Last year, following a two year delay courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, I travelled up to Birmingham's Symphony Hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary British hard rockers Uriah Heep. Formed in London in 1969, the band released their debut album ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble in 1970 - and went on to release a number of genre-defining albums over the next few years. 1971's Look At Yourself and 1972's Demons and Wizards are particular standouts in the early Uriah Heep catalogue - and, for me, the band's importance to the development of hard rock and heavy metal cannot be understated. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath often get all of the credit, but, in my eyes, Uriah Heep are just as important. Whilst the aforementioned bands also flirted with more progressive arrangements and songwriting, Uriah Heep were arguably the most progressive of the lot - with the flamboyance and pseudo-operatic vocal delivery of their original frontman David Byron arguably setting the standard for what would follow. Unlike the other aforementioned bands, too, Uriah Heep have essentially been active since 1969. Whilst they went on a brief hiatus in the early 1980s, it was extremely short-lived - and the band have continued to roll on, with lots of musicians coming and going over the years. Whilst guitarist Mick Box is the only founding member of the band left, and has been for some time, Uriah Heep have continued to thrive. Following the release of Sonic Origami in 1998, though, Uriah Heep did not release another studio album for a decade. Long-time fans must have assumed that the band's creative days were behind them, but when 2008 rolled around and the stunning Wake the Sleeper was released it was clear that a new era of Uriah Heep was beginning. Wake the Sleeper was essentially my introduction to the band in 2009, and I have been a huge fan ever since. As much as I love the band's heyday, I often reach for Wake the Sleeper and the albums which have followed it - such is the quality within and the toughened take on their classic sound. The band's latest, and 25th, opus was released last month - and Chaos & Colour has continued to build on the good work of the past decade or so. It follows five years after the release of the band's last album Living the Dream (which I reviewed here), which made it into my Top 10 of 2018. Whilst Chaos & Colour does generally stick to the classic Uriah Heep sound, there are a few twists and turns along the way - and the band have seemed to further up the heaviness somewhat. Those trademark soaring choruses, vocal harmonies, wah-drenched guitar melodies, and roaring Hammond organ stabs all return - but a little extra heaviness is never a bad thing. I think that this could partly be down to the fact that Russell Gilbrook, the band's drummer since 2008, has contributed significantly to the songwriting this time around - penning four songs with his songwriting partner Simon Pinto. It is great to see Gilbrook stepping up in this way, and the album certainly benefits from his fresh take on the band's core sound.
Speaking of newer blood contributing to the songwriting, the album opens with Save Me Tonight - which was written by Dave Rimmer, the band's bassist since 2013, and journeyman singer Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force; Talisman; Axel Rudi Pell; W.E.T.; Sons of Apollo). Living the Dream also opened with a Rimmer/Soto co-write, so it is fitting that Save Me Tonight kicks off Chaos & Colour with its fast-paced, heavy sound. There are some more longer-form pieces to be found later in the album, but Save Me Tonight is quite typical of the harder-edged Uriah Heep sound of recent years. Box's guitar riffing is crunchy, yet filled with plenty of kinetic energy, whilst the washings of Hammond from long-time keyboardist Phil Lanzon add that classic, retro touch. Gilbrook's drumming is hard-hitting, the verses having a strong mid-paced groove thanks to his playing, whilst the chorus sees the pace raised - with busier guitar riffing and an anthemic vocal from frontman Bernie Shaw. Shaw's voice has barely aged since he joined the band in 1986, and he sounds as good ever here. His voice powers through the chorus riffing - and he is only truly out of the spotlight during the mid-song instrumental section, which sees some great Hammond and guitar interplay between Lanzon and Box. The punchy track gets the album off to a great start, and it largely sets the tone for what is to follow. Silver Sunlight does not open quite as furiously, but the lumbering Hammond melodies and Box's bluesy guitar turnaround certainly brings plenty of weight. It is a song that has more of a deliberate pace, and instead has an old-school heaviness as a result. The verses creep along in a similar fashion to the song's opening, with Shaw delivering the vocals in a powerful version - whilst a darker chorus allows for plenty of vocal harmonies and an atmospheric keyboard presence. The chorus does see the pace being picked up somewhat, showcasing Gilbrook's impact on the band's sound, but in general the classic Uriah Heep sound is retained. There are moments when some more contemporary keyboard sounds are used to create an atmospheric depth - but Lanzon's Hammond is never too far away. Gilbrook's first songwriting contribution is Hail the Sunrise, and the hooky number reminds me somewhat of the underrated Sea of Light from 1995. The approach to melody throughout the song is similar to that album, and there do seem to be occasional nods back to the classic track Sunrise (unsurprising given the song's title). The song is not as atmospheric as the older track, but the verses have a similar Hammond organ feel throughout - albeit given a kick thanks to Gilbrook's hard-hitting drumming. Box's riffing throughout is weighty, but generally sticks to big rhythmic chords - with most of the motifs coming from the organ. Lanzon's playing is excellent throughout, but Box arguably later steals the show with a lengthy guitar solo - packed with a some meaty melodies and few examples of his classic approach to wah. Elsewhere, too, the chorus is one of the album's hookiest. The harmonies throughout soar, and Shaw's vocal instantly stick in the brain - making the piece a real winner.
