Demons and Wizards

by Uriah Heep

Overview

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

Product Details

Release Date:	10/09/2015
Label:	Sanctuary
UPC:	5414939928383
Rank:	70541

Tracks

Disc 1

1. The Wizard
2. Traveller In Time
3. Easy Livin¿¿¿
4. Poet's Justice
5. Circle of Hands

Disc 2

6. Rainbow Demon
7. All My Life
8. Paradise
9. The Spell

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Uriah Heep   Primary Artist,Voices
Ken Hensley   Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Percussion
Lee Kerslake   Drums,Percussion
Gary Thain   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
David Byron   Vocals
Mick Box   Guitar

Technical Credits

Ken Hensley   Composer,Lyricist
Ian Herron   Mixing
Lee Kerslake   Composer
Robert M. Corich   Mixing
Peter Gallen   Engineer,Recording
Mike Brown   Mixing
Gerry Bron   Producer
Mark Clarke   Composer
Uriah Heep   Composer
Andy Pearce   Remastering
Ashley Howe   Assistant Engineer
David Byron   Composer
Mick Box   Composer
Roger Dean   Design,Drawing,Photography
Paul Newton   Composer
Dominy Hamilton   Photography
Matt Wortham   Remastering
Michael Box   Composer