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Conquest (Uriah Heep album)

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Conquest
Studio album by
Uriah Heep
ReleasedFebruary 1980 (U.K.)
Recorded1979
StudioThe Roundhouse Recording Studios, London
GenreAOR[1], hard rock, pop rock, progressive rock
Length42:58
LabelBronze
ProducerGerry Bron
Ken Hensley
Uriah Heep chronology
Fallen Angel
(1978) 		Conquest
(1980) 		Abominog
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

Conquest is the 13th album by British rock band Uriah Heep. It was released in 1980 (No U.S. release).

1979-80 was a period of change for Heep, with John Sloman taking over lead vocal duties, Lee Kerslake bowing out from behind the drumstool, and main songwriter Ken Hensley ultimately leaving the band. Taken together with the commercial rock sound of the album, this is the most contentious era of Uriah Heep's history, with many fans believing Conquest is the group's worst record.[3] Despite this era being regarded in hindsight as something of a disaster by Hensley as well as Mick Box,[3] the album did receive some positive reviews at the time, namely a five-star rating from Record Mirror and three-and-a-half stars from Geoff Barton in Sounds.[3] It also sold well enough to crack the Top 40 of the UK album charts, whereas all three of the band's previous records with John Lawton had failed to chart in the UK at all.

The original UK release came in a single, matte LP sleeve, stickered with 'Special 10th Anniversary Price £3.99', with the liner being heavy-stock card, complete with lyrics. It credits Trevor Bolder with vocals on "It Ain't Easy" but it is, in fact, Sloman. The album was never issued in North America and was difficult to find there even as an import.[4]

The cover photograph, taken by Martin Poole, is based on the famous image of the raising of the second flag at Iwo Jima.

Track listing

  1. "No Return" (Trevor Bolder, Mick Box, Ken Hensley) – 6:07
  2. "Imagination" (Hensley) – 5:49
  3. "Feelings" (Hensley) – 5:26
  4. "Fools" (Bolder) – 5:03
  5. "Carry On" (Hensley) – 3:57
  6. "Won't Have to Wait Too Long" (Bolder, Box, Hensley) – 4:54
  7. "Out on the Street" (Hensley) – 5:57
  8. "It Ain't Easy" (Bolder) – 5:45

Conquest was remastered and reissued in 1997 with several bonus tracks:

  1. "Been Hurt (B-side)" (Hensley) – 3:56
    • B-side to "Carry On" featuring John Sloman on vocals.
  2. "Love Stealer (Single A-side)" (Philip Wainman, Richard Myhill) – 3:28
  3. "Think It Over (Single A-side)" (John Sloman, Bolder) – 3:33
    • Released as a picture sleeve single to promote the new line-up and tour of late 1980. Features Gregg Dechert on keyboards.
  4. "My Joanna Needs Tuning (Inside Out) (B-side)" (Bolder, Box, Gregg Dechert, Slade, Sloman) – 3:02
    • B-side to "Think It Over"
  5. "Lying (Out-take)" (Bolder, Hensley, Slade, Sloman) – 4:23
    • Previously unreleased out-take featuring John Sloman on vocals.

Originally "Been Hurt" was written for a fourth John Lawton-fronted album. This song was shelved after Lawton's departure. The original version with Lawton on vocals has been released on the remastered version of the Fallen Angel album.

When Conquest was re-issued again as a De-Luxe Edition in 2004 the bonus tracks remained much the same, but "My Joanna Needs Tuning" was dropped; added in its stead was a version of "Feelings" that had previously only ever appeared on a Bronze Records promotional VHS tape.

Bonus tracks on expanded de-luxe edition from 2004

  1. "Love Stealer (Single A-side)" (Wainman, Richard Myhill) – 3:28
  2. "Been Hurt (B-side)" (Hensley) – 3:56
  3. "Think It Over (Single A-side)" (Bolder, Sloman) – 3:33
  4. "Lying (Out-take)" (Bolder, Hensley, Slade, Sloman) – 4:23
  5. "Feelings" (Single Edit)

Personnel

  • John Sloman - Lead & Backing Vocals, Piano, Percussion
  • Mick Box – Guitars
  • Chris Slade - Staccato Drums, Percussion
  • Trevor Bolder - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
  • Ken Hensley – OBX, Vocoder, Organ, Piano, Guitars, Backing Vocals
  • John Gallen - Timpani on "Out In The Streets"

Production

  • Uriah Heep - Producer
  • John Gallen - Producer, Engineer
  • Julian Cooper - Assistant Engineer
  • Darren Burn - Assistant Engineer
  • David Kemp - Assistant Engineer
  • Nick Rogers - Assistant Engineer
  • Martin Poole - Sleeve Design, Photography
  • Karl Bosley - Sleeve Design
  • Lindy Curry - Sleeve Design

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position align='leftNorway 11 1980 UK Albums Chart 37

References

  1. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/uriah-heep-mn0000835648/biography
  2. ^ "Allmusic review".
  3. ^ a b c Conquest (Inset). Uriah Heep. UK: Sanctuary Records. 2004. SMRCD112.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ Popoff, Martin (2005). The Collector's Guide To Heavy Metal Volume 2: The Eighties. Toronto: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 378. ISBN 1-894959-31-0. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
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