Customer Reviews

Wake the Sleeper

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The new Uriah Heep album is a great addition to their catalog and I am glad that I bought it. This album is very heavy rock bursting with energy. The sonic wall of classic heep sounds full of energy and is wrapped around tuneful melodies and tasteful production. The guitar is wailing, the organ is thumping, the bass is booming, the drummer is blasting, the singer is soaring...buy it!

Just so you know, Uriah Heep has been my favorite band for 25 years. I may be a huge fan, but I am also a harsh critic when they release a dud (such as Equator). That said, this is their most solid album since at least Firefly, if not their glory years with Gary Thain.

The only keyboard used is a Hammond B-3, which Phil Lanzon plays far better than ever before, and with the same kind of manic energy that Ken Hensley brought in the early 70s. The new drummer, Russell Gilbrook, brings a similar energy that seems to have re-energized the entire band. All of the Heep trademarks are here, from the Hammond to Mick Box's wah-wah to the Heep choir. There is no weak track as well as some of Heep's best moments ever. Trevor Bolder is still holding down the bass end superbly (although mixed too low for my tastes for most of the album) and Bernie Shaw brings the same sort of emotion that the late great David Byron did during Heep's glory years. No, Bernie is not David, but he has been Heep's lead singer for more than 20 years now and his voice is just as amazing as David's was.

My favorite songs after a couple dozen listens are Angels Walk With You, What Kind of God (the last two minutes are possibly Heep's finest musical moment EVER!!), War Child (especially the opening verse), Overload, and the title track (what a bloody great riff!!!). On the first couple of listens, it seemed to bog down a bit on tracks 4-6, but no longer.

If you are any sort of Uriah Heep, melodic rock, or fan of classic hard rock, I can't recommend this album heartily enough!!

This party gets off to a rousing start. The first cut is the title cut and rocks every tastebud in these ears right down to my cheerful toes! Largely instrumental in power, there is a chorus that come in and reminds those who have slept through the first 60 seconds to wake up! My bet is they don't really have to say that, it's impossible for the energy of this song to not wake us up. Unless, of course, they are speaking of the metaphorical sleepers. I have another idea - that they are speaking of those who are sleeping through the political times and not participating in making the world a better place to exist. I make that judgment based on some of the other songs. The second song tells me that "tonight you're going to overload your mind" and then reminds us that "life moves faster than the speed of sound". The next powerhouse rocks the party with the reminder that "I have the best of everything" as the "tears of the world keep falling." Powerful writing with exciting playing, a great party is promised.

Two confessions. First, Uriah Heep was important to my early adulthood as I dealt with some issues between choosing war or sanity. As I maneuvered my way through the system to get honorably discharged from the war that I was dragged into, the music of Uriah Heep helped bring a peace that wasn't available from other sources. The second album, Look At Yourself, was played over and over as I made my arguments to my "superiors" about the immorality of the war we were engaged with at the time. It took many inner reflections as those around me were claiming I was was a coward, etc, etc. I'm not going to tell the tale here, only explain that Uriah Heep held a powerful place in my life in the early 70's with songs like Look At Yourself, I Wanna Be Free, July Morning, Tears In My Eyes, Shadows Of Grief, and What Should Be Done. Love Machine was icing on the cake. The good news is I was eventually honorably discharged without needing to carry a weapon to kill people I had no reason to see as my enemy.

Second, I followed Uriah Heep's career throughout the 70s. I still own ten of their albums. But somehow we lost touch. I seriously had no concept that they were still a working band. Even though I hang out with musicians and the music business, their output had escaped my detection. Well, I'm glad that this little blog was noticed by someone overseas that decided to mail a copy of the CD. I feel re-united with some powerful musicians and songwriters, but turns out it was all my fault. I did a bit of research and these guys have many cds available. As imports only, which means I am not the only fan who stopped purchasing their music. Let's fix that.

Back to the album. I have to also mention a song that makes me so sad I cry seriously wet tears when I hear it. That's powerful. The song is called What Kind Of God, and it's one of those you must hear to appreciate because the music enhances the lyric and brings a deeper emotional experience. The narrator takes on the view of a person facing "100 white soldiers" from a "far-away place with guns and new order" and contemplating "what kind of god do they see? What kind of God can this be?" The song is powerful because I am able to listen to the words and picture it as a song told from the viewpoint of Native Americans being attacked by Europeans, or Iraqis being attacked by people of European descent. Religion is always the basis, and the god of the killers must be looked upon by those being oppressed as extremely evil, which of course he is because the god, as religious as he is, is in every case money and greed.

