Tag Archives: Vertigo Records

Dio – Holy Diver (1983) – Review

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When – in 1982 – Ronnie James Dio defected from Black Sabbath and got his own band in a tearing hurry, we were all kind of scratching our heads. Not knowing where this was all going to end. Of course, also counting the fact that Vinnie Appice took off with him on this flight from the witches.

The vapors surrounding their somewhat abrupt departure were pregnant with disconsolate news. About infighting at Black Sabbath, all about power and who should be calling the shots. And am I not surprised: The alpha-males assembled were probably incapable to let go and work together. All severely opinionated to … [...] Click to raid more!

Uriah Heep – …Very ‘Eavy …Very ‘Umble (1970) – Review

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…Very ‘Eavy …Very ‘Umble just takes off like a rocket with Gypsy straight into Uriah Heep‘s debut album back in 1970. And what a debut! Starting a first-ever album with a hit straight away is a feat not easily repeated. Stellar!

Of course with David Byron‘s pipes, Ken Hensley handling the keyboard madness and other things. Okay, he did some of the vocals too. Plus you got Mick Box doing the usual stellar things with his guitar. So, all should be good. Right? Well, not quite.

Because shortly after Gypsy ends, you kind of go ‘Now What’?

‘Tis a mixed bag for … [...] Click to raid more!

Uriah Heep – Salisbury (1971) – Review

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Well, I have dabbled in Progressive Rock and Metal for a while. But often we cover modern artists and sometimes forget the old masters. Because far into the past, there already were jewels that nobody really knows anymore.

Salisbury, the 2nd studio album of early Uriah Heep is one of them. The band’s name derives from the Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield, by the way. Actually the antagonist hero in the story, no less. 

Starting with ‘Very ‘eavy, Very ‘umble’ a year earlier, Uriah Heep went on full progressive mode with Salisbury. Actually, this record – I am tempted to call … [...] Click to raid more!

Dio – Dream Evil (1987) – Review

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Heavy Metal is one of my favorite styles and passions in music. And one band that truly had a hand in shaping this passion is Dio with the superb 1987 record Dream Evil.

This album played when the world still seemed in order. All kinda black and white, not torn asunder by some assholes trying to rearrange our lives. Or perhaps they did already, only we did not realize it. Also, the internet did not quite exist yet. And nobody yet dreamt of cell phones the way they exist today. Hey, we even had the good old iron curtain … [...] Click to raid more!