Premiere: Transmaniacon ‘Transmaniacon MC’ – Taken From ‘The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult’

70s proto-metal prog rockers Transmaniacon have been a little quiet since the release of their sophomore album, The Strange World Of Suzie Pellet on New Heavy Sounds, but when the chance arose to feature on the Blue Öyster Cult tribute Taken From The Dark Side Of The Cult, how could they say no, as after all, they got their name from that very band.

Transmaniacon
Transmaniacon

Selecting a track was a no brainer as the band explain, ‘Of course, we all loved Don’t Fear The Reaper. Who doesn’t? But when we eventually got around to listening to those first three albums we were blown away. Nobody else sounds like that. They conjured up a unique mix of killer riffs, fabulous musicianship, and pitch-black lyrical imagery. And boy, do they rock! So, naming the band after the first song on the first album was a no brainer, and covering it was a true privilege. Hopefully we’ve retained the core Cult essence and added a bit of our own vibe!’

Although The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult has been available for a few weeks on double compact disc through Black Widow Records, there’s no digital stream available on the interweb, so for your taste of this cult classic, click play below to hear Transmaniacon and their proto-metal and prog rock take on, well Transmaniacon MC

More On The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult

Blue Öyster Cult is one of the greatest dark rock bands of all time. Considered among the fathers of heavy metal, over the years they have developed a sound that embraces many musical genres, with imaginative lyrics that have drawn from poetry – famous the collaboration with Patti Smith – sci-fi, horror and cyber punk literature.

The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult
The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult Artwork

They have been cited as an influence by very different artists, as Metallica, Iron Maiden, Mike Watt, Big Country and plenty others, and honored by writers and directors like Stephen King, Joanne Rowling Peter Jackson, just to name a few. The Dark Side Of The Cult isn’t a tribute in a ‘classic way’, because it aims to celebrate the dark prog and gothic side of the American band. It comes out on double CD with strictly black and white graphics as a mention of the three first albums.

The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult
The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult CDs

Many artists and bands took part in the project and we’re very proud we had Albert Bouchard, founder drummer and author of many of Blue Öyster Cult’s best songs, joining us as well. Each of them has put a sincere enthusiasm into this project and that’s what we really loved in the making of The Dark Side of the Cult.

The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult Tracklist:
1. Transmaniacon MC – Transmaniacon
2. Stairway to the Stars – Salem Cross
3. Before the Kiss, a Redcap – Presence
4. She’s as Beautiful as a Foot – L’Impero Delle Ombre
5. Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll – Spectres Dead Dream
6. The Red & the Black – Humulus
7. Baby Ice Dog – Albert Bouchard
8. Wings Wetted Down – Epitaph
9. Mistress of the Salmon Salt – Belladonna
10. Career of Evil – Bretus
11. Dominance and Submission – Bullfrog
12. Flaming Telepaths – Witchwood
13. Astronomy – Blue Dawn
14.  (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – The Forty Days
15. The Revenge of Vera Gemini – Il Segno Del Comando
16. Godzilla – Jim Gustafson and Poobah
17. Death Valley Nights – Lifestream
18. Nosferatu – Gothic Stone
19. The Vigil – Doctors Of Space
20. Black Blade – Freddy Delirio and The Phantoms
21. Monsters – Ottone Pesante
22. Burning For You – Ape Shifter
23. Veteran of the Psychic Wars – Mugshots
24. Sole Survivor – Jack Meille and the Blue Machine
25. Heavy Metal: The Black and Silver – Smed
26. Demon’s Kiss – The Lancasters
27. The Alchemist – Runaway Totem

Plus two bonus tracks

1. Then Came the Last Days of May – Simone Baldini Tosi & Cristiano Roversi
2. Godzilla – Death SS

The Dark Side Of The Cult – A Tribute To Blue Öyster Cult is out now and can be purchased on Double CD over on the Black Widow Records webstore.

Label: Black Widow Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp