Demons & Wizards

This is the album that solidified Uriah Heep's reputation as a master of gothic-inflected heavy metal. From short, sharp rock songs to lengthy, musically dense epics, Demons and Wizards finds Uriah Heep covering all the bases with style and power. The album's approach is set with its lead-off track, "The Wizard": it starts as a simple acoustic tune but soon builds into a stately rocker that surges forth on a Wall of Sound built from thick guitar riffs, churchy organ, and operatic vocal harmonies. Other highlights include "Traveller in Time," a fantasy-themed rocker built on thick wah-wah guitar riffs, and "Circle of Hands," a stately power ballad with a gospel-meets-heavy metal feel to it.

Initially released in 1972 ‘Demons And Wizards’ is the fourth album by British rock band Uriah Heep. Fast forward 45 years it still remains a timeless classic. Painstakingly remastered by Andy Pearce this 2CD set also includes alternative mixes that excite, reignite and rejuvenate. Extensive liner notes penned by best-selling author Joel McIver tell the story of the band’s ascent to the very top and are accompanied by new and revealing accounts of the time from Mick Box and Ken Hensley. ‘Demons And Wizards’ catapulted the band into the stratosphere with over 3 million copies sold worldwide. The newfound chemistry with Gary Thain joining Heep midway through their American tour immediately paid dividends, the classic line-up of Uriah Heep was born. Tracks such as ‘The Wizard’ & ‘Easy Livin’’ became synonymous with the band's success, with biographer K.Blows later going on to say “Everything clicked into place” and it did. ‘Demons And Wizards’ reached No.20 in the UK, No.23 in the US and for 14 weeks it topped the charts in Finland.

Uriah Heep's by-the-books progressive heavy metal made the British band one of the most popular hard rock groups of the early '70s. Formed by vocalist David Byron and guitarist Mick Box in the late '60s, the group went through an astonishing number of members over the next two decades – nearly 30 different musicians passed through the band over the years…

A Time of Revelation is a four-disc box set spanning Uriah Heep's entire career. The bulk of the set draws from the Heep's '70s heyday, including album tracks, live cuts, and previously unavailable-on-disc rarities. For the die-hard collector, the set is a must-have for its obscure items. While the set may be too much for casual fans, it does a good job of rounding up the highlights, so any casual listener wanting a comprehensive collection should turn here.

After reaching an international level of success with Demons and Wizards, Uriah Heep continued to build their fan base by knocking out another album of prog-like metal before the year's end. The end result, The Magician's Birthday, is not as consistent or cohesive as Demons and Wizards but still offers plenty of highlights. It starts dramatically with "Sunrise," a spooky power ballad that alternates quiet organ-led verses with an emotional chorus and guitar-fuelled instrumental breaks topped off by David Byron's operatic wail…