HIGH AND MIGHTY

I must say this was the most difficult of all of the band's albuns for me to get into, me having to listen to each song somewhat like 4 or 5 times until 'understanding' their intentions, what also gives me a deep respect for this work (What seems to be a strange fact that Hensley thinks this to be one of his most well-suceeded achievements, can be in the truth due to the lack of comprehension we have of his intentions here).

Never before had Hensley dominated so much the songwriting, as there is no song here not made by him, with only 2 contributions by Wetton, which seems to me to be the another man in the band really compromised with the sucess of High and Mighty.

One Way or Another features almost funny vocals by Wetton (his voice is weird enough to me, but having heard King Crimson's Red, it seems that he sang more seriously in that album). Anyway, it's an excellent heavy song, with great playing by all the band. 4/5

I think it is of little need to say much about Weep in Silence, it's a masterpiece. The guitars really cry, Byron sings with all the power a man can have inside, and it features my all time favorite heep choir, all with extravagant arrangements, which would last with Hensley's organ work on Firefly. 5/5

Misty Eyes is a vocal ballad, with well-constructed harmony vocalizations, with an almost a capella touch. 4/5

Midnight starts off with a great melodic introduction, never seen since Sweet Freedom. Byron sings gently, evolving his voice where lyrics get more dynamic ('miles and miles of smiles, getting me nowhere', 'morning didn't show me what it was worth'). Hensley explores lots of sounds from his synthetizer, from rodhes piano to rock organ. 5/5

Can't Keep a Good Band Down is a fine standard rocker, to be heard at lightweight ocasions. 3/5

Woman of the World is a power ballad, as Heep hasn't made since Wonderworld. Fine melody, four stars due to the great vocalizations in the end section. 4/5

Footprints in the Snow is a guitar-synth effects driven ballad, with weird backing vocals, the song has a very sweet-freedom like melody. 3/5

Can't Stop Singing has a boogie sound, featurin catchy piano playing and harmony vocals. 4/5

Make a Little Love is a weaker Hensley track, with heavy riffs from Box and average Byron's performance. 2/5

Confession keeps the tradition of a piano-driven Hensley ballad, which counted with Rain and The Easy Road in the earlier albuns. A really fine track. 4/5

4 + 5 + 4 + 5 +3 + 4 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 4 = 38/10 3.8, 4 stars

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