Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday (2017) [Hi-Res]

Personnel: David Byron (vocals); Ken Hensley (guitar, keyboards, Moog synthesizer); Mick Box (guitar); Brian Cole (pedal steel guitar); Gary Thain (bass); Lee Kerslake (drums, percussion).
Recorded at Lansdowne Studios, London, England in September and October, 1972. Includes liner notes by Ken Hensley.
Uriah Heep's 1972 release, THE MAGICIAN'S BIRTHDAY, followed in the same direction as its predecessor one year earlier, DEMONS AND WIZARDS--mystical lyrical themes are merged with heavy guitar riffs and prog-rock organ/synth explorations. Sonically, THE MAGICIAN'S BIRTHDAY is a tad more rough around the edges than DEMONS (keyboardist Ken Hensley is given more of a free reign on this album as well), but it's still unmistakably Uriah Heep. The album closing, ten and a half-minute title track is a bona fide Heep epic (with many mood shifts), while "Sweet Lorraine" catches the band at their most rough and rocking.