Blind Golem – A Dream of Fantasy Review

In this world of so many revivals and so many back and forths in sonancies I was anxiously waiting for the day a band would revive the great sounds of Uriah Heep. And the day has finally come… Ah, and with the guest appearance of the great, and late, Ken Hensley.

It’s not every newcomer that knows Uriah Heep, but I must tell you all that in this early 1970s they were as famous and relevant as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. In simple words I dare to say that they are a kind of lost link between the two seminal bands. The main idea would be that. Of course, nothing is that simple as in theory. Uriah Heep had lots of personality.  Guitars sometimes as heavy and thick as Black Sabbath’s but with Mick Box’s personality, Ken Hensley’s keyboards were dark and soar, but at the same time sweet with a gloomy sonancy. Vocals were out of this world too. Too personal as many of their time. Despite the many changes of line-up and the ups and downs of the career, Uriah Heep kept their magic.

It’s not that easy when we receive a band that reminds so much a band like Uriah Heep. For the better and for the worst Blind Golem remind a lot this great band. If it were any other reviewer, maybe someone younger, this would pass without harm, but, unfortunately, not me. So, I had to listen to “A Dream of Fantasy” very carefully to notice the small and subtles touches that made Blind Golem stand out from the Uriah Heep sonancy. Ok, then, so go straight ahead to last track “A Spell And a Charm” whose delicacy charms the fan. On the other side of the coin, ops, I mean, the album there is “Sunbreaker” with an uptempo cadence and a catchy guitar riff. The sweet piano and vocxals in “Night of Broken Dreams” are really something that stands out  and gives some 1970s Prog Rock spice to the mix. It’s such a gentle song with a crescendo for the guitar solo, a feature that I love all the times I hear. The catchy chorus does really a difference here. “The Ghost Of Eveline,” for instance, sometimes falls out the template given, though some parts as the chorus and some guitar things do remind a little Uriah Heep. I guess there is no way of being so strict with Blind Golem as Uriah Heep is in their DNA for the band was a tribute band for years.

“A Dream of Fantasy” is an album that will captivate all 1970s Hard Rock, Proto Metal, and Heavy Rock fans especially the ones who were happy to have been introduced to the fantastic Uriah Heep.

Blind Golem “A Dream of Fantasy” was released on January 09th via Andromeda Relix.

Track Listing:

  1. Devil in a Dream
  2. Sunbreaker
  3. Screaming to the Stars
  4. Scarlet Eyes
  5. Bright Light
  6. The Day Is Gone (Feat. Ken Hensley)
  7. The Ghost of Eveline
  8. Night of Broken Dreams
  9. Pegasus
  10. The Gathering
  11. Star of the Darkest Night
  12. Carousel
  13. Living and Dying
  14. A Spell and a Charm

Watch “The Day is Gone” official video here: