URIAH HEEP: "Demons and Wizards"

 Original released on LP Mercury SRM 1 630

(US 1972, May 19)

This is the album that solidified Uriah Heep's reputation as a master of gothic-inflected heavy metal. From short, sharp rock songs to lengthy, musically dense epics, "Demons and Wizards" finds Uriah Heep covering all the bases with style and power. The album's approach is set with its lead-off track, "The Wizard": it starts as a simple acoustic tune but soon builds into a stately rocker that surges forth on a Wall of Sound built from thick guitar riffs, churchy organ, and operatic vocal harmonies. Other highlights include "Traveller in Time," a fantasy-themed rocker built on thick wah-wah guitar riffs, and "Circle of Hands," a stately power ballad with a gospel-meets-heavy metal feel to it. "Demons and Wizards" also produced a notable radio hit for the band in "Easy Livin'," a punchy little rocker whose raging blend of fuzz guitar and swirling organ made it feel like a '70s update of classic '60s garage rockers like the Electric Prunes or Paul Revere & the Raiders. However, the top highlight of the album is the closing medley of "Paradise" and "The Spell": the first part of the medley starts in an acoustic folk mode and slowly adds layers of organ and electric guitar until it becomes a forceful, slow-tempo rocker, while the second half is a punchy, organ-led rocker that includes an instrumental midsection where choral-style harmonies fortify a killer, Pink Floyd-style guitar solo from Ken Hensley. All in all, "Demons and Wizards" works both as a showcase for Uriah Heep's instrumental firepower and an excellent display of their songwriting skills in a variety of hard rock styles. As a result, it is considered by many fans to be their finest hour and is definitely worth a spin for anyone with an interest in 1970s heavy metal. (Donald A. Guarisco in AllMusic)

I recently went on a trip back in time to 1972 when bands played a combination of hard and progressive rock with a bit of psych thrown in for good measure. I stopped off at a place where I found Uriah Heep playing their particular blend. All I knew of the band before this was their 1977 single, "Free Me". This is completely different though due in no small part to David Byron, the lead singer at the time, who I think is just fabulous on this release. His voice seems so right for this type of music and instantly struck an accord with me. Not only that, I have so many positive things to say about the songs I'm not sure where to start. In times when so much music sounds so alike, it's almost refreshing to go back 40 years and find an album where nine tracks all sound different. There's a trademark sound going on there, mainly thanks to the big organ, which is almost cathedral-like at times, but all instruments can be clearly heard in the mix along with some great harmonies. Highlights for me include the acoustic opener, "The Wizard", the dynamic single, "Easy Livin'" and the bold ballad "Circle of Hands" which is driven just as much by the bass as that amazing organ. However, I can't stop there as it would be criminal to overlook the heavy "Rainbow Demon" or the epicness of "Paradise / The Spell". No doubt this was an influential album for many musicians in times to come and with good reason, it's a very fine work which I would happily revisit often. (in RateYourMusic)

URIAH HEEP: Look At Yourself

Original released on LP Bronze ILPS 9169

(UK, July 1971)

The third time proved to be the charm for Uriah Heep: on "Look at Yourself", the group perfects its fusion of heavy metal power and prog rock majesty, and the result is one of the best albums in the Heep catalog. The gauntlet is thrown down on the title track, a powerful rocker that layers its relentless hard rock attack with ornate vocal harmonies and quicksilver organ runs before climaxing with a tribal-sounding drum jam. The remainder of "Look at Yourself" presents an effective blend of gutsy guitar rock and organ-fueled prog excursions. In the rock arena, the gems are "Tears in My Eyes," a powerful rocker driven by an almost rockabilly-style riff that stops midway for a surprising vocal harmony break supported by smooth wah-wah guitar, and "Love Machine," a short, punchy slice of hard rock built on an infectious, stomping rhythm.

