Mediasurfer.ch

Various Artists - Just Friends (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2005)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:12:58 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Pop Rock, Alternative Rock, R&B, Film Score

Label Number: NLR39054

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: various artists, just friends, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 2005, flac,

Various Artists - Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2005)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:12:28 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Rock, Hard Rock, Pop Rock, Pop

Label Number: LKS 33827

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Mr. & Mrs. Smith Review by Heather Phares

Somewhat predictably for a movie about a pair of married assassins assigned to kill each other, Mr. & Mrs. Smith's soundtrack features a collection of tongue-in-cheek love/hate songs and heavy doses of irony. Though its concept might be a little too on-the-nose, the album's execution -- so to speak -- is actually pretty skillful and entertaining. Some of the song choices, like Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" and the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," are more than a little pat, and the frequent nods to cheesy '80s and early-'90s pop (Alana D's "Baby, Baby," Air Supply's "Making Love Out of Nothing at All") don't always work, but there are plenty of other quirkier, more effective moments. Mr. & Mrs. Smith's covers work especially well, spanning Magnet and Gemma Hayes' languid, relatively faithful version of "Lay Lady Lay" to Atreyu's snarling, over the top makeover of "You Give Love a Bad Name." Though it's much quieter, Nouvelle Vague's bossa nova twist on "I'll Melt With You" is just as irreverent as Atreyu's metal theatrics; meanwhile, 8mm's "Nobody Does It Better" and Stine J.'s "You Are My Sunshine" are just downright pretty. An exotic streak runs through Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros' "Mondo Bongo" and John Powell's dashing "Assassin's Tango," and more kitschily on Pink Martini's swellegant "Let's Never Stop Falling in Love." No, it's not perfect, but Mr. & Mrs. Smith ends up being more interesting and satisfying than your average summer blockbuster soundtrack, and manages the not so easy feat of appealing to music snobs as well as casual moviegoers/listeners.

tags: various artists, mr and mrs smith, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 2005, flac,

Various Artists - Vampires Suck: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:11:52 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre:Pop, Pop Rock, Electronic, Indie Rock

Label Number: LKS341882

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Vampires Suck [Original Soundtrack] Review by James Christopher Monger

The soundtrack for Vampire’s Suck, a 2010 spoof of vampire films (specifically the Twilight series) from the makers of the 300 spoof Meet the Spartans) is (believe it or not) a spoof. The collection shows promise early on, with opener “My Panties” (credited to Magicwandos, one of dozen fictional bands). Using Radiohead's “Optimistic” as its foundation and lyrics like “I feel so lonely/nobody gets me/I am so unhappy”, it appropriately reduces the emo/goth-metal/sad jams that populate most modern, supernatural beings-meets-teen angst films to the empty cries for help they really are, but what follows sounds more like a drunken, weekend, garageband project with a little money behind it.

tags: various artists, vampires suck, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 2010, flac,

Various Artists - Chasing Mavericks (Music From The Motion Picture) (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:11:11 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Post Grunge, Alternative Rock, Indie Rock

Label Number: RMG1041-1

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: various artists, chasing mavericks, music from the motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 2012, flac,

Twisted Sister - Come Out & Play (1985)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 03:00:45 +0000

*U.S. first pressing.

Contains 11 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: 7 81275-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Come Out and Play Review by Greg Prato

Twisted Sister were left in a strange position after the massive breakthrough success of their 1984 album, Stay Hungry. While the album contained more of a pop edge than their more raw preceding albums (Under the Blade and You Can't Stop Rock n' Roll), the heavy metal masses worldwide still embraced the album, as did the the lucrative MTV/pop audience. So for its follow-up, the band was faced with a question: whether to continue in a more pop-oriented direction or return to its early heavy metal. As the resulting album, 1985's Come Out and Play, proved, the band pursued a little bit of both. Behind the boards was Scorpions/Accept producer Dieter Dierks, and the compositions alternated between the ambitious (the title track), obvious ready-for-radio tracks (a cover of "Leader of the Pack," "Be Chrool to Your Scuel"), and songs custom-made for headbangers ("The Fire Still Burns," "Kill or Be Killed"). The aforementioned "Be Chrool to Your Scuel" contained such musical guests as Alice Cooper, Billy Joel, Clarence Clemons, and Brian Setzer, for which a humorous video was filmed, and ultimately banned by MTV. And although the album was certified gold shortly after its release, it soon slid from sight -- eventually leading to Twisted Sister's demise a few years later. When originally released on Atlantic, the cassette version of Come Out and Play included a bonus track, "King of the Fools," which was included on the Spitfire Records CD reissue in 1999. Strangely, the 1999 CD contained very muffled sonics.

