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Rating: Having to keep a band like Uriah Heep going is probably not the easiest thing in the world: an endless number of line-up changes, world tours as if they were falling from the sky, a vast repertoire to memorize, and over forty years of rock 'n' roll history to constantly confront. Quite the hassle. Mick Box knows a thing or two about these troubles, the indestructible guitarist of the British combo since its inception, someone who, frankly, seems to have taken playing as a mission. Indeed, a saint's patience must have been required to manage the myriad chaos of the early 1980s Uriah Heep.
The era with John Lawton on vocals, which saw the British abandoning the hard progressive sound that made them famous, had ended long ago, a new line-up had been formed but the result was a near disaster. "Conquest," released in 1980, turned out to be such a flop that even a heavyweight like Ken Hensley, a classy keyboardist and excellent composer, threw in the towel and decided it was time to move on to other things. For a moment, there was even talk of bringing back David Byron, the historic voice, as the audience is always happy to see some old faces, but the idea died before it even started. End of the game? Not exactly. The good Mick then rolled up his sleeves and, in fact, restarted the band from scratch.
With the rhythm section lost along the way, the great Lee Kerslake returns to the drums, bringing with him bassist Bob Daisley, both fresh from significant experiences as session musicians for the best solo Ozzy Osbourne. The umpteenth change on the microphone sees the arrival of Peter Goalby, who would prove to be an excellent interpreter of Uriah's new direction, and on keyboards, John Sinclair, whose collaboration with Box and company would later be a good reason for him to be recruited into King Ozzy's court a few years later. An all-star line-up, therefore, for a new course that aimed to bring back a name, Uriah Heep, which seemed to have lost much of its former glory.
Musically, this new incarnation of the Britons picks up where they left off in recent years, thus cutting ties with the progressive and fantasy atmospheres of the past to rediscover themselves as authors of a robust and classy AOR.
"Too Scared To Run" is an excellent opener, fast and engaging, with a chorus seemingly written specifically to be shouted out loud during concerts. If "Chasing Shadows" confirms the good impressions of the initial track, "On The Rebound" and "Hot Night In A Cold Town" see Uriah Heep tackling covers, the first by Russ Ballard and the second by John Cougar.
As the tracks proceed, it is impossible not to notice how, even in the choice of personnel, musicians were selected who could easily embrace the choices of the group's new direction: Sinclair is not Ken Hensley and doesn't want to be; the style is entirely different but perfect for these Heep-AOR version, just as Peter Goalby, already known in the hard rock scene for a brief stint with Trapeze, is undoubtedly suitable for these melodic but impactful tracks. Other pieces that perfectly represent the new incarnation of the British are "That's The Way That It Is," still part of today's setlist, and the heartfelt "Prisoner." With "Think It Over," we could almost talk about a self-cover, as it is a track from the previous era of the band, related to the "Conquest" album period, and both authors, singer John Sloman and bassist Trevor Bolder, had both parted ways with Mick Box and company.
If we're being picky, it might be pointed out that the number of covers is perhaps excessive and that, even for the sake of artistic integrity, it might have been better to focus on original material rather than playing it safe by revamping tracks already tested by others, but the result each time is more than worthy and the pieces are well-reworked, making it frankly impossible to distinguish which are Mick Box's brainchildren and which are not. The overall sensation of the album is that of a commercial operation meticulously managed, from the truly chameleonic ability to leave behind the dying sounds of hard progressive and to be reborn as an AOR group, to the chosen cover image, an unsightly red-orange atrocity, but one that clearly aimed to intrigue fans of a British heavy metal scene on the rise.
In the same period, to promote the album, an EP, "Abominog Junior", was also released, which included, besides "On The Rebound," the tracks "Tin Soldier" and "Son Of A Bitch," now omnipresent bonuses of various reissues of the record.
All things considered, "Abominog" was certainly a well-done album that fully achieved its intent, namely to recreate a certain interest around a prominent group of the season but which had long seemed destined for an inevitable decline. Much like when John Lawton was on the microphone, the choice of singer certainly made a difference, managing to stabilize a group that definitely needed to maintain its lineup intact for at least two consecutive albums. "Abominog" would initiate an interesting chapter in Uriah Heep's history, perhaps less seminal than when David Byron and Ken Hensley were protagonists, but certainly deserving of attention. Not a masterpiece, but nonetheless an album to rediscover.
- Peter Goalby, vocals
- Mick Box, guitars and vocals
- John Sinclair, keyboards and vocals
- Bob Daisley, bass and vocals
- Lee Kerslake, drums
"Abominog":
- Too Scared To Run
- Chasing Shadows
- On The Rebound
- Hot Night In A Cold Town
- Running All Night (With The Lion)
- That's The Way That It Is
- Prisoner
- Hot Persuasion
- Sell Your Soul
- Think It Over
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Too Scared to Run (03:46)
Too scared I could not run
I could not make a sound
Lights were flashing
My whole life passing
My feet were stuck to the ground
Too light to call it night
Too dark to call it day
Too scared to stay and fight
Too scared to run away
So scared I could not move
I could not make a sound
There were people running
People shouting
Flashes all around
Too scared to run
Too scared to run away
Too scared I could not think
My eyes could not scarcely see
My heart was racing
My legs were shaking
They would not carry me
Lights were flashing
My whole life passing
My heart, my heart
My heart was racing
My legs were shaking
Could not see, I could not see
03 On the Rebound (03:14)
On the rebound, on the rebound
That's how you fell for me
That's how you changed my life
You cut me like a knife
On the rebound, on the rebound
You came, you saw, you took
It only took one look
And lady, I was hooked
On the rebound - it's a replay ...
