There are
not many bands left from hard rock’s
golden era from the early 1970s. A band
that remains, however, even through
several member changes and other
problems is
Uriah
Heep.
The classic band is now on it´s 22nd
studio album with
Into The Wild,
and this is probably not the end for the
band in any way. Uriah Heep still sounds
hungry and the sound is heavier than its
predecessor
Wake The Sleeper,
and I’m not at all disappointed that
they made this move. The new album
is
something of a sister album to the 2008
release
Wake
The Sleeper.
The band usually do this on a regular
basis, as you who have followed the band
might have experienced before . On this
album they let the drums and hammond
organ take a bigger place in the songs
and this makes the music become even
more dynamic. As a listener you can hear
how Uriah Heep have had a boost with
Russell Gilbrook
entrance behind the drums. As usual
Bernie Shaw
comes out great on the vocals, better
and better for every record he have been
the singer for this band. Now, back to
the songs of the album.
Into The Wild
opens with a poprock tune called
Nail on the Head, reminiscent
of Uriah Heep’s late 70′s and 80′s
poprock tunes. This track will also be
the disc’s first single. The album
really comes up to speed with the songs
I Can See You and the
title track Into The Wild,
which sometimes reminiscent of when the
band played in the “land” of heavy
metal. Unfortunately, Uriah Heep only
keep this steam up for two tracks in a
row. Subsequent the two next songs,
I’m Ready and Trail
of Diamonds, is very good. In
particular, the small prog-rock piece
Trail of Diamonds, which
is built up in a classic cut with a
quiet opening and closing in a groovy
way. The song makes me think of
“classic” Uriah Heep from their ‘ol days.
The band
also offers a mid-tempo riffrocker in
classic 70′s spirit with the song
Southern Star.
After that tune it is time for Mick Box
& co with some classical harmonies in
the song
Believe,
which we are accustomed to hearing them
since ancient times. In the song
Lost
we can hear heavy rocking and hammond
masturbation, this is the song where you
also can enjoy a beautiful musical
symbiosis between
Mick
Box
and
Phil Lanzon.
The last two songs on the album is
T-Bird Angel
and
Kiss
of Freedom
where the latter is an epic song in the
classic Heep-spirit. I personally think
it’s nice that the band ends a good
album with
Kiss
of Freedom,
a bombastic and epic song, to calm the
body after a wonderful musical journey
together.
Is the
disc worth all the overwhelming words
from my side? It depends on if you dare
let go of memories of Uriah Heep’s olden
days (read the beginning of the 70s) and
instead see and hear the disc as it is:
a really good album from a classic hard
rock band Uriah Heep. I can 100% say
that
Into The Wild
is better than
Wake The Sleeper
(2008) and probably may come up in level
with the amazing and classic
Sea of Light
(1995).
Info:
Label: Frontiers Records
(FR CD 512)
Producer: Mike Paxman
Release date: April 15th
in Europe and May 3rd in North America
Line-up: Mick Box
(Guitars, Vocals) Trevor Bolder (Bass,
Vocals) Russell Gilbrook (Drums Vocals)
Phil Lanzon (Keyboards, Vocals) Bernie
Shaw (Lead Vocals)
Rating:
8,5/10
