Uriah Heep
Different World

THE REVIEW

Uriah Heep, after rather underrated works like "Equator," "Head First," and the good "Raging In Silence," rolled up their sleeves in 1991 and released "Different World." The lineup consisted of veterans Mick Box on guitar and Lee Kerslake on drums, Phil Lanzon on keyboards, Trevor Bolder on bass, and Bernie Shaw on vocals. As you can see, unfortunately missing are the great singer David Byron and Gary Thain on bass, both of whom passed away, and the keyboardist/guitarist Ken Hensley, who left the band in the Eighties. Despite this, the Uriah Heep of "Different World" are still truly in form and manage to deliver plenty of emotions like in the unforgettable masterpieces of the Seventies.

The band's style has somewhat modernized, adapting to the emergence of new genres like glam and AOR metal, which were really taking the world by storm at the time. In fact, the group veers towards glam sounds, as they did in "Abominog," and frequently nods to the AOR of Journey and Def Leppard in the beautiful "All For One" and "All God's Children." This album, however, achieved moderate success, certainly not reaching the fame of "The Magician's Birthday," also because it was somewhat underrated by the band itself and the fans.

"Different World" kicks off with a bang, that is, with the energetic "Blood On Stone," opened by a powerful riff and good keyboard, which then make way for the charismatic voice of Shaw. This song manages to deliver adrenaline and energy from the very first notes, thanks to the group's passion and skill, crafting a metal piece with a catchy and airy refrain. After "Blood On Stone," we are faced with "Which Way Will The Wind Blow," which with its funky bass and playful rhythm reminds me a lot of late-eighties Aerosmith. In fact, the track is a succession of emotions, with Bernie's voice excellently supported by the choruses and a typically AOR-stamped refrain.

"All God's Children" has a truly persuasive atmosphere, with the vocalist's moving and particularly communicative voice, supported by the beautiful keyboard, making the piece very enjoyable. The chorus, in my humble opinion, is spine-chilling! The fourth track is the melodic and engaging "All For One," rich in pathos and irresistible AOR sounds, perhaps one of the album's peaks. Singer Bernie Shaw seems to make us not miss the unforgettable Byron, giving us endless emotions that explode in the beautiful refrain. Sublime. The title track, often proposed live, is another excellent track, which keeps the CD at incredibly high levels. A ballad that brings to mind even certain Queen songs, that is, a pleasant song that seems to almost caress the listener with its disarming beauty.

Nevertheless, Uriah Heep demonstrates they still have the hard rock charge of "Easy Livin'" and "Look At Yourself" with "Step By Step," which seems to anticipate the glories of Velvet Revolver's "Contraband." The riff and Shaw's powerful voice churn out a tough and damn rock'n'roll piece, with Mick Box unleashing his beautiful solos. "Seven Days" smells a lot like American hard rock, characterized by a decidedly blues rhythm that, however, rediscovers melody in the refrain. "One By One" returns to high levels, where the hard rock power and AOR melody combine in a magical way, thanks also to the great catchy refrain. A separate comment is deserved by Box's melancholic and moving solos, which add a touch more pathos that doesn't hurt, on the contrary. The last piece of the CD is the ballad "Cross That Line," which, alongside "Come Back To Me" and "Weep In Silence," can be considered one of Uriah Heep's most beautiful ballads. But the band gives us four bonus tracks that further enrich and beautify the album, namely the Van Halen-esque "Stand Back," the formidable "Blood Red Roses," "Hold Your Head Up," and the live version of "Rockarama."

I'M LIVING IN A DIFFERENT WORLD