URIAH HEEP – Fallen Angel ’78 [Japan SHM-CD mini LP remastered +8] (2026) *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

Japanese label BELLE ANTIQUE has started a beautiful 2026 reissue campaign of early URIAH HEEP albums, pressed on SHM-CD, fully remastered, and adding rarities / previously unreleased material, all presented in a mini-LP format replica.
We have been featuring URIAH HEEP reissues, and now it’s time for 1978’s “Fallen Angel“, including 8 bonus tracks. This is the last album to feature John Lawton on vocals, but he truly shines, not only on the leads, but creating stupendous harmony layers with the rest of the members.
Finely produced, on “Fallen Angel” the band moved toward an AOR sound. But this isn’t fluffy AOR; it’s the anthemic type. Later, the wonderful project PHENOMENA reminded us many of the songs from this LP, also KANSAS and late ’70s QUEEN. While it isn’t ranked high on the Billboard 200, in Germany URIAH HEEP were at the height of their popularity.
“Firefly” launched the new URIAH HEEP sonic adventure in ’77, quickly followed by “Innocent Victim”. The change in direction is evident and seems to displease some, but on the other hand, refreshed their repertoire with melodic, modern (at the time) songs, with a radio format.

Convinced of the stylistic shift made, URIAH HEEP emerged the following year with this “Fallen Angel”, which would unfortunately also turn out to be the last of this version of the group.
The line up that had already worked on the two previous albums is fully confirmed, and the coordinates on which the album moves do not show any particular changes from the recent past. “Woman of the Night” kicks things off with an engaging rocking feeling, supported by Lawton’s excellent performance, while “Falling in Love” and “One More Night” fully represent the new URIAH HEEP, proponents of a melodic rock of good quality.

“Come Back to Me” is surely the peak of the album: Lawton’s heartfelt interpretation proves to be an added advantage of an exciting and engaging track, a ballad of significant sophistication and class. The second part of the record seems to show some signs of slowing down: while “Whad’ya Say” has a good rhythm and showcases musicians in great shape, tracks like “Save It” or “Love or Nothing” do not add much to what was already proposed by the early pieces, almost giving the impression that Box and company had wisely placed the best compositions on the A-side of the vinyl.
“I’m Alive” is the classic sting in the tail, a sturdy piece still featured in the band’s setlists today. The eponymous track closes the original album and another phase in the long history of the Heep.

Among the bonus tracks we find ”A Right to Live’, an outtake that should have been on the original LP track list rather than ”Save It”. Less commercial sound than most of the album, with a classic rock drive. Then ”Cheater” sounds a lot like STYX around the time period. You swear that Heep had Dennis DeYoung doing the vocals on this!
On ”Gimme Love” the band adds a touch of funk mixed with upbeat blues, with Hensley’s organ all over it. Then there’s alternate versions with different titles/lyrics, and a couple of live cuts.

In conclusion, “Fallen Angel” is surely a good album, although, objectively, not exactly as early URIAH HEEP. The change of skin, with the shift from hard progressive to AOR, worked and would define a decade of the Londoners’ production.
All in all, ”Fallen Angel” may not be progressive as Heep’s early efforts, but it offers enough slickly crafted music to please any fan of ’70s AOR / melodic rock sounds.
Highly Recommended

01 – Woman Of The Night
02 – Falling In Love
03 – One More Night (Last Farewell)
04 – Put Your Lovin’ On Me
05 – Come Back To Me
06 – Whad’ya Say
07 – Save It
08 – Love Or Nothing
09 – I’m Alive
10 – Fallen Angel
BONUS TRACKS:
11 – A Right To Live
12 – Cheater
13 – Gimme Love
14 – Last Farewell (Alternate Version Of ‘One More Night’)
15 – Street Lady (Alternate Version Of ‘Woman Of The Night’)
16 – Struttin’ (Alternate Version Of ‘Gimme Love’)
17 – Falling In Love (Alternate Live Version)
18 – Woman Of The Night (Alternate Live Version)

John Lawton – lead vocals
Mick Box – guitars
Ken Hensley – keyboards, synths, slide and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
Lee Kerslake – drums, Syndrums, backing vocals
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar

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www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/BELLE-264390