Raging Silence

Uriah Heep were the first ever western rock band to tour the Soviet Union and this they did in December 1987. The band played to over 180,000 fans during their ten concerts in Moscow alone! Bearing in mind that this was the first western rock band to play behind the Iron Curtain, the management and the band had pulled off a major coup and they had wisely attempted to record several of the dates. These recordings resulted in the release of the Live In Moscow (Cam B Mockbe) album in 1988, an album that garnered an immense amount of positive press coverage from the usually hostile music press. The band had been in a state of disarray after the release of the Equator album in 1985. That disarray resulted in several line-up changes: Phil Lanzon (ex-Sweet) was drafted in as replacement for John Sinclair on keyboards and Bernie Shaw, a young Canadian (ex-Grand Prix) was drafted in to fill the lead vocal shoes. It was this line-up that performed those now legendary concerts in the (now former) Soviet Union.

Live In Moscow was a very important CD for the band and it really signified the start of a new recording career for the fresh line-up. Live In Moscow sold relatively well and re-established them back in the memory of the record buying public. All they had to do now was capitalize on this new found publicity quickly if they wanted continuity and consistency. This they did by maintaining a heavy touring schedule and the commencement of the recordings that were to culminate in the Raging Silence album. Recorded between December 1988 and February 1989, Raging Silence was released in mid-1989. The album was produced by Richard Dodd who attempted to 'Americanize' the sound, no doubt with the purpose to once again penetrate the huge American rock market.

The album is a good collection of Heep-penned tracks augmented by several covers, Hold Your Head Up, the old Argent hit and When The War Is Over, written and originally performed by the Australian rock heroes, Cold Chisel. The version Heep had been inspired by however had been performed by John Farnham's Little River Band. The album was a good one even if it didn't really retain the feel of the earlier Heep. The album's cover was, however, typically Heep. One of the better album covers around (in my humble opinion).

The original vinyl album contained ten tracks with some CD versions augmented by a live version of Look At Yourself from the Moscow concerts. This live track along with two other alternate versions of 'Moscow' material have been included on this release. The extended 12" single mixes of Hold Your Head Up and Blood Red Roses have also been added, bringing you a bumper album of over 75 minutes.

© 1998 Robert M. Corich

Bonus Tracks:

1. Miracle Child (B side of Hold Your Head Up, B side on 12" release of Hold Your Head Up)
2. Look At Yourself (B side on 12" release of Blood Red Roses) Also on US version of the Raging Silence CD release.
3. Too Scared Too Run - Previously unreleased live version from Moscow recordings.
4. Corina - Previously unreleased live version from Moscow recordings.
5. Hold Your Head Up - 12" extended version.
6. Blood Red Roses - Extended version.

Content Copyright © 1997-98 Jay Pearson

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