Uriah Heep - The Time Will Come (1976)

Following the success of the 'Demons And Wizards' album, Uriah Heep released 'The Magician's Birthday just six month later, in November 1972, once again housed in a superb Roger Dean sleeve. Further touring helped to gain them an increasingly large fanbase, as well as honing the band's stage-craft, with David Byron becoming the focal point of the whole group's stage presentation, and Ken Hensley developing into a sophisticated instrumentalist and stage persona, whose writing and keyboard flair ignited the rest of the band. Not surprisingly, a live album followed in 1973, lavishly packaged with an eight-page booklet, and while that held the attention of the fans the band decamping to Chateau d'Herouville in France to record the rather mainstream-sounding 'Sweet Freedom'. This was also released in 1973, and the band had ditched the sword and sorcery lyrics in favour of more contemporary themes. When 'Wonderworld' appeared in 1974 it disappointed fans and band members alike, having been recorded in a disruptive and volatile atmosphere, with Byron's drinking and Thain's drug intake, combined with the emotional time that Hensley was going through. making for a less than productive environment. 
Matters came to a head while on tour during September when Thain received a serious electric shock on stage, resulting in the rest of the US tour being canceled, and their UK dates rescheduled to October. Soon after getting out of hospital, Thain was fired after accusing manager Gerry Bron of turning the band into a mere 'financial thing', and a year later, on 8 December 1975, he was found dead in his Norwood Green home, having overdosed on heroin. John Wetton joined the band in March 1975, and with him on board they recorded the 'Return To Fantasy' album, representing a revitalised Uriah Heep. It reached No. 7 in the UK album charts, and the band were on a high, although bad luck continued to dog them, with Mick Box falling off stage in Kentucky and breaking the radial bone in his right arm, and John Wetton receiving an electric shock on stage the following year. 'High and Mighty' was released in June 1976, but was generally considered lightweight after the return to form '...Fantasy', with the blame being laid squarely at the band's door, and their decision to produce the album themselves. So that takes us to the end of 1976, and with major changes in the offing, we can take a break and listen to the non-album b-sides and unreleased songs that they recorded between 1972 and 1976. 

Track listing

01 Sunshine (b-side of 'Stealin'' 1973)

02 Gary's Song (previously unreleased 1972)

03 What Can I Do (b-side of 'Something Or Nothing' 1974)

04 Love, Hate And Fear (previously unreleased 1974)

05 Stones Throw (previously unreleased 1974)

06 Shout It Out (b-side of 'Return To Fantasy' and 'Ptima Donna' 1975)

07 The Time Will Come (b-side of 'Return To Fantasy' 1975)

08 I Close My Eyes (previously unreleased 1976)

09 Name Of The Game (previously unreleased 1976) 

10 Does Anything Matter (previously unreleased 1976)

11 Take Care (previously unreleased 1976)

12 Sundown (previously unreleased 1976)