CD-Charts Position 131
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Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Uriah Heep

Release Date February 26, 2008
First saw Uriah Heep in the early seventies on the Students' Union circuit when they were promoting this album. Great night, it was. Obviously, I still have the vinyl in pristine condition, but will be getting the cd version to protect the original classic.
To my mind, Mick Box is an outstanding guitarist, who can hold his own in any company, past or present.
So do yourself a favour, and buy it. You won't regret it.

CD-Charts Position 132
Average Rating:

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Sad Wings of Destiny

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Judas Priest

Release Date July 15, 2000
Most bands blow their energy on their early releases before honing their craft to produce something with depth. On this evidence, Judas Priest did it the other way round. 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' suggests a mature band, a well-structured work of linked tracks with a wide musical scope, yet without a track out of place. Whereas some see this as revolutionary, however, I feel its quality is more reminiscent of early 1970s rock than a foretaste of the all-hell-and-no-notion metal that dominated the 1980s. Uriah Heep, Mountain, Nazareth and UFO are among the bands that some of the passages remind me of, while the magnificent guitar interplay of 'Dream Deceiver' tends to recall Wishbone Ash. The subject matter meanwhile follows, to a limited extent, in the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 133
Average Rating:

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Creatures Of The Night

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Kiss

Release Date September 29, 1997
KISS in 1982 were seemingly in decline. Their last three studio albums had steadily declining sales, and they seemed to have lost all direction. To come back with an album like this is a testament to the shrewd nous of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons and their brillaince at producing great rock music.

The album starts as it means to continue with thundering drums leading into the title track. New drummer Eric Carr finally gets to show off his skills and was never better. Gene also excels throughout the album, on I Love it Loud and the menacing War Machine in particular. Paul contributes I Still Love You and the frentic Danger as well as the awesome title track. There are no weak songs on the album, only fantastic songs and good songs. Here is ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 134
Average Rating:

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Big Ones

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Aerosmith

Release Date June 18, 1999
I'm not a big fan of Aerosmith or 'best of' albums for that matter, but this one's pretty decent and is the only Aerosmith one in my collection. It probably has most of their classics on, 'Cryin', Livin' On The Edge', 'Dude Looks Like A Lady' etc. I'm not sure why there has to be a live track on the end though, surley they could have put another track that wasn't already on the album instead? Still, a good introduction to Aerosmith if you don't know them very well.

CD-Charts Position 135
Average Rating:

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Obsession

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: UFO

Release Date August 02, 1999
This is one of the all-time classic hard rock albums. I agree with the other reviewer who says that Schenker and Mogg bring out the best in each other, and this album and the next studio album they did together 18 years later (Walk on Water) prove it. Having said this, it should be noted that Schenker frequently reaches this guitar-playing standard without Mogg - though Mogg is probably Schenker's best song-writing partner.

Anyway - to the record in hand. Only You Can Rock me is a superb opening track with a haunting melodic solo in the middle that has to be one of rock's timeless great moments. Pack it Up and Go is a great-song that simultaneously show-cases Schenker's talents. Arbory Hill slows things down nicely before the more ballad-like Ain't No Baby and Lookin' ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 136
Average Rating:

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Remasters

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Led Zeppelin

Release Date August 25, 1997
I knew the obvious Zep tracks (Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, etc) and keep hearing about how good this band is, so I bought this compilation. Apart from the hand-full of well-known tracks, most of the tracks on here are very poor - repetitive, unimaginative and self-indulgent. Several tracks 7,8 even 10 minutes long, with the same riffs just repeating over and over again; they might have been OK as 3 minute songs, but stretching them out just shows how little there is to them.

If this is the best they can come up with as a compilation, I'd hate to hear the tracks that were left off.

Maybe they are just an acquired taste, or maybe they are just overrated.

CD-Charts Position 137
Average Rating:

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Live 1973

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Uriah Heep

Release Date February 26, 2008
I bought this album in 1975 when I was at school and loved it and still do.The atmosphere of a live rock concert is captured perfectly complete with guitar and synthesizer tuning, the odd bum note, "chewing gum being stuck on the boot" of the late David Byron and songs which feature the Moog "simplifier" and Organ (?) Brilliant! All the tracks are excellent and indeed some like "July Morning" "Sweet Lorraine" and "Traveller in time" sounding far better than the original rather 'Lack Lustre' studio versions. "Gypsy" is superb with both synth and drum solo's. A real Must-Have album for any fan of 70's rock. "it's going out live tonight so make a lot of noise won't you"! Fantastic.. Play it LOUD!!!

CD-Charts Position 138
Average Rating:

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Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Black Sabbath

Release Date May 17, 2004
I grew up listening to Black Sabbath. During the mid-70s they, along with Rush, established themselves as my favorite band. I've had all the early Ozzy era albums on vinyl, then on CD and now I treated myself to these remasters on the strength of Joe Siegler's review on his excellent Sabbath webpage.

I wasn't disappointed. There's a clarity and depth here that isn't present on the other versions I've owned previosuly, so its a delight to listen to these newly polished versions. Bill comes across better than ever, and they haven't mucked up Tony and Geezer's sounds in the process.

Well packaged, with a smart velvet-covered booklet telling the band's story & including the full set of Geezer-sanctioned lyrics.

I won't go into detail on the music : ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 139
Average Rating:

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Starkers in Tokyo

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Whitesnake

Release Date March 01, 1999
The idea of an "unplugged" Whitesnake album is appealing, and "Starkers In Tokyo" does feature a lovely rendition of the classic Deep Purple-ballad "Soldier Of Fortune".

But most of the songs don't really work too well in this setting. Coverdale's vocals are excellent, but Adrian Vandenberg's lone guitar just doesn't provide the musical backing that these songs need, and the extremely lean arrangement doesn't suit songs like "Too Many Tears" and "Here I Go Again".

Vandenberg picks more than he strums, and a rhythm guitar or two (and preferably an acoustic bass as well) would have worked wonders.

There are some good moments on "Starkers In Tokyo", but this is mainly an album for serious Coverdale-fans. Casual listeners probably won't find too much here to hold their ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 140
Average Rating:

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Firefly

CD-Charts > Music > Classic Hard Rock and Metal
by: Uriah Heep

Release Date February 26, 2008
Having no great expectations of any Heep album after Magician's Birthday I was really surprised by this one. With the exception of the disappointing title track the songs get better and better as the album progresses, culminating in the atmospheric Rolling On and the up tempo and highly memorable Sympathy. I have been really pleased with this purchase and may be forced to sample later material in the hope of finding a similar gem.