Released March 24, 1998 (US) Length 41:17 | Genre Hard rock, heavy metal Label CMC | |
Recorded Millbrook Sound Studios, Millbrook, New York, U.S. Producer Buck Dharma, Eric Bloom, Steve Schenck | ||
Heaven Forbid is the thirteenth studio album by the American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released in 1998. It was the band's first studio album with new material in a decade (not counting the 1992 soundtrack to Bad Channels). American science fiction and horror writer John Shirley wrote lyrics for several songs on the album. While he is a noted author for his cyberpunk stories, many of the lyrics on this album revolve around early science fiction and mystery motifs. The album's working title was 'Ezekiel's Wheel', after the Biblical story that some take to reference an early visitation by UFOs.
Contents
A number of songs on this album have ties to previous songs released within the circle of Blue Öyster Cult. "In Thee" was originally featured on Mirrors. "Still Burnin'" is a sequel to the song "Burnin' for You" that appeared on Fire of Unknown Origin.
The inspiration for the alternative cover is Morgan Fairchild. This image also appears on the reverse of the insert, and was originally intended to be the front piece as indicated by advertisements from the period.
Track listing
- "See You in Black" (Eric Bloom, Donald Roeser, John Shirley) – 3:17
- "Harvest Moon" (Roeser) – 4:55
- "Power Underneath Despair" (Bloom, Roeser, Shirley) – 3:30
- "X-Ray Eyes" (Roeser, Shirley) – 3:48
- "Hammer Back" (Bloom, Roeser, Shirley) – 3:35
- "Damaged" (Roeser, Shirley) – 4:22
- "Cold Gray Light of Dawn" (Bloom, Roeser, Shirley) – 3:51
- "Real World" (Roeser, Shirley) – 5:08
- "Live for Me" (Roeser, Shirley) – 5:19
- "Still Burnin'" (Roeser, Jon Rogers) – 3:39
- "In Thee" (Live) (Allen Lanier) – 3:40