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URIDIUM
Reflections Of Insanity

Self-released (2026)
Rating: 8/10

Described in promotional information as an honest heavy metal album, Reflections Of Insanity is the debut full-length from Norwich, England-based rockers Uridium. Ballsy and steely, the clan comes fully armoured and delivers a selection of prime beef cuts that’ll appeal to metalheads everywhere, especially those with a penchant for bands like Judas Priest.

Despite the album not being as gritty as I expected, Reflections Of Insanity still packs a mighty wallop as the quintet of Cameron Brown (vocals), Paul Cutting (guitar), Gary Vescio (guitar), Ian Hill (bass) and James Morgan (drums) construct 12 hefty tracks which fuse New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, modern traditional metal and flecks of crisp thrash.

Kicking off with the speedy ‘Sanctum’, one can immediately hear the impact of bands such as Judas Priest and Saxon. The leads scorch and slither with a sublime snaking potency as one is engulfed by the flames of rage and angst spilling from Brown’s boisterous croons. There’s a Teutonic feel too alongside Dio at their most metallic; Brown has a rich style and the clan refuse to veer into anything other than driving metal.

‘No Way Out’ is a ferocious and snarling powerhouse as all potential frills are blown aside by the percussive slams and borderline power-thrash sensibilities. To be honest, I don’t hear much of the 80s spirit and rawness that the band proclaim to possess, apart from maybe in the archetypal “message of metal” styled lyrics. Everything else is very much modern, but the aggression of ‘No Way Out’ is certainly impactful. Occasional glimpses of early Iron Maiden filter into the grey vacuum of sizzling riffs as Uridium furiously bombards its audience. Thrills may be fleeting but there’s no denying the pace and power that the band exhibit.

‘Fire And Lies’ follows and it’s another tirade from the Judas Priest / Iron Maiden book of frenzy. Three tracks in and Uridium has already blown the speakers, as any whiff of potential subtlety is eradicated by the explosive riffs. There’s a maturity to these songs, particularly with the lyrical content of the brooding title track as the mob literally reflect on employment at a psychiatric ward. The riffs are menacing and the shadows grow blacker with each thunderous strike of drums and chords.

I still don’t hear the 80s rawness, and to some extent this molten slab sits more comfortably alongside the latest Metal Church outing (Dead To Rights) as a direct and commanding platter appreciative of its influences but wrapping them in iron modern-moulded claws.

Burly riff after burly riff ensues as ‘Bloodshot Eyes’ charges like a steel bull, rampant in its percussion and demanding you take evasive action before it ploughs you into the ground. Similarly fashioned, ‘Rise Or Fall’ has a speedy Motörhead-style mixed with European power metal. Elsewhere, the Iron Maiden-esque ‘Spillage’ and the robust ‘Fight’ shift tempos, drifting from mid-paced juggernauts into heftier gallops not a million miles away from modern Anthrax, and the same could also be said for ‘Wasted’.

The words “solid”, “sturdy” and “vigorous” may not be the most flattering when it comes to describing Uridium’s full-bodied sound, as there’s more to this album than just muscle; Reflections Of Insanity is as weighty as a steamroller and your head is in its path. Again, not quite as vintage sounding as the hype would suggest, but still a colossal metallic beast hailing from a city of medieval heritage.

Neil Arnold

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