Opening initially in slower fashion, Age of Changes showcases Lanzon's atmospheric keyboard playing early on before another barrelling riff kicks in - which is perfectly backed by some wordless vocal harmonies. This reliance on wordless vocal hooks is straight out of the playbook of the band's early days, and the approach still sounds fresh in 2023. It helps the song to stick in the brain, but in truth there is a lot else here that is memorable. Despite the slower intro, the song is another weighty mid-paced piece and it really builds towards its chorus. The verses are generally pretty typical of the album's core sound - but, for me, the chorus takes a slightly different path. It still sounds like classic Uriah Heep, but the way that Shaw's vocal melodies continue to evolve throughout the chorus give it an atypical sound. Even after hearing it a few times, I am still never quite sure where it is going to go - and it keeps me guessing every time that I hear it as a result. There is a freshness to the song overall, then, and it shows that the long-formed Box/Lanzon writing partnership still has a few cards to play. The lengthy instrumental section in the middle allows the two to duel and show off, too, which further adds to the overall excitement of the piece. Hurricane then ups the weightiness again, and the Gilbrook-penned song has only one aim: and that is to rock. The song is perhaps less refined and grand than some of the others here, but as a slab of headbanging hard rock Hurricane succeeds at its task. Box's guitar riffing throughout is chunky and relatively busy, whilst the Hammond accents at the end of each riff cycle add the overall icing on the cake. Rimmer's bass is also pretty high in the mix, and his snaking melodies help to drive the piece forward - whilst Gilbrook pounds his drums in submission. It is perhaps less hooky than some of the other songs here, but Shaw still delivers a memorable chorus, which some relatively dark-sounding vocal harmonies turn into something slightly out of the ordinary. One Nation, One Sun provides a change of pace, and is the first of a handful of somewhat longer songs here. It is over seven minutes long, and it opens slowly - with Lanzon switching his Hammond for a piano. Uriah Heep are characterised by their reliance on the organ, but they occasionally use piano sounds too - but having some more akin to a piano ballad is relatively rare. The song stands out from the off, then, with Shaw singing, full of character, against Lanzon's piano backing. Rimmer soon joins in, adding subtle, yet full-sounding, bass slides, his playing adding a counter to the melancholy of the piano, whilst Box holds off a little longer before adding some simple guitar chimes. The song continues on in such a manner for a short while, but soon Gilbrook's drums come in and the piece morphs into a more organic-sounding rocker - with some Led Zeppelin-esque guitar tones. The Hammond returns, though, to cement the classic Uriah Heep sound, and it is not long before Box launches into a considered guitar solo - which builds on some of the melodies and moods of Shaw's early vocal lines. The rest of the song generally continues on in this more organic, creeping way - but the overall atmosphere from early on remains. Shaw's vocals throughout are packed full of emotion, and the atmospheric take on the band's sound is a welcome addition to the album.
