Ascendingthethrone
Ancient Mariner
Kill in the Spirt World is my go to cheese song. The transition into the verse is so 80’s. I love it!
Black Sabbath
- Thread starter Raven
- Start date
Considering he remixed Forbidden recently and participated in a reissuing project for the Martin era I'm assuming he stands by a lot of that material. Unlike other bands I don't really get the sense that he has tried to shun any of his back catalog over the years.
Ascendingthethrone
Ancient Mariner
She can’t handle that some of the Dio and Martin albums are better than some of the Ozzy albums.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Well while the rest of the world focuses on the upcoming Sabbath farewell show, Tony Iommi is continuing his Sabbath remasters with The Eternal Idol.
It's going to be a limited edition vinyl record first but I would guess that a CD release will be coming later on in the year. I'll be excited to pick that up and hear what it sounds like!
It's going to be a limited edition vinyl record first but I would guess that a CD release will be coming later on in the year. I'll be excited to pick that up and hear what it sounds like!
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Well color me surprised, because I found one.
Headless Cross (1989)
1. The Gates of Hell - Eerie ambient intro that opens the door for the magic to come. na/10
2. Headless Cross - Boom! Bam! Boom! Bam! Cozy Powell immediately introduces himself with this powerful, epic drum intro before Tony Iommi conjures up spirits with an opening riff that sounds like something out of Van Halen. The song's main riff is darker, simple but oh so effective. Session musician Laurence Cottle provides the song's lifeblood with a bassline very similar to Geezer Butler's in "Heaven and Hell". Tony Martin steps out of the mist and instantly you can hear that he's leveled up. "Look through the people, and on through the mist, to the hill of the Headless Cross..." He's really chewing the scenery here, and at first you think he's trying to mimic Dio, but as his voice rises you start to realize that you're really hearing a new legend arise. His voice is powerful and commanding, and when he hits those high notes in the chorus I am fucking flabbergasted. I did not expect this type of vocals in a Black Sabbath song, but goddamn was it just what they needed.
There are four verse/chorus sections within this song but it never once feels like it overstays its welcome. This is an epic saga full of doom and despair and every single moment, from the graveyard stomp after the second chorus to Iommi's blazing guitar solo after the third, feels vital to the overall package. Iommi actually gives his new ensemble a lot of room to show off their skills, hanging in the background until he's needed. With that said, everything they put down is integral to the song as a whole. Shoutout to Geoff Nicholls, builds a phenomenal, misty atmosphere with his keyboards. Just a perfect song from beginning to end, and honestly, this could very well be my pick for Black Sabbath's most quintessential number, Ozzy and Dio be damned. It is dark, doomy, vivid and utterly powerful fucking epic, everything I want out of this band in 6 and a half minutes. 10/10
3. Devil & Daughter - This song immediately picks up the pace with a power metal swagger. The keyboards are fully prominent here, married to the guitar. It's so fucking infectious and Tony Martin gets to really sing comfortably, embracing the material with gusto. His lyrics are pretty cheesy, talking about the devil and his daughter corrupting men, but you can't help but be swept away by it. When he goes for those high notes I am utterly enthralled. This song is so good for most of its runtime but missteps at the very end with a bone-headed final chorus that breaks the smoothness of the rest of the song. Beyond that though, this one is GREAT. 8/10
4. When Death Calls - The album takes a departure from the excitement of the previous track and gets real dark and spooky for this ballad-on-steroids. The first half of this song feels kind of similar to one of those Iced Earth ballads ("When the Eagle Flies" definitely comes to mind). Maybe I make this connection because Martin kind of reminds me of Ripper on some of the lines here? But where Ripper is a screamer, Martin is a crooner pushing himself above and beyond any expected limits to utterly sell this performance. "Misguided mortals, you'll burn with me!" Oh fuck. The chorus comes at you with a stomp and is oh-so-heavy, although also kinda overwrought.
