Search - Uriah Heep :: Raging Silence

Mott's Silence

Kim Fletcher | Pattaya, Chonburi Thailand | 10/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Uriah Heep first came into being as a rock band in 1969 and released their first album `Very `Eavy, Very `Umble in 1970. Twenty years after and fifteen line-ups later they released their seventeenth studio album `Raging Silence'. It had been four years since their previous album, the to be honest lack lustre `Equator' (1985).

After the Equator tour two members of Uriah Heep left the band, Peter Goalby on vocals, who found the whole process of touring not to his liking and John Sinclair on keyboards, who although a fine keyboardist was not really in the Heep mould. So joining the band in 1986 was Phil Lanzon on keyboards who was scooped up from the floundering ex-Glam Rock band `Sweet', having previously been with `Grand Prix' and `Sad Cafe', giving Uriah Heep back that necessary wall of sound. It was whilst in `Sad Cafe' that Phil Lanzon had played with a talented young Canadian singer Bernie Shaw, who had also been the pipes for `Praying Mantis' and `Clive Burr's Escape'.

Upon Phil Lanzon's recommendation Mick Box Uriah Heep's cheerful lead guitarist, who by now was the only original member of the band left, went down the London's famous Marquee club to see and hear the vocalist of the night's headliners `Strauss'. Bernie Shaw certainly showed that he could handle the high notes necessary to be the Heep's vocalist, and after a few after gig beers proved he was the team man for the job. That was twenty years ago, and since then there has not been one change to the `Uriah Heep' line-up, so according to your point of view Uriah Heep are twenty years old in 2006, or in Mick Box's case thirty seven years old, or drummer Lee Kerslake apart from the absence of one album thirty five years, or bassist Trevor Burton apart from a two album absence thirty years. Lee Kerslake and Trevor Bolder are one of the finest rhythm sections to have graced the world of rock `n' roll.

In 1986 the new line up started gigging like mad, playing anywhere that would have them building up a rock solid stage act, without doubt as good and reliable as Uriah Heep had ever been. Playing a selection of Heep classics as well as trying out some new songs.

Uriah Heep was the first band to play behind what was then referred to as the Iron Curtain, playing a series of ten consecutive well received gigs in Moscow in December 1987. Although at the time `Uriah Heep' did not actually have a recording contract, it was decided that it was too good an opportunity not to record the concerts for possible release as a live album.

When the band got back to England, Legacy Records took one listen to the tapes and immediately signed the band up for the release of the live album and a further studio album.

The album `Uriah Heep Live In Moscow' put the band straight back at the top of the hard rock tree, a single album putting together some Heep classics as well as the aforementioned newly written material which slotted in well with the older material. (If you let the album play on past the last and tenth track you will find some extra encore tracks hidden away). On the strength of the live album the band spent the rest of the year touring, before over December 1986 and January 1987 Legacy took the band into the studio to record their eagerly awaited new studio album.

The album was no disappointment, and is a fine addition to any hard rock collection. The album only hit the bottom end of the album charts but this was only to be expected, as this was the end of the Eighties, not exactly a prime time for hard rock bands in record sales, although they could still pack amphitheatres all over the world. The four year gap between studio albums may not have helped either.

The album opens up with a rip roaring cover of the `Argent' hit single `Hold Your Head Up' - a clever way to start the album as it gave the uninitiated something to grasp onto before the Heep originals hit you. But being a band to not stand on ceremony, they still had in the vault a good song from previous vocalist Peter Goalby, so with new vocals and keyboard parts by the new members, the second song up is a hard rockin' `Blood Red Roses', which also features a devastating axe solo from Mick Box.

This is followed by two more rockers written by band members Mick Box and Phil Lanzon combining to write `Voice on My TV' with its atmospheric sound effects, whilst Trevor Bolder gives us `Rich Kid' which he must have been writing from the memory of his days with David Bowie and The Spiders from Mars.

The next Box / Lanzon song, `Cry Freedom', steals a refrain from one of Heep's previous classics, `Sweet Freedom', but tells of forbidden love, perhaps inspired by Uriah Heep's earlier travels. Phil Lanzon then comes into his own with a full out rocker in the guitar driven `Bad Bad Man' which is still a stage favourite today.

The Box / Lanzon partnership scores another hit with `More Fool You'. This is followed by a fine tribute to Australian rockers `Cold Chisel' with `When The War Is Over'. The album proper is brought to a fine conclusion with another fine pair of rockers, with Bernie Shaw finally getting his name on the writing credits on `Rough Justice'.

That is the end of the original album, but those good folks from Reprise Records have re-released `Raging Silence' in 1998 adding on a whole bunch of bonus tracks. `Miracle Child', which was the B-Side to the single release of `Hold Your Head Up'; three fantastic live versions of `Look At Yourself, `Too Scared To Run', and `Corina', which had to be left off the Live In Moscow album due to time constraints, an extended version of `Hold Your Head Up' and an alternate mix of `Blood Red Roses'. This gives you over seventy five minutes of classic Heep rock. The album cover is one of rock's finest as well.

Uriah Heep continues to tour almost continuously to this day, issuing live albums yearly. Unfortunately their studio output, although of the highest quality, has been a little less in quantity, only `Different World' (1991), `Sea of Light' (1995) and the wonderfully named `Sonic Origami' and that was in 1998, six years ago. Time for a new album boys.

Mott the Dog."

Another Uriah Heep masterpiece vastly overlooked!

Brian E. Miller | Easton, PA USA | 06/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Its truly frustrating when such a commercially accessible album as Uriah Heep's 1989 effort "Raging Silence" fails to produce even one "hit single"...at least in my neck of the woods. Once a big Heep fan, I've admittedly lapsed over the past several years and only recently have begun listening to both classic and current Urian Heep again. A "Greatest Hits" collection and the 2006 re-release of "Raging Silence" have reestablished my appreciation for this ever-changing, but continually great band! With not a weak track to speak of, Raging Silence offers some of the most energetic and totally enjoyable rock music I've listened to in years. Personal favorites include "More Fool You", "Rough Justice", and the twice offered "Corina", as studio demo and live versions, two of the seven bonus tracks. With veterans Mick Box (guitars), Lee Kerslake (drums),and Trevor Bolder (bass), along with Phil Lanzon (keyboards), and the fifth in a line of superb vocalists, Bernie Shaw rounding out one of Heep's strongest line-ups, Raging Silence is a must, not only for longtime Uriah Heep afficianados, but for ANYONE who has an appreciation for well written, high energy rock music played with passion!"