tags: twisted sister, come out and play, 1985, flac,

Various Artists - Notting Hill (Music From The Motion Picture) (1999)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 02:57:14 +0000

*Argentine pressing.

Contains 13 tracks total with

an alternate track listing and album cover.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: R&B, Pop, Pop Rock, Film Score

Label Number: 546 427-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Notting Hill Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The soundtrack to the Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant romantic comedy Notting Hill is every bit as consciously classy as the film it supports. If it isn't as ingratiating, that's because it's significantly harder to offer a twist on a formula soundtrack album than on a formula movie. With a film, little details, supporting characters, and subtle, interesting visuals give the movie identity within a formula. Unfortunately, a soundtrack remains a collection of oldies, newer songs, and score excerpts, no matter how much you shake it up, and that's the case here. Much of this is quite enjoyable -- it's hard to go wrong with such pop classics as Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," Al Green's "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," and Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" providing the foundation. If the newer songs aren't quite up to par -- Elvis Costello's "She" is nearly as appealingly lush as his Bacharach collaboration, but his quavering vibrato undercuts it somewhat, and sadly, Boyzone's "No Matter What" is not a Badfinger cover -- they're all still pretty good, especially 98 Degrees' "I Do (Cherish You)" and Shania Twain's "You've Got a Way," which is presented in a nice remix. If the score excerpts don't add much, it's OK, because that's usually the case with these kinds of soundtracks. What counts is the mix of oldies and new songs, and this time around, it's pretty enjoyable, even if it doesn't have the charming character of the film itself.

tags: various artists, notting hill, music from the motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 1999, flac,

Various Artists - The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2009)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 02:53:09 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Pop Rock, Pop

Label Number: 519421-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

The Twilight Saga: New Moon [Original Soundtrack] Review by Heather Phares

After Twilight became a world-wide hit, the film series based on Stephenie Meyer's series of vampire romance books got a major upgrade. More time, effort, and money were poured into the second film, New Moon, and nowhere is this clearer than the film's soundtrack. New Moon's music is darker, more sophisticated, and much more indie-friendly than its predecessor's soundtrack, and features more of the artists Meyer credits for inspiring her writing. One is Muse, whose "I Belong to You (New Moon Remix)" is so dramatic that it's easy to hear how the band inspired Meyer's angst-filled love triangle between the clumsy yet somehow irresistible Bella Swan, her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen and her best friend (and werewolf) Jacob Black. Meyer also cites Radiohead as a big influence, and Thom Yorke's previously unreleased "Hearing Damage" is New Moon's main attraction. Drifting in on buzzing synth bass, the song builds to luminous, ghostly heights that make it one of the album's highlights. However, it's not the only one: Death Cab for Cutie's "Meet Me on the Equinox" is more brooding and rock-tinged than the band's usual approach, but it fits in beautifully with New Moon's sullen mood, while the close harmonies and piano on the Killers' "White Demon Love Song" inject some much-needed drama. Indeed, despite the fact that this soundtrack is more musically satisfying, and certainly more star-studded than the first film's, Twilight felt more like the world Meyer created in her books -- melodramatic, earnest, definitely not reeking of indie rock cool. Even if nothing here nails that vibe the way that Paramore's "Decode" did, Lykke Li's "Possibility" and Anya Marina's "Satellite Heart" still offer winsome indie folk backgrounds for Bella's moping. Despite a few upbeat moments that stick out like a thumb that isn't sore, songs like Grizzly Bear and Victoria Legrand's "Slow Life," Editors' "No Sound But the Wind," and Bon Iver and St. Vincent's lovely, truly odd "Roslyn" are morose enough for die-hard Twilight fans and stylish enough to please the most discerning music snobs.

tags: various artists, the twilight saga, new moon, original motion picture soundtrack, ost, 2009, flac,

Various Artists - Only For The Real DJ: A Premier Selection of Hip-Hop Inspired By The Boom Bap Sound (2005)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 06:09:43 +0000

*This is a digital download purchased from Qoboz.

