Friday, April 15, 2011

Uriah Heep - Into the Wild


Not quite sure where to start with this. 

I have been a Heep fan since 1980 (yes I was the one who bought Conquest), and the title of the blog should give you some indication of what I thought of the next album. 

I have eagerly waited for each new release like a child who is only allowed into a sweet shop every birthday, and over the years this feeling has never diminished. Ten years ago I really thought Heep had seen their day as recording artists, and we would never again see another studio album, as they seemed content just releasing live dvd's and touring. Then came Wake the Sleeper which I really thought was a great album, perhaps a bit repetitive in style but it was new Heep and all Heep is good Heep isn't it?.Well yes it is but is it good enough to stand the test of time, personally I don't think so, It was a great "comeback album" and there were a couple of tracks that I still play "What kind of God" and " Book of Lies" being a my favorites,but most of the album just leaves me cold now. so what of this new album? coming so close on the heels of Wake the Sleeper( in Heep terms anyway. 4 years is not bad)

will this album  
warm me 
or  
freeze me.

I  have had the album  now for 6 hours and am on the seventh or eighth play through and it just keeps getting better and better I don't believe there is one weak track on this . Sure some tracks are better than others but even the weakest track is far far superior to anything on the last album. This Sounds like modern Heep but they manage to capture their entire history on this. there are nods to the classic 70s line up as well as moments that could have quite easily have come off of Abominog or even Equator (listen to T- bird Angel and picture Goalby singing that one). In short this is a masterpiece and I only hope that the peers that be give them the recognition this album so deserves

14 comments:

  1. Martin from GermanyApril 16, 2011 at 8:52 AM

    You're absolutly right! They hit the nail right on the head!!!
    I'm so happy with the sounds I'm listening to since yesterday, over and over...
    I'm fan since Head First, so I know what you try to explain. I feel the same.
    I'm going to Unna next week, can't wait for it :-)

    Heep on, Martin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Martin

    I am jealous.

    Its been 7 years since i was last at a Heep concert and i cant see it happening anytime soon.

    Hope you enjoy yourself

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is indeed a fantastic album! To see them regain such a high standard of quality songwriting is a dream come true after the trials and tribulations of the 90's. I tought Wake the sleeper was a giant return: is this one better? Time will tell but at the moment I feel it probably is. Gonna buy the second copy on vinyl in a couple of days!
    fdr

    ReplyDelete
  4. Heep fans have waited nearly 40 years to hear an album this great. Sensational is no exageration, it gets better with each play. I never believed Heep of today could rival the content of a classic Heep album but I'm so glad they proved me wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Iain
    you have summed it up in three sentences.

    Three days,in and it is still getting better!! I have not skipped (or even thought about skipping )a single track yet. My favorite track changes with each play!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the review; I wasn't expecting a new record this soon(!) - but maybe there are a whole Heep of ideas waiting in the rune-box following a long break from recording. I'll look out for the CD in the stores.
    Alex

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Abominogjnr - stumbled across your site tonight whilst looking for "Rough Diamond" and really enjoyed trawling through it. Listening to Heep in Boston 1976 as I type.

    Been a fan since 1972 and first saw them in 74 here in Edinburgh (and taped it!) - last saw them at High Voltage last year.

    Looking forward to getting the new album.

    Once again cheers for all your efforts on this superb Heep related site!!

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for the comment CBQ

    The first ever Uriah Heep bootleg I ever had was from that show (bought it at Ingliston Market back in the late seventies or early eighties). I have long since lost the tape and was wondering if you still had a copy, It would be wonderful to be able to listen to it again

    Regards

    ReplyDelete
  9. I suspect you bought that tape from me as I used to sell boots at Ingliston and am pretty sure no-one else had it - although I suppose anyone who bought it could've sold you a copy but they'd only have had one tape on their stall LOL.

    I believe it's in my attic somewhere and is deserving of a transfer to the hard drive and burn to CD for you.

    will keep you posted.

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  10. Just spent a good few hours searching in my attic for the master tape. Despite finding over 600 bootlegs, there's no sign of the 1974 heep tape (or any other Heep for that matter).

    If it ever turns up, I'll be sure to burn you a copy.

    Sorry about that - the search goes on though as I am 100% certain I would never have thrown that particular tape away...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for keeping me informed and for taking the time to look for it I appreciate the effort. I will keep my fingers crossed that it does indeed surface some day

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  12. Don't post "Into The Wild" Please. Your blog is wonderful but post only bootlegs :) The real Heepsters buy Original Studio Album

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have no intention of posting "Into the Wild". It is a wonderful album and the band deserve every possible penny they earn from it. the link on the post is to the official merchandise page on the Heep site where it can be bought

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks! I think that don't exist in the entire WWW a blog like this, about Uriah Heep and Relatives :D

    ReplyDelete

Please feel free to leave any comments about this blog