Despite a history that stretches back nearly forty years Wake The Sleeper is the first album of new material from Uriah Heep in almost ten years. In a crowded market place at the minute Heep have to compete with a host of other veritable UK rock legends in finding an audience for the album. When you go up against the likes of Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Judas Priest et al you have to have a product you are sure of, and in that respect Uriah Heep can definitely hold their heads high.

Indeed of the eleven tracks on offer here only album opener, and title track, Wake The Sleeper, leaves anything to be desired. An extended musical interlude with repeated chants of the title it just doesn't go anywhere. But once you get past this the rest of the album just exudes sheer class and confidence. As you would expect there are huge throwbacks to rock from a bygone era, think not only of Uriah Heep's past catalogue but Deep Purple along with early  Rainbow and that' the territory we're in. Huge Hammond organ work adorns the album and,  mixed with some simply sublime guitar work from Mick Box, once you get past that opener the remaining ten tracks are all killer, no filler. Of course the success of the album is not solely down to the music, vocalist Bernie Shaw adds his stamp on the clever and at times thought provoking lyrics in a bluesy style that is equal parts JLT, David Cloverdale and Gillian and a perfect fit for what is going on musically behind him.

Highlights include the riff driven Book Of Lies and the progressive interlude that is Ghost Of The Ocean and the simply excellent closer War Child just begs to be played live, and that’s without mentioning the rest of the album that is equal as good. Wake The Sleeper is the album that Deep Purple have been trying to make since their heyday and is simply a must for all fans of 70’s hard rock. To quote Frank Herbert’s Dune “ THE SLEEPER HAS AWOKEN!”

Dougie