This song would just be a good, maybe great one if it just dropped a solo after the second chorus and looped back around, but the band suddenly kick things into gear with a midnight run through the underworld as Martin fully steps outside of the shadows of Sabbath's previous singers. "Don't look in those sunken eyes, don't look and you'll stay alive..." His delivery is utterly passionate, emotional, and powerful, even glorious. It's easily a top 5 Black Sabbath moment for me. The lyrics are so silly ("And Satan takes your soul!") but Martin is so wound up in delivering them that I am close to tears. And then Brian May of Queen fame delivers a surprise solo and I am over the fucking moon. Jesus Christ.
Phenomenal. With a slightly tighter framework for the main song this could have been one of Sabbath's all-time best, but even as it stands it's an excellent fucking celebration of the band's ability to just go all out and craft a great fucking song. 9/10
5. Kill in the Spirit World - This one took me a few listens to really get. The opening verse completely takes you aback with its utterly '80s aesthetic, complete with hairspray and ecstasy. The pumping bass and lighter, silvery guitar form an AOR-inspired background for Martin to immediately pull you into his narrative. "There's something wrong, there's a chill in the air..." Really? Then why am I having such a good fucking time?! The chorus stands in direct contrast with the verse, stomping like a dinosaur as Martin gets to unleash his inner theater kid. At first I didn't know what to think, but all these listens later I have fully given myself over to the cheese. God, it's impossible not to move along to this song. Gorgeous solo, fuck me. Epic bridge. Martin comes back for verse 3 absolutely digging his heels in and pushing himself even further with his vocals layered the fuck up. "Did you see another in black? Is the black in your veins running colder?" Fuck. Yeah. Yeah it is. I'm getting fucking chills, man. The chorus sees us out as ghosts and ghouls rise up from the grave and I am absolutely pumped the fuck up. This song should be in everyone's workout playlists. Fucking incredible. 10/10
6. Call of the Wild - This song sounds like the kind of track that's hiding in a VHS tape that no one's ever seen but as it goes on you realize it's actually a fucking banger. It continues the cheesy AOR of the previous song and completely runs away with it. The chorus sounds like it's straight from a Survivor song. Drenched in anthemic '80s glam but with a vocalist who continues to go fucking ham ("Don't believe in fate, IT AIN'T WHAT IT SEEMS!!!"), the final piece to the puzzle that makes this an unforgettable track is Tony Iommi's solo, which is easily my favorite of his to date. Goddamn does he just go all out on this one, it is utterly soul-moving. These cheesy tracks should not be as good as they are, but the band is absolutely dialed-in from start to finish and thus the magic is spawned. 9/10
7. Black Moon - I don't think Iommi will ever forego his love for the blues, and "Black Moon" certainly struts out with quite the bluesy swagger. But man, that riff is so damn heavy. Martin is in his element, sounding like Mephistopheles took up lounge singing. Cozy Powell is dominating the drums and providing enough power to fuel an aircraft carrier. This is cool and all, but what's the real draw to this song? The chorus comes in like a motherfucker and there it fucking is. Anthemic to its core and makes you wanna jump along to it. On any other album a track like this would've been easy filler but somehow "Black Moon" is yet another highlight. Shoutout to another fucking awesome Iommi solo, too. 9/10
8. Nightwing - The album's finale is another epic ballad that feels like it was born on the winds of Gotham. It fades in with some really intricate acoustic playing from Iommi. Cottle sounds like he's using a fretless bass for this one and along with Nicholls's keys it really fleshes out the scenery. How do I even describe Martin's performance on this song? His voice is filled with soul as he sings of the titular nocturnal hunter and the song builds up slowly until he fully unleashes his lungs in the second chorus, and then continues to hit those notes twice more like it's nothing. "NIGHTWING FLIIIIIIIIIES AGAAAAAAAIN!" What the fuck. Who is this man and where has he been all my life??? Not to be upstaged, the other Tony lays down four, count 'em, four guitar solos, including a really pretty acoustic one after the third chorus that leads to an epic electric one. Phenomenal song. Phenomenal closer. Just, fucking, WOW. 10/10
OVERALL
Where to begin? This album is like a combination of classic Black Sabbath doom, power metal, AOR, glam, and the epic metal of '80s legends like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Somehow this isn't the clusterfuck it sounds like it would be on paper. Turns out that Sabbath delivered their very best work in 1989 when the rest of the world forgot that they existed.
