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Fan Reviews

Arjan Hut (Ljouwer, Fryslân, the Netherlands) writes, "A remarkable comeback after the weak Different World album. The album has this typical German metal sound, which really revitalizes Heep. Against the Odds is a smashing opener, classic metal all over the place. Lee's drumming sounds incredible! Love in Silence, Dream On and Times of Revelation belong to the best songs the band has ever written. Spirit of Freedom or Sweet Sugar may not be as impressive, but even such simpler songs sound so much better than anything on Different World. A great Heep-album for the nineties."

Kenneth Murray (Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA) writes, "Wow!!!!! This cd is superb. Bernie Shaw’s vocals are just as good as David Bryon's!!!! Mistress Of All Time and Love In Silence are classic Heep ballads. Against The Odds is a great opening Song. It rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dream On is a beautiful ending to this cd. Overall Sea Of Light is classic Heep at its best!!!!!!!!! A+ rating!!!!!!!!!!"

Mac Steagall (Hamlet, North Carolina, USA) writes, "Uriah Heep, a band that once soared in the hard rock stratosphere along with the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, has been reduced to being the answer to a trivia question. Although Heep is credited with selling over 30 million records in the '70s alone, they are virtually unknown in the USA nowadays. In the '80s, Heep made a brief return to the charts with the help of a healthy dose of MTV exposure. Still UH is pretty much an unknown commodity to the under-30 crowd. Sea of Light could be the album to change all that. Quite simply it is the best product since the band's heyday.

"The writing partnership of Mick Box and Phil Lanzon pay big dividends on Sea of Light by producing a number of memorable compositions. SOL bolts out of the gate behind Box' blazing guitar solo on Against the Odds. Filled with classic Heep trademarks of heavy guitar, hammond and layered harmony vocals; long-time Heepsters will be overjoyed with the band's return to its roots. Fantasy lyrics and even a Roger Dean cover are featured on SOL. Highlights of the album include Time of Revelation, a tune which evokes memories of Easy Livin' (the band's best-selling single); Dream On, an acoustic number that rivals even the Ken Hensley-penned ballads of classic Heep; and Love in Silence, an orchestra-backed, progressive rock composition that builds to an emotional climax. SOL is an interesting combination of hard rock and progressive rock. Universal Wheels", "Words in the Distance", "Fear of Falling and Fires of Hell fall in the formal category with Mistress of All Time and Logical Progression in the latter. Although the late David Byron's legend still casts a large shadow, Bernie Shaw's performance on SOL proves him to be a talented vocalist in his own right. In summary, Sea of Light is a surprisingly powerful and fresh album from one of the biggest hard rock bands of the 70s. It compares very favorably with the recent releases of their contemporaries."

James W. Mihelakis (Sydney, Australia) writes, "Brilliant album. Have heard from so many that Sonic Origami is as good or even better. Hasn't been released yet here, but if it's anywhere near as good as Sea of Light I'll be ecstatic!"

Nick English (State College, Pennsylvania, USA) writes, "I know I'm a little behind, but I just bought Sea of Light on import, and I must say, I don't know what I was waiting for! Definitely worth the extra $8. There's something on this disc for fans of EVERY Heep era and lineup. Bernie Shaw definitely has his own style, but there are moments on this album where, in terms of vocals, mood and music, you would swear you were back in the Heep heyday, and David Byron was still with us. Best Heep album in almost two decades! Keep it up, Mick and Co.!"

Brad Duren (Oklahoma, USA) writes "YES! (doing best Beavis and Butthead). In my opinion, the best album since Abominog. Great production, excellent songwriting, and inspired performances. Those converts who bailed after Equator have since returned. I can't wait to hear the next album, and I am still longing to see this lineup live. Mick and Phil have become an excellent songwriting duo. Every song on this album is a classic."

Darrell Sensing (Nashua, New Hampshire, USA) writes, "I must confess to loving classic (Byron era) Heep and the NEW HEEP the most. Sea of Light has me looking forward to the next studio release with great anticipation. It's great to see the Heep ring and "Heepsters on the Web" continue to grow....right along with one of the worlds greatest bands!!!!! Everyone involved with Heep & the Heepsters are 1st class."

Todd Pence (Fairfield, Virginia, USA) writes, "Since this came out, Heepsters everywhere have been comparing it with Demons and Wizards. While I'm not quite ready yet to put it in that class (besides, I think comparing the two eras is like comparing the proverbial apples and oranges), it is most definitely a watershed album in the band's career. The traditional elements of Uriah Heep that were noticeably absent on Different World have returned here; and, while the album tends to lack the raw energy and drive of Raging Silence, it makes up for it with technical precision and thematic unity. More important, SOL gives us more examples of the "power ballad" which has always been Heep's forte. Highlighting these are The Mistress of All Time, a wonderfully-executed piece very reminiscent of Styx at their best. Also in this vein are the anthemic Spirit of Freedom and the wistful Love in Silence. These are mixed well with a number of varied rockers, although I would have liked to see more Raging Silence-type songs such as Time of Revelation and the out-take Holy Roller. What is really great about this album, however, is the performance of each band member. In particular, Bernie Shaw's singing has come to be outstanding, and many times he evokes memories of Byron. And if Bernie is incapable of doing some of the things David could do with his voice, he is a much more consistent vocalist than David was. I really like the direction the group is moving in, and am looking forward eagerly to the next release, which I hope will take it one step further so the group can once again make a name for themselves in the U.S."

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