URIAH HEEP — Very 'Eavy... Very 'Umble (review)

URIAH HEEP — Very 'Eavy... Very 'Umble album cover Album · 1970 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
AtomicCrimsonRush
'Eavy but not so 'Umble.

David Byron is a fantastic presence on this debut from massive Uriah Heep legends. One has to admire the sheer ferocity of the music with stabbing staccato blasts from Ken Hensley's organ and Mick Box's soaring lead guitar finesse. The rhythm machine of Paul Newton's bass and Ollie Olsson's percussion completed the sound. This is the album that unleashed the awesome power of the Heep.

It begins brilliantly with the crunching chords of Gypsy, a song I could never tire of. The way this hammers along with a blitzkrieg or grinding keyboards is a delight. Byron's vibrato compete beautifully with the distorted guitars and there is an amazing instrumental break. This is one to get hold of.

Next is Walking In Your Shadow with some heavy riffing from Box followed by acoustic beauty on Come Away Melinda. Lucy Blues is a heavy bluesy piece and Dreammare returns to the heavy prog vibe. Perhaps the proggiest moments are found on the very weird Wake Up (Set Your Sights), but this certainly is not the best that Heep could produce. That was yet to come but as a debut for a new band, this was an album full of stellar tracks and worth seeking out.
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