One of the big things that separates this album from the previous two is that it feels like a band is playing this. This is clearly not a Tony Iommi solo project. He really gives the rest of the band a lot of room to show off their skills. Cozy Powell is a crazy addition to the lineup. His work with Rainbow is legendary and he adds so much fire to all of these tracks. Geoff Nicholls has plenty of space to build atmosphere with his keyboards and Laurence Cottle is always rooting the rest of the band with his absolutely locked-in basswork. Then when Iommi himself comes to the fore, he sounds more energized than he's been since Dio. His solos across this album are incredible.
But man, Tony Martin... it's like every critique I had of his voice on The Eternal Idol has suddenly vanished. Actually being able to work on the material with the rest of the band is huge. Even though his lyrics are mostly just cheesy Satan stuff, he got so much room to create unbelievable vocal lines. There's a couple moments where he's a little overwrought but by and large his performance on this album ALONE makes him a top 10 singer for me. When he goes for those notes, he fucking GOES. ALL. THE. WAY. And there's so much grit and soul in his performance that it just leaves me in awe. Listening to him sing across this album is legitimately euphoric. And to think that he almost didn't come back for it, but Powell persuaded Iommi to let him stay. He had something to prove and Jesus Christ, he proved it.
There is no filler on this album and there are no weak songs. Every single track is great and the best are the best that Sabbath have ever had. I can understand people disliking how '80s this album gets at times, but I love it. Tony Iommi and his bunch of underdogs having the time of their life laying down a monster record that in any just world, deserves to go down as a heavy metal classic along with the likes of Paranoid and Heaven and Hell. And frankly, for my money, it's better.
Total: 93%
BONUS
• Cloak and Dagger - Another bluesy strut on this song, but it doesn't get quite as high as "Black Moon" does. Still, despite sounding like it should be a b-side filler, two things set this one apart: another awesome Iommi solo, and my man Tony Martin coming back for another incredible performance. Good song! Glad it's on the remaster. 7/10
Confeos
Game time started.
Headless Cross is a fantastic record. Probably my third favourite album of theirs, only topped by Paranoid and Sabotage. Obviously so, so different from the Ozzy years and with much more in common with the Dio albums - I like to think it takes everything that made Heaven and Hell and The Mob Rules amazing on their own, but adds extra sprinkles of both eeriness, mystique and catchiness. Tony Martin's performance is out of this world.
The title track, "Kill in the Spirit World" and "Nightwing" are also my tops picks from this one
The title track, "Kill in the Spirit World" and "Nightwing" are also my tops picks from this one
The Dissident
Ancient Mariner
Headless Cross for me is one album which comes close to Heaven and Hell for me in terms of quality. It is an excellent hidden gem which really shouldn't be hidden.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Speaking of, hope you submitted your list to Mosh! Crossing my fingers for a good showing for Headless Cross.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Tyr (1990)
1. Anno Mundi - As opposed to the "Heaven and Hell" vibe Headless Cross started with, Tyr opens with what you might think is a reimagined "Children of the Sea". But the medieval-sounding choir chanting Latin take away that notion as returning war hero Tony Martin steps forward and asks if you can see him, if you can feel him. If, for whatever reason, you can't, he's about to fucking show you. Holy fuck. His performance across this song is insane. The music plunges into a heavy stomp and the verse is intense, bringing to mind battlefields and wanton destruction that we must contemplate before we head off to war. The chorus is out of this world. Martin hits some crazy notes and layers up his vocals and it's so. fucking. good. Each of the chorus repeats does something different, refusing to tread the exact same path and keeps you on your toes. Utterly glorious song. Everything else about it is awesome but fuck me, that chorus is, let me grab my thesaurus... ASTOUNDING. "YOUR EYES ARE BURNIIIIING!!!!!" 10/10
2. The Law Maker - We hit the ground running on track 2 with what might be the fastest song Sabbath have made to date. I mean, this is some NWOBHM shit. It's practically an Iron Maiden song, with a bit of Motörheadian grit for good measure. Maybe they're a decade late with this one, but who cares? Tony Martin sings about an untouchable figure who casts righteous judgement and don't tell me you aren't hooked. I wouldn't say it's brilliant - pretty rudimentary chorus, all things considered - but damn man, this shit is pumping. Great track. 8/10