More shoutouts for Ghost Of The Ocean and Angels Walk With You ("a new world with a new morning, a new sunrise on a brand-new day). Thanks for keeping up the music guys! I'll do my best not to lose track again.

Uriah Heep "Wake the Sleeper" review
by Bob Winward

Heep certainly hits the mother lode with their new offering. There are all strong and stronger tracks on this cd and it gets my "All Heep is Good Heep" seal of approval. Outstanding, start to finish, the cd is chock full of rockers with the recipe that the current lineup has perfected, also featuring some of the bands sound from the very early 70's sprinkled with some delightful surprises. My words here alone are not strong enough to convey my enthusiasm for this new studio cd by our beloved Uriah Heep. I can sum it up by saying it sounds like a sunrise on a brand new day and no one can say Heep is a "shadow" of their former selves as this cd propels them into the upper stratosphere of eliteness!

The opening/title is a speed rocker, focusing on harmonies. It is the first song I have memorized the catchy
Lyrics completely, albeit what there is of them! Heep really jams on this piece, showcasing the instrumental talents of all 4 players. The ending of the song has a lightning fast drum/guitar interplay that is in total synchronization.

Overload is an instant classic! It has all the Heep elements, starts out with a hot guitar riff than the drums come in like a charging bull. I thought the band would suffer without Lee; instead Russell has energized the band. This is the first of many songs on the cd where Phil prominently plays the B3 with passion throughout. The tight bass lines rumble with a sweet low powerful tone like dual glass pack mufflers on a 70's muscle car! Mick's guitar drives the song and Heep produces a thunderous sound!

Tears of the World
This song really kicks off the debut of the new Heep harmony sound. It is an up-tempo rocker and Mick has a couple of great guitar solos. This song epitomizes the sound the band has created with the current lineup. The fast moving anthem is catchy and addicting! It ends nicely with the B3.

Light of a 1000 Stars
This is an up-tempo Heep rocker anthem with strong lyrics and a great hook. Has a really nice guitar solo about 2:30 into the song.

Heaven's Rain is one of my favorites on this cd, a power ballad that moves along with a tremendous bass line. Bernie's vocal soars on this one and shows the beauty of his voice. Mick nails it at 2:20 with a beautiful guitar solo with his patented sound that always thrills me. At the end, the song slows down and has one of the most beautiful heep vocals as it softly fades out with Bernie's voice and Phil on the B3

Book of Lies starts out with a powerful guitar riff reminiscent of Sweet Sugar. Another powerful up-tempo heep anthem rocker full of pomp and circumstance. I always feel good when I hear these songs. Awesome guitar work between Mick and Trevor the song drives along and has soaring vocals, great lyrics. I could see this song being a power single with its emotional appeal.

What Kind of God
I love the opening with soft organ and military style drumming! A power ballad with great lyrics. It is the
Classic Heep soft/heavy sound and it really cooks!
The last minute and a half of the song is one of Heep's greatest instrumental moments. I cannot get enough of this ending.

Ghost of the Ocean
The song opens similar to Everything in Life breaking into an up-tempo rocker with an outstanding vocal hook. The guitar work is fast and then at times slows, much like early Heep. I especially enjoy the few moments of backing vocals that sound like a heep choir chant, "huh, huh." The ending of the song is a classic Heep ending. Another winner!

Angels Walk With You
Starts out with a soft guitar and Bernie with a slow bluesy vocal, punctuated by some soft drumming and cymbals, then turns hard and heavy. One of the extended guitar riffs reminds me of the early Heep song Time to Live off Salisbury. Trevor's bass playing is outstanding, as on all of the songs, but this song he seems to really stand out. A powerful heavy blues rock number that is destined to be a classic Heep song for years to come and is one of my top favorites on the cd.

