RARITIES FROM THE BRONZE AGE

There are lots of URIAH HEEP compilations around, most of them are typical ''Best Of'' or ''Greatest Hits'' selections intended for casual listeners. This one, however, is a very special set of songs.

It was released in 1991, when only Castle Communications URIAH HEEP CDs, without bonus-tracks, were available. Thus when I bought this singles collection, I was more than happy, because I never heard before 16 of its 21 songs.

A-sides are great songs, but not interesting because they are only edited versions of albums' tracks. But B- sides were a Holy Grail for any HEEP fan then. The quality of Byron and Lawton eras material is extremely high, I'm still wondering why songs like ''Why'', ''What Can I Do'', ''Shout It Out'', ''The Time Will Come'', ''Crime Of Passion'', ''Masquerade'' and ''Cheater'' were not included in respective albums. They are really better than many albums' tracks. Sloman and Goalby periods were far from UH finest hour, but again, it was interesting to listen to previously unheard songs.

The booklet contains lots of photos, short band history written by Robert M. Corich, a person whose contribution in searching, restoring and publishing UH legasy is priceless, and brief track by track information.

Now this CD seems to be a deleted item, all tracks are available as bonus tracks on UH remasters. But for the time of its release date ''Rarities from the Bronze Age'' was a real box of treasures.