Your love was on the rebound
On the rebound
You came and took my soul
You came and left a hole
Where your love used to be
On the rebound, on the rebound
You like to drown in your tears
And after all these years
You give your pain to me
On the rebound - you came to me, babe
On the rebound - to set you free
On the rebound - too bad for me
Your love was on the rebound
You came to me
To set you free
To pray for me
It's a replay
You came to repay
It's a replay
To set you free
Just a replay
Your love was
Just a replay
06 That's the Way That It Is (04:04)
I've been thinking about
What you said last night
And for all your fine words
You still don't have it right
'Cause that's the way that it is
And you won't ever change
You can scream at me
But the powers that be
Won't ever hear your voice
'Cause they're lost
In their own importance
No, they'll never hear your voice
'Cause that's the way that it is
And you won't ever change it
I've heard all your stories
Of how the few can be strong
And how you'll fight to the end
Just to prove me wrong
'Cause that's the way that you are
And you won't ever change it
But don't come cryin' to me
If your fanciful schemes
Don't turn out like you planned
'Cause you're chasin'
After something
That keeps slippin'
Through your hand
That's the way that it is
And you won't change it
07 Prisoner (04:28)
Time has come to say goodbye
To the broken memories
They're locked inside like prisoners
In a place that no-one sees
Stayed up late with a friend of mine
Southern comfort till dawn
We talked about the pains of love
Should've known from
The start you were wrong
I'm just a prisoner
Don't wanna lock myself away
Prisoner - I get so lonely, lonely
I'm a prisoner
Just when do you think love will stay
It walks right out on you - out on you
Tired blood runs through my veins
But I can't get no sleep
You lock my heart
In these prison walls
This place I've got to leave
I'm a prisoner
Don't wanna lock myself away
Prisoner - I get so lonely, lonely
I'm a prisoner
Just when do you think love will stay
It walks right out on you - out on you
The sky is grey, it's raining
Like the storm in my heart
There ain't no use explaining
'cause I'm leaving, leaving
Won't somebody set me free
Take me away from this misery
I get so lonely
I get so lonely, lonely, lonely
Won't somebody set me free
Please, please, set me free
09 Sell Your Soul (05:22)
I got a solid silver reason
I got something you'll never buy
I've spent my life playing rock'n'roll
I wouldn't tell a lie
Well if you want to taste the freedom
Just let the music take a hold
I'm possessed by rock'n'roll
There's a thunder
See it and wonder
How to play the game
It's easy
You know we're gonna live forever
You know we're never gonna die
You see it's written
Across the sky tonight
I'm gonna tell you why
Because they've covered up the exits
We got a spotlight just for you
Im possessed by rock'n'roll
Hear me callling, stars are falling
Taking me away
Stand up - shout it out
I'm possessed by rock 'n' roll
Stand up - shout it out
Sell your soul
Stand up - shout it out
Let the music take a hold
Stand up - shout it out
Rock 'n' roll
Can't you feel we're getting stronger
Getting stronger every day
There ain't nothing gonna stop us
Oh, there ain't no way
It's like a rolling ball of thunder
You know it's never gonna stop
You know it's gonna drag you under
See me soaring
Thunders roaring
Things afraid again
I got a solid silver reason
I got something you'll never buy
I've spent my life with rock'n'roll
Oh no, would I lie
But if you want to taste the freedom
Just let the music take a hold
I'm possessed by rock'n'roll
There's a thunder
See it and wonder
How to play the game
It's easy
It's gonna drag you under
Gonna take your heart and soul
You gotta shout, shout, shout it out
10 Think It Over (03:27)
I've had all I can take
I've taken just too much
I've made a big mistake
That put me out of touch
I don't think I can face
Another single day
Without a call from you
To take this pain away
So many tears ago
You turned and walked away
It could've been the end
But I knew better
I had to tell myself
There'll be another day
She wants to call it quits
But don't you let her
Can't you see
There's a chance for you and me
Think it over
Don't believe
In the things that may not be
Think it over
Why don't you think it over
Forgetting you is out
I ain't givin' in
The fuss was down to you
But it's not over
You have to face the truth
I'm still in love with you
I have to make you see
That it's not over
Why don't you think about it, babe
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Other reviews
By Roby86
"Too Scared To Run" is a furious and sharp guitar riff, almost metal, marking the song intensely.
The new 1982 arrangement of "Think It Over" transforms it into a gem and another highlight of the album.