The files have been sorted for convenience.

Contains 12 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Hip-Hop

Label Number: None

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

* Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled.

- Use this page to report a broken link in this post -

tags: various artists, only for the real dj, a premier selection of hip hop inspired by the boom bap sound, 2005, flac,

Heart - Private Audition (1982)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 06:04:36 +0000

*U.S. first pressing.

Contains 11 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Pop Rock, Hard Rock

Label Number: EK 38049

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Private Audition Review by Jim Smith

Private Audition starts tough with "City's Burnin'," possibly the band's most underrated song, but it's dragged down by the trite songwriting that follows. The introspective "Bright Light Girl" is reminiscent of "Dreamboat Annie," but it lacks the sweet spontaneity that made the latter so successful. "Perfect Stranger" foreshadows the band's mid-'80s transformation from Zeppelin-esque hard rockers to power balladeers. The fact that Heart's success is divided cleanly between the two styles makes this transitional album fall all too forgettable in the middle.

tags: heart, private audition, 1982, flac,

Ginuwine - I Apologize (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 06:00:59 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: R&B

Label Number: SIC-CD-21

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

I Apologize Review by AllMusic

By the time I Apologize hit the shelves in 2007, Ginuwine had been working the R&B loverman vibe for over ten years. The artist's 2000s albums don't have the cutting edge that his mid-'90s work with Timbaland possessed, but they continue to impress, offering up a silky-smooth brew of contemporary production, pulsing beats, and the artist's knee-weakening croon. The title track, one of the album's highlights, gets things rolling with its moderate, bouncing groove, one of a handful of satisfying, head-nodding tracks. But Ginuwine is at his best on ballads like "Better Days," a song that not only showcases his vocal dexterity, but swells with an inspirational fervor that tips its hat to gospel. Ginuwine's mix of old-school R&B with a hip-hop flavored sensibility has always appealed; I Apologize is another fine example of its charm.

tags: ginuwine, i apologize, 2007, flac,

Ginuwine - Elgin (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 05:57:45 +0000

Country: U.S.A

Genre: R&B

Label Number: NOT003

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Elgin Review by Andy Kellman

Due to the leak of an unauthorized video, “Batteries” gained a fair amount of exposure prior to the release of Ginuwine’s seventh proper album, and the song -- an innocuous club track with content like “Shawty over there moving like a stripper” and “Beat it like a triple-X star” -- is thankfully an outlier on the set. While “Batteries” and a handful of other tracks would be better suited for younger singers, roughly half the album has Ginuwine acting his age, dealing with adult situations. “Heaven” and “What Could Have Been” radiate romance and regret with deep sincerity. Best of all is “Frozen”; audible shivering sounds overstate the mood projected by a scorned object of affection, but frost-coated synthesizers provide great contrast to Ginuwine’s sympathetic pleading.

tags: ginuwine, elgin, 2011, flac,

Slipknot - The End, So Far (2022)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2026 05:53:02 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Alternative Metal

