous peoples long before European explorers arrived, and about how today the words "Florida man" are a search engine favorite for those looking for wacky news blurbs. Knowingly, the song's ending words equate the Florida man with "any fragile soul." Set to a slinky guitar line, "Secret Road" hints at a way out of turmoil, equated here with the end of the world.