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.
Demons and Wizards also produced a notable radio hit for the band in
"Easy Livin'," a punchy little rocker whose raging blend of fuzz guitar and swirling organ made it feel like a '70s update of classic '60s garage rockers like
the Electric Prunes or
Paul Revere & the Raiders. However, the top highlight of the album is the closing medley of
"Paradise" and
"The Spell": the first part of the medley starts in an acoustic
folk mode and slowly adds layers of organ and electric guitar until it becomes a forceful, slow-tempo rocker, while the second half is a punchy, organ-led rocker that includes an instrumental midsection where choral-style harmonies fortify a killer,
Pink Floyd-style guitar solo from
Ken Hensley. All in all,
Demons and Wizards works both as a showcase for
Uriah Heep's instrumental firepower and an excellent display of their songwriting skills in a variety of
hard rock styles. As a result, it is considered by many fans to be their finest hour and is definitely worth a spin for anyone with an interest in 1970s
heavy metal. ~ Donald A. Guarisco
