Wikipedia:
Over the years, the progressive rock band Uriah Heep has released 23 studio albums, 13 live albums, 16 compilation albums, 27 UK singles (33 worldwide) and 17 videos. The band's best selling album is "Sweet Freedom" which was released in 1972 and its worldwide sales are more than 4 million copies. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always featured massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and (in the early years) David Byron's operatic vocals. Twelve of the band's albums have made it to the UK Albums Chart (Return to Fantasy reached No. 7 in 1975) while of the fifteen Billboard 200 Uriah Heep albums Demons and Wizards was the most successful (#23, 1972). In the late 1970s the band had massive success in Germany, where the "Lady in Black" single was a big hit. With Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep became one of the top heavy metal bands of the 1970s. It was there that the solid, but rather mainstream-sounding Sweet Freedom (No. 18 UK, No. 33 USA) was created with "Stealin'" released as a single. Having gained worldwide recognition, the band quit using fantasy lyrics and made an obvious stab at versatility by adding funk ("Dreamer") and acoustic folk ("Circus") elements to the palette.
(1971) Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself
Review:
"Look At Yourself" was released in September of 1971 and it was Uriah Heep's 3rd studio album. And, as people say, third time's the charm. Third time's the charm, indeed! "Look At Yourself" put the band on the map. "Salisbury" was only OK with a few memorable moments, but the band's 3rd studio album proved to be the real turning point for Mick Box, David Byron, Ken Hensley, Paul Newton and Ian Clark.
"Salisbury" had had mixed reviews from the mainstream critical press. People continued to shatter the band, saying that Uriah Heep didn't bring anything new to the table. The band regained their motivation and inspiration, and returned to the studio. They recorded and produced the album that would change the future of the band and the music! This is not an exaggeration. "Look At Yourself" didn't receive much recognition from the critical press, but it inspired generations and future prog-rock musicians!
Overall, "Look At Yourself" is quite different than its predecessors. It was, to that point, the band's most straightforward rock album. "Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble" had distinctive traits of rock, but it mixed, with excellence, hard rock and progressive rock. "Look At Yourself" was a typical rock album. It had great riffs and great arrangements, lots of great organ riffs ("July Morning" exemplified Ken Hensley's abilities and techniques), and a big powerhouse sound. And, last but not least, it exemplified each artist's musicianship and the quality of the artists' performances, as well as the quality of the recording process.
The musicians are at their best in this album, as they're showcasing their abilities, their techniques, their methods and their inspirations. Mick Box's killer riffs are always coming up, Ken Hensley's organ solos and guitar solos are excellent, and they fill the songs of strength and quality. Byron's voice is superb. He also showcases his skills. He had such a slick voice!
The album has no fillers. There are clear standouts in Uriah Heep's 3rd album, "Look At Yourself". Epic, incredible songs, that inspire the listeners, and the harmony and envoirements between the musicians are so amazing. "Tears in My Eyes" is one of the best songs of the whole album. It is a powerful rock song that controls the crowd. It is driven by an incredible guitar riff and an organ riff that supports the song's objectivity. I can't ignore the innovating, epic solo. It has a surprising vocal harmony, supported by Mick Box's wah-wah guitar solo. The band's choir is, once again, portrayed, and it delivers with ease. The best song of the album is the 10-minute long "July Morning". You either love or hate it. You either find it incredible or incredibly boring. I'll say that is an epic, amazing song. Some people say that is the best Uriah Heep song. It's certainly one of the best Uriah Heep songs I've ever seen! It starts with a good organ riff, that sets the song's tone. It then builds into a heavy rock song, that cheers the listeners with great acoustic guitars, incredible organ riffs and choruses and David Byron's spectacular voice. There is one song that is sort of uninteresting. That's "What Should Be Done". It is a slow ballad that is not in sync with the rest of the songs and the album's purpose.
Speaking of which, the band finally reached its purposes and ambitions with "Look At Yourself". The band's songs have never been meaningless, pointless or even dumb and trifling. They developed their sound and they have overcomed themselves and their big rivals. The tracks on the album are masterpieces. Gerry Bron produced the album and he has done a great job. With this album, Uriah Heep has made some amazing, powerful songs.
I can't understand the fact that the band is so underrated and overlooked. They have inspired generations of musicians and artists and they have never been as recognized as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath. In my country, people don't even know the band. They have never heard "July Morning", "The Wizard" or "The Magician's Birthday"! They have reached their turning point, and they had just conquered their ambitions. And, despite all that, they have always been the underdogs.
Overall, "Look At Yourself" proved to be an epic record that marked the band's future and future of the world of music. Their follow-up, "Demons And Wizards" would follow the band's 3rd studio album's roots. We'd see how it would go...
Recommended Tracks:
Look At Yourself
July Morning
Tears In My Eyes
Review by Daniel Dias
Rate 4.5/5
Track List:
1. Look At Yourself
2. I Wanna Be Free
3. July Morning
4. Tears In My Eyes
5. Shadows Of Grief
6. What Should Be Done
7. Love Machine
Summary:
Country: UK
Genre: Hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal
Media Report:
Source : Vinyl
Format : FLAC
Format/Info : Free Lossless Audio Codec, 24-bit PCM
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : ~ 5.1 Mbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 192 KHz
Bit depth : 32 bits (float)
(1972) Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself
Review:
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.
Recommended Tracks:
Look At Yourself
July Morning
Tears In My Eyes
Review by Donald A. Guarisco
Rate 4.5/5
Track List:
1.The Wizard
2.Traveller In Time
3.Easy Livin'
4.Poet's Justice
5.Circle Of Hands
6.Rainbow Demon
7.All My Life
8.Paradise/The Spel
Summary:
Country: UK
Genre: Hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal
Media Report:
Source : Vinyl
Format : FLAC
Format/Info : Free Lossless Audio Codec, 24-bit PCM
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : ~ 5 Mbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 192 KHz
Bit depth : 32 bits (float)
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(1971) Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself [VinylRip 24-192]/Sound analysis.png
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(1971) Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself [VinylRip 24-192]/Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself.cue
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(1971) Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself [VinylRip 24-192]/Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself.flac
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(1972) Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards [VinylRip 24-192]/cover.jpg
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(1972) Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards [VinylRip 24-192]/sound analysis.png
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(1972) Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards [VinylRip 24-192]/Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards.cue
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(1972) Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards [VinylRip 24-192]/Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards.flac