CHAOS & COLOUR

Twenty-five is the number of studio albums concocted by URIAH HEEP in some fifty-three career, which is a more than respectable average. The current quintet have been playing together since 2014, almost nine years without changing personnel, a record for the British formation.

The previous album "Living the Dream" from 2018 was qualitatively their best achievement for twenty years, no less, I would say for my chapel since "Sonic Origami" from 1998 album which has often been reviled (wrongly) even by the fans, so we were expecting this "Chaos and Colour" at the turn. The London formation has never been renowned for its qualitative regularity except during its first incarnation from "Salisbury" to "The Magician's Birthday".

The least we can say from the first listen, it's bingo, it's pure URIAH HEEP, recognizable among a thousand, and it's the first time that the BOX/LANZON duo leaves game time to other members of the formation, Dave RIMMER composes a title (the first single which opens the album) and especially Russell GILBROOK composes four of them!!!

The opening title precisely "Save me tonight" is an "Easy Living" in 2023 perfect for moving live (8/10), following we have three titles of substantially similar quality and duration (from 4: 23 at 5:49), a triplet of (9/10), the second of the three composed by our drummer friend, pieces for the fans so for yours truly, it tumbles my hen. "Hurricane" the second single of the disc (7/10) which arrives in fifth position, proves to be the only very average title on the whole of the opus, also composed by Russell.

One of the pearls of this "Chaos and Colour" is coming, with "One Nation, One Sun" and the famous "Ha Ha Ha" of HEEP in all its splendor, inimitable (10/10) the organ of Phil LANZON and the guitar of Mick BOX who know their classics like the back of their hands in the front row, here too a future anthem for public performances. The terrific "Golden Light" then, also carried by Phil's organ which grinds it in all directions, it pulsates seriously (8/10), a bit too repetitive for my taste.

The (relative) sweetness still exists in URIAH HEEP with the long "You'll Never Be Alone" (GILBROOK) whose title resembles what could be sung in the spans of ANFIELD ROAD, footballers will understand, from the big art heepien (10/10), Mick BOX at his best and without his wah wah! "Fly Like an Eagle" which follows, similar to the inaugural track, collected, concrete, melodic nevertheless, and easy to hum, of the great Bernie SHAW (9/10).

Only two more already, how time passes quickly listening to this album, the third long piece, "Freedom to be Free" carried by the piano of Phil LANZON, it is rare on the whole of the disc, the theme main is somewhat drowned out by the cavalcades of BOX who give themselves six strings of joy, before the return of the piano all in delicacy and a mind-blowing finale on guitar and organ (9/10). "Closer to Your Dreams" which bears its name well, closes the disc on a speedy rhythm à la "Easy Living" too, Mick BOX certainly greatly appreciates these burst guitaristic cavalcades, another piece that will make us tap our feet in concert (8/10).

The demo version of the opening title does not add anything more to this album, which will surely be in my annual top 10, but I am a supporter of the group so it must be considered as such, I am not necessarily impartial on this kick it.