Label Number: 075678637803

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

The End, So Far Review by James Christopher Monger

The follow-up to 2019's commanding We Are Not Your Kind (the veteran band's third consecutive number one album), The End, So Far lacks some of its predecessor's potency. However, it makes up for it with sheer grit and a handful of surprising deviations, most notably on the idiosyncratic opening cut. "Adderall" may sound like an algorithm-generated Slipknot title, but the song itself contains multitudes, pairing cascading piano and clean vocals with a melody that has more in common with The Bends-era Radiohead than it does the crushing discord of Iowa or All Hope Is Gone. Elsewhere, the beefy "De Sade" adds might to that melodicism, proving that both predilections can coexist in the crucible of contemporary metal, while the epic "Finale" (again, with the on-the-nose titles) tempers its brawn with billowing strings and a full choir. Fans put off by these forays into melodic alt-rock will be far better served by "The Dying Song (Time to Sing)," "The Chapeltown Rag," and "Yen." All three cuts hew closer to the frenetic pace and mosh-pit-inducing beatdowns that have long served as Slipknot's sonic foundation. Still, it's refreshing to hear a group tinker with their formula and even more encouraging when it seems to be out of curiosity rather than desperation. Slipknot have sat atop the commercial metal food chain for over two decades and have more than enough equity to swing for the fences artistically. The End, So Far may not be a home run, but it proves that the band are still in it to win it, even if they're playing the long game.

tags: slipknot, the end so far, 2022, flac,

2 Unlimited - No Limits! (1993)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:58:00 +0000

*Japanese first pressing.

Contains 16 tracks total.

Country: Belgium

Language: English

Genre: Euro House

Label Number: PHCR-1195

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

No Limits Review by John Bush

It's got a couple of hits, namely "No Limit" and "Let the Beat Control Your Body," but there's not much else to recommend the second 2 Unlimited LP.

tags: 2 unlimited, no limits, 1993, flac,

2 Unlimited - Greatest Hits Remixes (2001)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:57:26 +0000

Country: Belgium

Language: English

Genre: Euro House

Label Number: TOCP-64095

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: 2 unlimited, greatest hits remixes, 2001, flac,

Quicksand - Slip (1993)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:56:53 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Post Hardcore

Label Number: 314 517 685-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Slip Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Quicksand forge out a dense, metallic grind that sounds like a more streamlined version of Fugazi. The band's debut, Slip, relies more on metal than punk, but that makes the music all the more effective -- the group's attempts at punky fury simply aren't as strong as their brutal, gut-level heavy riff-rockers. Vocalist Walter Schreifels spews out enough angst-ridden lyrics, but what is important is how his voice fits into the dense wall of sound. Quicksand's music is about powerful anger, and the persistent, bludgeoning Slip delivers the goods.

tags: quicksand, slip, 1993, flac,

Quicksand - Manic Compression (1995)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 03:56:13 +0000

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Post Hardcore

Label Number: 314-526 564-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Manic Compression Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Quicksand's heavy metal is distinguished not by the band's hooks but by its precision -- they grind their riffs into the ground, never alleviating their intensity. Manic Compression isn't as murky as Quicksand's major-label debut and it contains tighter, better-constructed songs, all of which makes the band's deliberate lack of melody excusable. Then again, the point isn't melody -- Quicksand is about sheer sound, in all of its distorted glory. If you like that sound, the album delivers the goods.

tags: quicksand, manic compression, 1995, flac,

Various Artists - You're No Big Deal (Grunge, The U.S. Underground & Beyond 1984-1994) (2025)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 20:50:40 +0000

*This is a 4 disc set released in 2025

by Cherry Red Records.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Grunge, Punk Rock

Label Number: CRCD4BOX199

.FLAC via Florenfile (Disc 1)

.FLAC via Florenfile (Disc 2)

.FLAC via Florenfile (Disc 3)

.FLAC via Florenfile (Disc 4)

*****

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

You're No Big Deal: Grunge, the U.S. Underground and Beyond 1984-1994 Review by Fred Thomas