Golden Light returns to something more akin to the band's classic sound, with the song picking up the pace again somewhat and laying down a swinging groove - which Lanzon's Hammond swirls around. Box and Rimmer once again lay down a crunchy, hard rocking backing; with Lanzon generally leading the charge melodically throughout. His keyboard playing is pretty busy, with pulsing melodies constantly backing Shaw's strident vocals - all while Gilbrook conjures up plenty of swing. The real highlight of the song for me, though, is the chorus. There are lots of great ones on this album, but Golden Light's chorus has all the warmth of classic Uriah Heep. Shaw's vocal performance during the chorus really brings it to life, and the Hammond perfectly adds to the overall optimistic sound with some bright melodies. Box's guitar solo is memorable, too, as it sounds quite different from his usual style - with something of a neo-classical approach instead taken. He returns to his usual, more screaming, approach during the intro of You'll Never Be Alone, though, which builds up around some of his distorted, bluesy leads whilst the rest of the band crash around behind him. The song is another of the album's longer-form pieces, and there is quite a bit of variety throughout as a result. The intro somewhat sets the tone, but soon the band drop away to leave Lanzon once again alone with his piano - over which Shaw sings. The piano melodies are more jaunty this time, though, and the song is more of a hard rocker overall. The piano-led verses do build towards a heavier chorus - which explodes out of the relative sparseness of what has come before. The transition is a little jarring, but the chorus itself is fun and melodic so the sudden changes in pace are not a significant negative. This transition perhaps foreshadows what is to come later, too, as the band soon enter into something of a more progressive-sounding instrumental section. Box's guitar solo builds on the opening screaming leads to create something more chaotic and noisy, which is then countered by some majestic Hammond playing - which Gilbrook backs with some hard-hitting double bass drum patterns. It again feels a little different from the norm for the band, but the freshness is welcome - with the Hammond-led section in particular being a real overall highlight of the song. Fly Like an Eagle opens in typical Uriah Heep fashion, with barrelling organ and drum grooves, although a flashy, 1980s-esque synth melody does add a bit of an edge. This edge is fairly short-lived, though, as the track in general is a throwback to the band's classic sound - and is pretty typical of the shorter songs found on the band's other recent albums. It perhaps creeps a little more, though. Rimmer's bass is very prominent during the verses, which have a darkness to them thanks to the rumbling Hammond, whilst the chorus is more up-tempo, bright, and hooky. Shaw's vocals grab hold nicely here, with the hooks allowing the chorus to be another memorable moment, whilst Lanzon leaves his Hammond behind later on to deliver a speedy synth solo instead.
The album's penultimate song, Freedom to Be Free, is also its longest. At just over eight minutes long, Freedom to Be Free is the most expansive piece here - and it is full of all of the classic Box/Lanzon songwriting hallmarks that have developed over the past few decades. Following a little more experimentation in the previous songs, Freedom to Be Free is instead very much a classic-sounding piece - with a progressive tinge infecting the band's rumbling hard rock sound. The balance between the guitars and the keyboards throughout is finely struck, and it never feels as if one is outdoing the other. This balance has been key throughout the band's history, and many of the best Uriah Heep songs focus on the interplay between the two instruments. That is very much also the case here, and the guitars drive everything - whilst the keyboards add a warm halo to everything. Much of the song really soars as a result, and it builds in a pleasing manner towards an eventual chorus - which again is packed full of warmth and some amazing Shaw vocals. That progressive influence is then showcased with a lengthy instrumental section - featuring some classic Box leads, but perhaps more notably a bass solo from Rimmer which is also very melodic. This is not typically heard in Uriah Heep's sound, but it works well - before a short piano break slows the pace momentarily. This allows for another hard-hitting riff to break the peace - leading into another vocal section, before everything comes full circle with a final reprise of the song's chorus and a great, string-led coda. This would have been a good way to close out the album, but there is time for one last boogie thanks to Closer to Your Dreams - which is so like the classic Easy Livin' that the comparisons have to be deliberate. The opening pulsing keyboard riff, with the shuffling drum groove, just feels like Easy Livin' for 2023, whilst the soaring wordless vocal-led chorus section is certainly just a throwback to all of the classics of Uriah Heep's past. Uriah Heep's sound has evolved over the years, but it still remains true to how the band started out. Closer to Your Dreams is packed full of deliberate references, though, so it feels much more overtly retro as a result. I think that the repurposing of the Easy Livin' groove works well, though, and the song is clearly meant to be a loving tribute to the band's past to round off an album which is largely familiar - but has also taken a few twists and turns along the way. It has the feel of a bit of a victory lap following the more epic and progressive previous number, but given how punchy the album is overall it feels fitting to end things on a more hard rocking note - and it seems to be a song that the band had a lot of fun with. In truth, though, they likely had fun with this whole album. There is a lot to love here, as well as more variety than perhaps would be expected. The classic Uriah Heep sound is very much on full display, but the occasional deviations and more progressive flourishes are welcome - and it is an album which I continue to enjoy more and more with each passing listen, which is often the sign of something eventually become a full-blown favourite.
The album was released on 27th January 2023 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Save Me Tonight.
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