Shadow
This song could have been on the Salisbury Lp, with the powerful slow heavy approach very much like early Uriah Heep. A haunting vocal with a nice hook with sizzling guitar. One of the most powerful songs on the cd

War Child

This is what I hoped a new Uriah Heep song would sound like. The vocal effects are different on this song and most welcome. Great sound effects and an awesome Heep choir. This would make a great live sing along song; I hope it gets added to the set. I rate this greatest song on the cd as it stands on its own with a unique sound, powerful playing and haunting vocals.

Great Heep album! 5 part harmonies, heavy Hammond organ, great lyrics and soaring guitar-Thank you Mick Box for keeping Heep alive! Here's hoping that this CD gets it's proper due here in the States-it's a great addition to the Heep tradition.

I've been listing to Uriah Heep since then the eighth grade back in 1973. That is when I heard Sweet Lorraine On the FM station here in Chicago. I fell in love with the music and got the Magician's Birthday and Demons and Wizards For Christmas that year. Their quality went downhill quickly after Return to Fantasy. I bought a couple of them after this but they really stunk. For some reason I listened to this one and was completly surprised How good this was. Nice to see them back.

You know, I have wondered if anybody could produce some high class, high energy good old rock music anymore. Being over 50, I remember these bands from when they came out. With what we have to put up with today (except for a few songs and they are few and far between), I can't understand why doing straight forward rock is so hard. The bands of today are what I call the post grunge, whiney little snots bands who know nothing about composition, arranging or even being interesting. Dull, dull, dull. THANK GOD FOR URIAH HEEP. Look at these guys, doing the best rock that was released in 2008 and see how old they are. I am a die hard fan of early UH and agree that some of their later projects lacked what the earliest did, especially with the likes of The Wizard, Easy Living, Stealing and the incredible Circle of Hands. I took a chance that the reviewers here on Amazon were honestly impressed and I am glad I did. This project rocks just like the early material. I am listening to it as I write this and can say there isn't a track that I don't like. This CD is the real thing. I could have been produced in the early 70's and would have gotten lots of radio play. If you are looking for some of that "new" old heavy rock, buy this disk. I don't give praise lightly and don't for a moment think this is a revival band that can't cut the mustard anymore. IT ROCKS. Should be a lesson to all the young puppies out there who think they can rock.

Just so you know, Uriah Heep has been my favorite band for 25 years. I may be a huge fan, but I am also a harsh critic when they release a dud (such as Equator). That said, this is their most solid album since at least Firefly, if not their glory years with Gary Thain.

The only keyboard used is a Hammond B-3, which Phil Lanzon plays far better than ever before, and with the same kind of manic energy that Ken Hensley brought in the early 70s. The new drummer, Russell Gilbrook, brings a similar energy that seems to have re-energized the entire band. All of the Heep trademarks are here, from the Hammond to Mick Box's wah-wah to the Heep choir. There is no weak track as well as some of Heep's best moments ever. Trevor Bolder is still holding down the bass end superbly (although mixed too low for my tastes for most of the album) and Bernie Shaw brings the same sort of emotion that the late great David Byron did during Heep's glory years. No, Bernie is not David, but he has been Heep's lead singer for more than 20 years now and his voice is just as amazing as David's was.

My favorite songs after a couple dozen listens are Angels Walk With You, What Kind of God (the last two minutes are possibly Heep's finest musical moment EVER!!), War Child (especially the opening verse), Overload, and the title track (what a bloody great riff!!!). On the first couple of listens, it seemed to bog down a bit on tracks 4-6, but no longer.

If you are any sort of Uriah Heep, melodic rock, or fan of classic hard rock, I can't recommend this album heartily enough!!

Classic, thoughtful, powerful straighthead progressive/hard rock. I'm glad a classic band of this nature is still out there playing great metal! True metal gods!

Another short review from me here. Of course, there's no need to go into technicolor detail. What I think should be said about Wake The Sleeper is this; I've been a Heep fan since the early 70s. I've liked the vast majority of their stuff since then - maybe more out of a sense of loyalty than anything else. Over the years, though, I've gotten a little gunshy about buying new Uriah Heep releases - "They'll never sound as good as they did at Demons & Wizards, etc." is what I though. While Wake The Sleeper isn't the same Heep as Demons (to be fair, how could it be) the very first thought I had just a few seconds into this release was "Ahhhh. They're back!"