The grunge explosion that took over the world in the early '90s exists in iceberg form, with ubiquitously popular bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, and Pearl Jam as the most visible examples of the sound. As with any iceberg, these bands are just what's most apparent sitting atop a mass of other active and influential but less immediately traceable players. You're No Big Deal explores the grunge iceberg extensively, collecting over 80 tracks of heavy, ragged, and righteous noise recorded between 1984 and 1994 by some of the most- and least-known acts in and around the grunge movement. The tracks here were curated with help from Mark Arm, whose late-‘80s band Green River starts things off with the crude and metallic “Come On Down.” Songs from Green River, the Melvins, feedtime, Cop Shoot Cop, and other sludgy, high-volume bands serve as a reminder of how so much of grunge mutated from the then-dominant metal scene. You’re No Big Deal is wide-ranging in its exploration, representing the punk element that informed grunge’s rebellious spirit with songs from Poison Idea, Hüsker Dü, and Scream, as well as including examples of the Pacific Northwest’s specific take on garage rock with tunes from Dead Moon, Girl Trouble, and Calamity Jane. The artists here aren’t limited to Seattle and the surrounding areas, but the strange chain reactions that made grunge possible are easiest to hear on songs from Seattle groups like Mother Love Bone or in the noisy, pre-fame Soundgarden tracks included here, “Hunted Down” and “Flower.” Grunge happened alongside waves of other underground developments happening concurrently, and the psychedelic country-rock of the Meat Puppets, moody Replacements song “The Ledge,” hypercharged pop from Superchunk, and guitar-pummeling blasts from Dinosaur Jr. and the Pixies all nod to how grunge’s angsty shadow was looming over college rock and giving way to alternative groups like Stone Temple Pilots, Toadies, and Luscious Jackson. It’s a comprehensive and multi-tiered exploration of not just the grunge iceberg but also the less aggressive subdivisions of uncompromising guitar rock that cropped up as a result of grunge shifting the culture.

tags: various artists, you're no big deal, you, grunge the us underground and beyond, 1984, 1994, 2025, flac,

Jaguar Wright - Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul (2005)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:43:59 +0000

*U.S. pressing.

Contains 16 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: R&B

Label Number: ATM-CD-51611

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: jaguar wright, divorcing neo 2 marry soul, to, 2005, flac,

Motionless In White - Creatures (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:40:55 +0000

*U.S. first standard pressing.

Contains 12 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Metalcore

Label Number: FRL 30142-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Creatures Review by Gregory Heaney

In a genre with a laundry list of cookie-cutter bands all fighting to grab the attention of a young audience, sometimes distinguishing yourself is a matter of degrees. On their debut full-length, Motionless in White attempt to do just that. Delivering a heavy-hitting does of horror themed metalcore, Creatures finds the band exploring a more gothic sound. With lots of breakdowns, reverse drum swells, good cop/bad cop vocals, and bass bombs, there’s a lot about the album that feels pretty much by the book. Where Motionless in White are able to make it interesting is in the use of their electronic elements. Rather than going for the usual dance-pop sound, the band uses their synthesizers to create a dark and uneasy atmosphere. This blend of the frightening and the familiar gives Creatures not only the ability to draw fans in with something they’ll immediately click with, but which will keep them coming back for another helping.

tags: motionless in white, creatures, 2010, flac,

Motionless In White - Infamous (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:37:34 +0000

*U.S. first standard pressing.

Contains 12 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Metalcore

Label Number: FRL30171-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

*No professional reviews are available for this release.

tags: motionless in white, infamous, 2012, flac,

Motionless In White - Reincarnate (2014)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:34:24 +0000

*U.S. first standard pressing.

Contains 13 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Metalcore

Label Number: FRL30200-2

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Reincarnate Review by Gregory Heaney

Settling into the more industrial sound they started transitioning into with Infamous, Motionless in White deliver a more assured and consistent performance on their third album, Reincarnate. Blending the dark and seedy edge of Marilyn Manson with a driving, melodic edge, the album effortlessly combines the styles of the band's previous efforts, creating an explosive sound that feels more fully realized than anything they've done up to this point. From the outset, the thing that listeners will be initially taken aback by is how massive the record sounds. Songs like "Reincarnate" and "Dark Passenger" are packed floor to ceiling with monstrous guitars, twisting synth lines, and explosive drumming, giving the music a density that would be overwhelming without Motionless in White's knack for melody, which allows them to hook in listeners to even the most foreboding passages with ease. Not content to go at it alone, Reincarnate features some solid collaborations, with Cradle of Filth's Dani Filth dropping by on "Puppets 3 (The Grand Finale)," In This Moment's Maria Brink lending her vocals to "Contemptress," and Tim Sköld sitting in on "Final Dictvm." With the album running close to an hour, the guest spots help to add a little something different here and there, mixing things up before they have a chance to go stale. With so much going on, however, it's hard to see how any Motionless in White fans could be bored with the offerings laid before them on Reincarnate. With so much confidence and gothic swagger, it's hard not to be entertained by this album, and listeners who may have been thrown by their inconsistent early work would do well to dive back into the abyss with this third effort.

