Uriah Heep – Sonic Origami – Review

Uriah Heep

Sonic Origami (Spitfire)
by Brian Varney

Jesus, is Bruce Dickinson singing for Uriah Heep now? Turns out it isn’t him, but it sure sounds like him. Actually, Uriah Heep is full of unfamiliar faces (because most of the original members are dead) – I think guitarist Mick Box is the only original member still around, and it shows.

Even among people who have a healthy appreciation for ’70s metal, Uriah Heep are regarded as a colossal joke, the real-life inspiration for Spinal Tap, and a whole bunch of other not-nice things. I happen to think they made a couple of good records in their day, but I seem to be in the minority, even amongst my friends, some of whom will listen to a Sir Lord Baltimore record without batting an eye. I didn’t even know Uriah Heep were still making records because I thought they were all dead, so imagine my surprise when this arrived.

So what else do you want me to say? You don’t expect this to be good, do you? I sure hope not. Or maybe you want to see some vicious verbal attacks? That’s not going to happen either, if for no other reason than it isn’t as bad as I thought… But then again, very little can match the depths of audio sadism I can imagine. No, it’s not horrible at all, just uninspired. This record is a textbook example of originators imitating their imitators. Uriah Heep were one of the primary influences on the NWOBHM movement, and here they are, twenty years after the fact, making a bad Iron Maiden record. I’d elaborate, but listening to this record is depressing me. It’s actually pretty sad, like watching someone try their hardest and still failing miserably. It makes you want to quietly shuffle away and pretend you didn’t notice anything so you don’t have to lie when you’re asked for your opinion.
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