DEMONS AND WIZARDS

Hey hey hey . am I in the right space?? Where am I? URIAH HEEP! Is it a prog band? .. Uhm .. uhm .. ahem ahem . their SALISBURY album is definitely a prog rock music and it's wonderful. But "Demon's and Wizards" is a prog album????? Give me a break, guys!! C'mon .!

Well, I don't care really. The fact is that I love this band. Be it a rock or pop group but I like their music. But I never dare to say that this band is a prog band except SALISBURY album. And to me, this one album does not justify to conclude this band as a prog band. LUCIFER's FRIEND is much prog compared to URIAH HEEP. I think. I may be wrong. What is prog, anyway???

Let's stop the discussion on music boundary and talk straight about this album. Definitely this album is a masterpiece (wheter it is prog or not) musically. Even, this album represents my first introduction to rock music in my "right-placed" childhood, altogether with "Fools" (DEEP PURPLE), "I can See Him In The Morning" (GRAND FUNK RAILROAD) , "Hobo" (LUCIFER'S FRIEND) and "Space Shanty" (KHAN). My childhood days were filled by the music of that band in my school spirit. I was more excited listening to rock music than going to school, really. "Demons and Wizards" blew my mind, the whole album!

The acoustic guitar part of "The Wizard" had colored my childhood really. As I kept repeating my cassette of this album in 1972, my mom (then 45) also loved this band. "He was the wizard of a thousand kings ." wow! What a nice voice! I enjoy this album track by track and never miss any track. Their music is simple but able to create an intense musical nuances. The voice of David Byron is really good. "Traveler in Time" is an energetic song. It'll cheer up your day. "Easy Livin'" is also an upbeat rock music with great organ punch along the track. Hey, if you listen to this track, observe how the bass guitar is played. It's amazing Gary Thain man! (You should also listen to KEEF HARTLEY BAND's "Half Breed" as well). This song has been covered by many bands recently, includes ex ROYAL HUNT's singer DC COOPER. "Somewhere along the lonely road / I had tried to find you / Day after day on that windy road / I had walked behind you".

All other tracks are equally excellent tracks. I also like "Circle of Hands" which has a touchy organ intro followed by nice lyric "Circle of hands/ cold spirits plan / Searching my land for an enemy / Came across love's sweet cost / And in the face of beauty / Evil was lost". Really good. Well, I don't want to dwell into more details as it consumes your time reading it. JUST BUY THIS CD. You would hardly regret on your decision. Don't let your mind associate this band with PINK FLOYD, YES, ELP, or KING CRIMSON. Almost all tracks are straight forward hard rock music with great vocal, unique guitar sound, excellent bass, punchy organ sound. Mick Box guitar playing style and Byron's singing style that make this band unique. I give FIVE STAR is not of the prog (or non-prog) nature of their music. But this album is a masterpiece for rock music.

What do you think? - Gatot Widayanto, Indonesia.