tags: motionless in white, reincarnate, 2014, flac,

Uriah Heep - High & Mighty (1976)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:20:54 +0000

*U.K. first pressing.

Contains 10 tracks total.

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: CLACD 191

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

High and Mighty Review by Donald A. Guarisco

By 1976, Uriah Heep was on shaky ground. Although they had scored a big success with Return to Fantasy, the group was suffering from personality conflicts (vocalist David Byron left after this album) and division over their musical direction. This tension is visibly apparent on High and Mighty, an album that shows flashes of the group's old firepower, but is ultimately sunk by a combination of unfocused experimentation and uneven songwriting. It starts promisingly with a solid first side: "One Way or Another" is a surging, dramatic hard rocker that features Ken Hensley trading verses with bassist John Wetton, and "Misty Eyes" is an engaging up-tempo tune that trades the group's hard rock thunder for a sound built on some tasty acoustic guitar riffs. It also contains one of the group's finest songs in "Midnight," a meditation on the price of success that neatly balances Mick Box's soaring guitar leads with an array of lush keyboard textures from Ken Hensley. This song is also notable for the dramatic, heart-wrenching vocal it is given by David Byron. However, High and Mighty fails to maintain this standard of quality on its second side. Several of the songs find the band flirting with pop elements in a way that doesn't complement their hard rocking style: "Can't Stop Singing" starts curiously with "Monty Python"-style mock tribal chants before devolving into a silly keyboard pop tune, and the hard rock energy of "Woman of the World" is sunk by the ridiculously bouncy beat and English music hall-style piano it is saddled with. The second side also sports a surprisingly lame and derivative rocker in "Make a Little Love," a throwaway that sounds like an uninspired attempt to duplicate the sound of Bad Company. All in all, High and Mighty is far too uneven to win Uriah Heep any new fans, but it contains enough solid rockers to make it worth a listen for the group's devoted ones.

tags: uriah heep, high and mighty, 1976, flac,

Uriah Heep - Firefly (1977)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 22:20:28 +0000

*U.K. first pressing.

Contains 8 tracks total.

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: CLACD 190

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Firefly Review by Donald A. Guarisco

After losing founding vocalist David Byron in 1976, many hard rock fans thought Uriah Heep had reached the end of the line. However, the group bounced back in 1977 with Firefly, an album that pursued a stripped-down sound harking back to the group's early-'70s successes. They also boasted a new singer in John Lawton, a vocalist who had made his fame working with artsy German hard rockers Lucifer's Friend. Although he lacked the multi-octave range of David Byron, Lawton boasted an impressive and emotionally rich hard rock voice that instantly jelled with the Uriah Heep sound. An ideal example of this new synergy was provided by the opening track, "The Hanging Tree," which featured Lawton dramatically delivering a narrative about an outlaw on the run over a spooky musical track that blended echo-drenched synthesizers with some typically gutsy guitar riffs from Mick Box. Other memorable tracks on Firefly include "Who Needs Me," a spirited slice of boogie rock with a rousing singalong chorus, and the title track, a miniature prog epic that deftly blends balladry, hard rock, and acoustic-styled folk into one cohesive outing. Nothing on Firefly hits the epic heights of "Gypsy" or "July Morning," but it contains none of the failed experiments that weighed down High and Mighty and it further benefits from a nice sense of consistency that is built on tight songwriting and inspired performances. In the end, Firefly remains one of the most cohesive albums from Uriah Heep's mid- to late-'70s period and is guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of the group's fan base.

tags: uriah heep, firefly, 1977, flac,

Uriah Heep - Innocent Victim (1977)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 22:15:00 +0000

*U.K. first pressing.

