Uriah Heep - Abominog
1982 Bronze
by Horatio

Quick Summary:
First Van Halen 'OU812' and now Uriah Heep 'Abominog'?' asks some cretin anticipating an Amon Amarth review.  No one's too good for Uriah Heep.  Not a single bloody one of you.  Uriah Heep are one of the true pioneers of heavy metal, but because their singer wasn't Ozzy Osbourne nobody remembers them, even though their original vocalist, the late David Byron, was clearly a better all round frontman than the over saturated fat fart that is Ozzy.  It is true by 1982 Heep were down and out, their early to mid 70's success a distant memory, 1972's 'Demons And Wizards' their supposed essential album, although I'll take the John Lawton fronted 1978 'Fallen Angel' any day.  After disbanding following 1980's 'Conquest', Mick Box pulled himself together, reforming the band with a new lineup, minus keyboardist Ken Hensley, the former leader, who went and added his talents to Blackfoot.  Kerslake returned from the 70's glory days (replaced originally by Chris Slade in 1979), while Daisley signed up fresh from a stint with Ozzy.  With an excellent new singer in Goalby, Heep recorded one of their best albums to that point, a perfect blend of AOR and metal/hard rock.

I first heard this album nearly a decade ago, and it's still a consistently thrilling listen all these years later.  The addition of PULSATING synths added a new dimension from Hensley's former dated Hammond organ stunts, as witnessed by the brazen AOR of 'Chasing Shadows', 'Hot Night In A Cold Town' and 'Hot Persuasion'.  Box turns in his most well rounded performance, veering from straight metal riffing to melodic riffing and soloing in the blink of an eye.  Like many others, Heep also found room for a Russ Ballard cover, a sweat inducing version of 'On The Rebound'.  Proving they could still play heavy, 'Too Scared To Run', 'Running All Night (With The Lion)', 'Sell Your Soul' and 'Think It Over', convinced the harshest critics they were far from done.  Heep followed this up with two more classics, 1983's 'Head First' and 1985's 'Equator', sadly to a dwindling audience as their record companies failed to promote them adequately.  Heep are still going, with the same lineup since 1987 amazingly, with Box and Kerslake surviving from the 1983-85 era, although it would be amiss to not mention Trevor Boulder, who replaced Daisley in 1983 and remains today also.  Forget your In Flames for a minute and buy this instead.  You'll be a new man, born again, ready for the real thing.

Website:  www.uriah-heep.com

Song Summaries:

1. Too Scared To Run - A hearty rocker to capture people's attention, galloping along with as much energy as Maiden, and bounds ahead of 'Invaders'.  Goalby was a wise choice as vocalist, a sensational hard rock voice, the man formerly with Trapeze.  A
2. Chasing Shadows - AOR is for real men, and Heep nailed it effortlessly with a classic of the genre, a hook that stands up there with Michael Bolton and Zon.  Sinclair had hinted at his synth prowess with the Heavy Metal Kids, but fully realizes it with some nice touches, verging on pomp.  Box is on fire, resulting in one of the best songs of all time.  A+
3. On The Rebound - I believe this first appeared on Russ Ballard's 'Barnet Dogs' album of 1979, but he is upstaged by Heep, who with killer synth work give it new life.  A superior cover, fancy that.  A
4. Hot Night In A Cold Town - Another slice of dramatic AOR, another A+.  A+
5. Running All Night (With The Lion) - This track is what first attracted me to 'Abominog', with a title like that I had to hear it.  Better still it lived up to the hype, blending AOR melodies with hard rock backing.  Sinclair should be given a knighthood for his keyboard work.  A
6. That's The Way That It Is - This was a hit single, and deservedly so, if just for the paring synth in the second verse which sounds like the theme to Arthur C. Clarkes Mysterious World.  B+
7. Prisoner - The lightest moment, an acoustic AOR ballad with harmonies that might have had Journey shaking their heads in disbelief.  A
8. Hot Persuasion - True raunchy AOR, with synth use pushed to overload.  Every band should have taken this direction.  Imagine if Maiden had done this in 1983.  Saxon did, recall 'Nightmare'.  Paul Dianno gave it his best shot with his 1984 album 'Dianno'.  Listening to this album closely, it blows Van Halen off the face of the earth in 1982.  Maybe not Kiss though.  Definitely Raven.  A+
9. Sell Your Soul - Back to the basic heavy metal sound that made them legends, only far more invigorating than 'Gypsy', Heep's trademark classic from 1970.  Makes a nice companion to the 1982 World Cup, although 'Chasing Shadows' would be a better description for England's title aspirations that year.  Keegans miss anyone?  Brooking past his prime?  Hoddle on the bench?  A
10. Think It Over - Penned by John Sloman and Boulder, this might be an unused relic from 1980's 'Conquest', in which Sloman was vocalist, for a whopping one album.  If so, then that album was deprived of more AOR brilliance, highlighted by a brief, savage solo from Box.  Thrilling end to a perfect album that ranks any day in my top twenty AOR moments.  If the world was rational this is the type of album that would be no 2 in those worthless top 500 albums of all time lists that trash like Rolling Stone run every other year.  I would just like someone to tell me how 'Pet Sounds' is superior?  Dave Marsh maybe?  If you happen to read this then inform me you hanger on old fuck.  A+

Average Song Rating:  A
Overall Album Rating:  A+