Produced by Ashley Howe, the Abominog album (according to Blows) was

Produced by Ashley Howe, the Abominog album (according to Blows) was “important … in the way it pulled Heep out of the Seventies and thrust them into the Eighties with determination muscle”, even if it sounded a bit too American. Released in March 1982 (and preceded in February by the Abominog Junior EP), it won favour with the critics. Sounds gave it a five star review, the newly established rock magazine Kerrang! declared it “the most mature and perhaps best album of their career”, and in retrospect it is still seen as “one of the most consistent and engaging albums in the group’s lengthy catalog”. The album did relatively well in the American charts (No. 56) after its US release in September 1982, and the band successfully performed at the Castle Donington Monsters of Rock event a few weeks prior to this, on 21 August.