Contains 9 tracks total.

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: CLACD 210

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Innocent Victim Review by Donald A. Guarisco

After breaking in new vocalist John Lawton on the back-to-basics outing Firefly, Uriah Heep once again found themselves feeling the need to experiment a bit on Innocent Victim. The resulting album doesn't cohere as neatly as Firefly did, but manages to keep the listener engaged thanks to a combination of slick performances from the band and a handful of truly great Uriah Heep songs. Overall, Innocent Victim's blend of sharp, short rockers and pop-friendly ballads feels like an attempt to court the American AOR market. The rockers are all pretty strong stuff: "Free 'n' Easy" is a fast-moving tune built on an ear-scorching guitar riff that feels like boogie rock in overdrive, while "Roller" is a stylish midtempo track that blends funky, languid verses with a faster, bass-driven chorus that ups the song's rock quotient. The band also weaves in some experimental tracks that hit the bull's eye: "Illusion" is a spacy tale about dreaming that creates a rich atmosphere through an arrangement built on strong keyboard and vocal textures, while "The Dance" successfully marries a reggae beat to its prog-like melody. Meanwhile, the album's ballad leanings brought Uriah Heep one of their biggest international hits in the form of "Free Me," a tune whose acoustic style and accent on harmonies brought the group dangerously close to Eagles territory. The downside of Innocent Victim is that it works a little too hard at being radio-friendly: despite their high level of energy, songs like "Keep on Ridin'" and "Flyin' High" are too contrived and self-consciously poppy to sit comfortably alongside gutsy rockers like "Free 'n' Easy." Despite this unevenness in tone, Innocent Victim remains a likable album with enough strong material to satisfy Uriah Heep's admirers.

tags: uriah heep, innocent victim, 1977, flac,

Uriah Heep - Fallen Angel (1978)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 22:11:25 +0000

European first pressing.

Contains 10 tracks total.

Country: United Kingdom

Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: CLACD 176

.FLAC via Florenfile

.AAC 256 kbps via Florenfile

Fallen Angel Review by Donald A. Guarisco

On Fallen Angel, Uriah Heep continued the push toward an AOR-friendly style that began with Innocent Victim. The resulting album is too poppy to please hardcore metal fans and too eccentric to fit the bill of an AOR record, but it still manages to be a surprisingly enjoyable listen. Fallen Angel focuses squarely on crafting driving rock tunes leavened with a series of pop hooks: "Woman of the Night" pairs guitar-bolstered verses with a harmony-drenched chorus reminiscent of Queen while "One More Night" cleverly conforms the sloppy good cheer of boogie rock to a pop song format. Other tracks find the band stretching their heavy-AOR ambitions into other genres: the burbling synthesizers and stuttering bassline of "Whad'ya Say" lend that song a disco feel while the insistent, naggingly catchy "la la la" chorus of "Love or Nothing" suggests the group had spent some time listening to old bubblegum pop singles. This surprising diversity points out the problems with Fallen Angel: it goes in so many different directions that it never coheres the way a really good album should, and it strays too far from the group's original sound to really fit in with the rest of their catalog. Nonetheless, it is simply too energetic and well-crafted to be rejected as a bad album. Patient Uriah Heep fans will also be rewarded with some stunning tracks that hark back to the group's gothic metal style: "I'm Alive" is a barnstorming anthem of self-affirmation that layers Mick Box's soaring yet mournful slide guitar leads over a furious, double-time backbeat from Lee Kerslake and the title track is a gothic-tinged ballad about a lost romance that is built on a haunting chorus and an atmospheric backing of acoustic guitar and synthesizer. All in all, Fallen Angel may not please Uriah Heep fans who favor the group's Demons and Wizards-era style, but it offers enough slickly crafted music to please any fan of '70s AOR sounds.

tags: uriah heep, fallen angel, 1978, flac,