Aardschok

What is there to say about a band drivin on the clouds of nostalgia for so many years. Go to see a show and you will be confronted with many old classic songs. Thats logical ofcourse, Heep goes around for about 30 years know and is allowed to go back in its past. Bandleader Mick Box will understand that the big succesera is history. In despite of that the band refuses to quit and delivers cd's on a regular basis. Most of those cd's go by without to much turbulance. To let this happen with Sonic Origami would be very unfair and not right. Because I dare to say this is Heeps best album since Goalby's departure. This cd contains some very strong songs and good meaningfull lyric's. We hear common subjects, but you also taste the meaning of freedom, love and the exploration of the innerself. Ofcourse the wellknown heepy sounds are there: close harmony and the typical ooh's and ahh's, and the wah wah-effects guitarsound of Mick Box. This all together delivers Heep their own sound. The cd kicks off with Between two worlds, a song written as a dedication to David Byron and Gary Thain, two former bandmembers who died years ago. A strong start, like there are more strong songs on this cd. Heartless Land for example, Bernie Shaw surprises me here completely. Special is the variety on this album. Sonic Origami takes 75 minutes and in this period it did not bored me a second. Thats a good thing to the consistantion of the cd. The only minor is the Survivorsong Across the miles. This song does not suit the Heepstyle very much, this opinion is based on my feeling however. Fact is though Uriah Heep is still capable to produce a outstanding and balanced cd. I did not expected this anymore from the veterans.

Michel van de Moosdijk

points