Uriah Heep
Demons And Wizards

THE REVIEW

Hello guys!
I've been browsing this site for a while, and I finally signed up.
Searching through the reviews under the letter U, I was surprised not to find any of Uriah Heep, a fundamental band in the history of rock, so I decided to fill this gap... so... once upon a time there were Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple. UFOs, Scorpions, and Thin Lizzy. And Uriah Heep. A legend, a band that set the standard and greatly influenced metal. They created an original style, blending thunderous hard rock with soul choirs, lyrics often inspired by fantasy, and magnificent hippie-flavored ballads, in short, an incredible formula!

In 1972, they released what, in their varied discography, is their third and most representative album: Demons and Wizards, a fundamental and uniquely beautiful record.
First and foremost, Uriah Heep are excellent musicians with great technique, particularly guitarist Mick Box and the keyboardist, among the best in history. The rhythm section is perfect, impeccable, and the bassist creates very beautiful bass lines. David Byron (R.I.P), the singer, who passed away in 1986, has a splendid voice, incredibly engaging and moving.
The cover and the title might suggest a power album: nothing could be further from the truth, even though Uriah are admired by every power band, Blind Guardian primarily (but this is a whole different thing).

The album, composed of nine tracks, opens with The Wizard, an incredible ballad characterized by beautiful interweaving of acoustic and electric guitars and a fantasy theme. One of the many gems of the record, with sensational choirs. It then moves to Traveler In Time, a song full of perfectly fitting riffs and with Byron in a state of grace. Already two gems of rare beauty. The third track is Easy Living, short but truly captivating with an extraordinary rhythm. The female choir in the middle part is sublime. Poet's Justice has a subtle air of sadness and is further proof of the grandeur and creative brilliance of Heep. Noteworthy is the beautiful text. Circle Of Hands is an unmissable piece, with a slower rhythm and incredibly moving melodies. After Rainbow Demon, a decidedly harder-sounding track, we arrive at the last two, wonderful, songs of the album: Paradise and The Spell. With the former, it's still great music, a beautiful love ballad in its entirety, but it's with The Spell that you reach what I believe is the creative peak of the album. A spine-tingling song, it deserves to be listened to and listened to again. The solo, calm and slow, is sublime, as are the keyboards that accompany throughout the entire duration (seven minutes) of the piece.

In conclusion, I don't think there's anything else to say: this album is simply magical! Its historical importance is indisputable... I can only recommend you listen to this record, which in my opinion ranks among the greatest masterpieces of all time!
Many other albums from their discography are sensational, most notably Salisbury, which I highly recommend.

PS: This is my first review, guys, and I tackled a classic of the genre... maybe I'm lacking a bit in style and there are many things to revise, so please help me with the comments... bye! ^_*