Demons And Wizards is the fourth studio album by British rock band Uriah Heep, released on 19 May 1972 by Bronze Records in the United Kingdom and Mercury Records in the United States. The album was a huge success, selling over 3 million copies worldwide.

The original vinyl release featured a legendary cover, the outside of which was designed by Roger Dean. The inside featured photos of the band, various liner notes by Ken Hensley, and the lyrics to the songs.

The songs “The Wizard” and “Easy Livin’” were released as singles in the United Kingdom and North America, as well as in many other markets. “Easy Livin’” entered the US Top 40, peaking at number 39, becoming the band’s first and only hit in the US. The song also became a big hit in the Netherlands and Germany, countries that were becoming strong markets for the band. In Australia, however, it reached a disappointing No. 75.

During an American tour, New Zealand bassist Gary Thain, then a member of the Keef Hartley Band, joined Uriah Heep as a permanent member. “Gary had a unique style and it was incredible, because every bassist in the world I’ve ever met loved his style with his melodic bass lines,” commented the band’s guitarist Mick Box. Another addition to the group was drummer Lee Kerslake (Hensley’s former bandmate in Gods and Toe Fat), who solidified the band’s rhythm section. Thus was born the classic Uriah Heep lineup, and, according to biographer Kirk Blows, “everything just fell into place.”

The result of Heep’s newfound chemistry was the album Demons And Wizards, which, in June 1972, reached No. 20 in the UK and No. 23 in the US. In Finland, the album reached No. 1 in May and remained at the top of the charts for 14 weeks.

While the album title and Dean’s cover suggested a medieval fantasy, Hensley’s liner notes state that the album is “simply a collection of their songs from a good recording period”. Hensley also recalls: “The band was really focused at that time, we all wanted the same thing, we were all willing to make the same sacrifices to achieve it and we were all very dedicated, it was the first album to feature that lineup and there was a magic in that combination of people that created so much energy and excitement.”

From this historic album I select, what else, “Easy Livin'”.

Tracklist

1. The Wizard 2:59
2. Traveller In Time 3:26
3. Easy Livin’ 2:36
4. Poet’s Justice 4:14
5. Circle Of Hands 6:34
6. Rainbow Demon 4:30
7. All My Life 2:46
8. Paradise 5:10
9. The Spell 7:32