However, the best track on the album is one of the more prog-oriented ones: "July Morning" starts with a pastoral organ riff, then builds into a heavy yet symphonic rock tune that divides its time between gentle acoustic verses and emotional, organ-fueled choruses before climaxing in a monstrous jam dominated by a swirling Moog synthesizer lead. Special note should also be taken of David Byron's vocal performance; his multi-octave, operatic style was no doubt an influence on later metal vocalists like Rob Halford. All in all, "Look at Yourself" is both one of Uriah Heep's finest, most cohesive albums and a high point of 1970s heavy metal. (Donald A. Guarisco in AllMusic)

URIAH HEEP: The Second Album

Original released on LP Vertigo 6360 028

(UK, February 1971)

On their second album, Uriah Heep jettisons the experiments that weighed down "Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble" and works toward perfecting their blend of heavy metal power and prog rock complexity. "Salisbury" tips the band's style in the prog direction, containing one side of songs and one side dominated by a lengthy and ornate epic-length composition. Highlights on the song-oriented side include "Bird of Prey," a soaring rocker that blends furious, power chord-fuelled verses with spacy, keyboard-drenched instrumental breaks, and "Lady in Black," a stylishly arranged tune that builds from a folk-styled acoustic tune into a throbbing rocker full of ghostly harmonies and crunching guitar riffs. The big surprise on this side is "The Park," a ballad-style song built on a light blend of acoustic guitars and ethereal keyboards. It has a gentle, appealingly psychedelic feel that is topped off by David Byron's falsetto vocal and some soaring harmonies from Byron and Ken Hensley. 

However, "Salisbury" is undone by its title track, the 16-minute track that dominates the album's entire second side: it feels more like a lengthy jam session instead of a prog epic with distinctive and carefully crafted sections. Another problem is that the overly busy brass and woodwind arrangements that have been grafted onto it intrude on the group's sound instead of fleshing it out. All in all, "Salisbury" is too unfocused for the casual listener but offers enough solid songs for the Uriah Heep completist. Collector's note: The American version of this album had different cover art (the tank on the British edition was replaced by a gruesome image of man tearing out of his own skin) and replaced "Bird of Prey" with a bluesy B-side entitled "Simon the Bullet Freak." (Donald A. Guarisco in AllMusic)

HURIAH HEEP: THE FIRST ALBUM

Original released on LP Vertigo 6360 006

(UK 1970, June 13)

This album was the debut of Uriah Heep, an English band that would become one of the Titans of the '70s heavy metal sound. Despite their eventual hard-rocking reputation, "Very 'Eavy...Very 'Umble" finds the band trying on different stylistic hats as they work towards finding their own sound. At this juncture, their music falls halfway between the crunch of heavy metal and the dramatic arrangements of prog rock. When this style jells, the results are quite powerful: "Dreammare" blends psychedelic lyrics and a complex vocal arrangement with a stomping beat from the rhythm section to create an effective slice of prog metal fusion while "I'll Keep on Trying" presents a head-spinning, complex tune with enough riffs, hooks, and tempo changes to fill three or four songs. However, the album's finest achievement is "Gypsy": this heavy metal gem nails the blend of swirling organ riffs, power chords, and leather-lunged vocal harmonies that would define the group's classic tunes and remains a staple of the band's live performances today. Unfortunately, the focus of the album is diluted by some unsuccessful experiments: "Lucy Blues" is a dull, unmemorable stab at a Led Zeppelin-style heavy blues tune and "Come Away Melinda" is an overproduced, melodramatic cover that tries to marry the band's full-throttle musical style to a message song. Despite these occasional moments of stylistic schizophrenia, "Very 'Eavy...Very 'Umble" is a likable album that shows the promise that Uriah Heep would soon realize. Those unfamiliar with Uriah Heep may want to try out "Demons and Wizards" or a compilation first, but anyone with a serious interest in Uriah Heep or the roots of heavy metal will find plenty to like on "Very 'Eavy...Very 'Umble". The American edition of this album was retitled "Uriah Heep" and omits "Lucy Blues" in favor of the track "Bird of Prey" from "Salisbury". (Donald A. Guarisco in AllMusic)