Wetton would stay on through 1976's fairly mainstream-sounding High and Mighty, but internal issues, due in part to David Byron's struggles with alcohol, were beginning to wear on the band. Widely praised as the band's breakthrough LP, it heralded a hugely successful run of albums (1972's The Magician's Birthday, 1973's Sweet Freedom, 1974's Wonderworld, and 1975's Return to Fantasy) that saw Uriah Heep perfect their gothic-infused metal and maintain a mostly stable lineup future Asia frontman and King Crimson alum John Wetton joined the band on bass for the latter offering. The group endured a flurry of lineup shake-ups - Baker was replaced by Ian Clarke, whose role was then usurped by Lee Kerslake, while Gary Thain took over bass duties from Mark Clarke, who had succeeded Paul Newton shortly after the release of Look at Yourself in 1971 and before the arrival of their acclaimed third studio long-player, Demons and Wizards, in 1972. The ambitious six-track set, which saw Hensley making a more substantial writing contribution, adopted a far more progressive stance than the band's previous outing, with the 16-minute title cut employing a 26-piece orchestra. Olsson would depart shortly after the album's release, making room for new drummer Keith Baker, who made his studio debut on the group's 1971 sophomore effort, Salisbury. Initially panned by critics, the LP has since attained legendary status as an early heavy metal classic. With Box and Byron handling most of the songwriting duties, the newly minted quintet debuted their bottom-heavy guitar- and organ-driven blend of bluesy sonic might and innovative hard rock on 1970's Very 'Eavy.Very 'Umble (called Uriah Heep in the U.S.), which was released on Vertigo Records. Originally operating under the moniker Spice, Byron and Box eventually recruited guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist Ken Hensley, bassist Paul Newton, and drummer Nigel Olsson, and made the transition to Uriah Heep, whom fans often refer to as simply Heep. Twelve of the group's albums, including 1972's seminal Demons and Wizards, have charted in the U.K., bolstered by radio hits like "Easy Livin'," "The Wizard," "Sweet Lorraine," "Lady in Black," and "Stealin'." Uriah Heep's 25th long-player, Chaos & Colour, was released in 2023. Founded in 1969 by powerhouse vocalist David Byron and guitarist Mick Box, the band went through a prodigious number of members over the next 50 years, with nearly 40 different musicians passing through the ranks. Taking their name from the scheming, parasitic lawyer in Charles Dickens' 1850 novel David Copperfield, Uriah Heep is a progressive rock institution that, alongside bands like Deep Purple, Queen, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin, helped lay the foundation for the United Kingdom's vibrant hard rock/heavy metal scene.
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