3. Jerusalem - Cozy Powell beats down on the kit and we are on pilgrimage! Geoff Nicholls is in action with his keyboard, bringing a power metal-via-Yngwie kind of sound to this stomping banger. The chorus to this one fucks, Martin is direct and in-your-face as Iommi riffs behind him. The more melodic pre-chorus ain't too shabby either. It's a great song, but I wish it went just a little bit further, maybe a second guitar would've helped out? Also shoutout to the cheesy "OH-OH-OHHHH-OH-OH-OHH" vocals. 8/10
4. The Sabbath Stones - This monumental epic announces itself with a blast of power as Martin's softer voice rise from the moors. This song is pretty formulaic, and I'm not really sold on how it repeats itself during the first act, but I do like the melodies and that commanding chorus ("The kingdom of God will guide you!") is great. I dig the faster outro, too, and the vocalization at the end is so Rennaissant. I think this is probably a highlight for a lot of people but to me it's one of those "I like it, but I've heard better" songs. 7/10
5-7. The Battle of Tyr / Odin's Court / Valhalla - Fuck it, I ain't separating these three tracks because they're clearly one big, epic, awesome song. "The Battle of Tyr" is tumultuous, filled with bombastic keys, which die away upon entrance to "Odin's Court". Martin's voice is mournful, and yet still filled with hope, as he acts as our guide through the halls of the dead. The gates to the afterlife begin to open up and then the whole band comes to radiant, glorious life as we arrive in "Valhalla". Let's. Fucking. GOOOO!! Leave it to Sabbath to once again be at the top of their game, using a trope that is often overused in metal (stemming from Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song"), and pretty much making the definitive track. Martin is in his element, the chorus is fucking epic, and I especially love the bridge, which is rapturous. "Reach and Valhalla will SAVE YOUR SOUL!!" Even the stomp to this song is Nordic. Excellent track; it's no "Anno Mundi" but damn does it SLAP. 9/10
8. Feels Good to Me - It seems only fitting that our warriors should get a ballad in which to sing of their loved ones far away. Even though it was an attempt at a hit single, I still really like this song and think it fits in well with the feel of the album. It's really, really pretty and the simple, straightforward chorus works because of how much soul Martin inflects into it. God I love this man. 8/10
9. Heaven in Black - The drum intro to this song almost makes you think we're about to plunge into some kind of "Painkiller" finale, but once the rest of the band comes in Powell switches to a swing and Sabbath turn in one more warrior anthem. This song is basically the Sabaton 101 blueprint. It's a fun closer. Try to stop yourself from singing along, I dare you. 7/10
OVERALL
Tyr takes the power metal elements from Headless Cross and makes a whole album out of it. It's another great album, another record with no filler whatsoever, although it's not as consistent as its predecessor and doesn't reach the same heights (barring "Anno Mundi").
It's hard not to feel good listening to this album. It's basically a collection of warrior songs. Tony Martin's switch from Satanic to Nordic (et al) inspiration really adds a new dimension to the band's sound. Neil Murray takes up the bass but otherwise it's the same lineup from Headless Cross and you can tell that they're very comfortable playing with each other at this point. The sound has a little too much bottom end but I otherwise don't have many complaints about the production.
It's a shame that Sabbath were forgotten relics at this point, which would lead not to a third album from this lineup, but a more calculated grasp for recognition with a revival ten years in the making. Nonetheless, Tyr should not be overlooked! If you liked Headless Cross, you're bound to like this.
Total: 81%
P.S. I was on vacation this past week and had the CD in my car while driving with some friends. I may have accidentally turned them into Black Sabbath fans, whoops.
The Dissident
Ancient Mariner
Anno Mundi and the Tyr Suite, are among some of sabbaths best. I wish this phase of Sabbath was more recognized for how amazing it was. IMO 80s Sabbath as a whole is stronger than 70s. But both are top tier, the run of Black Sabbath to Dehumanizer is great even if there is a mistep or two in the middle.
Poto
Ancient Mariner
Agreed, although Tyr is from 1990.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
Tyr is a very good album, especially as a whole piece, no fillers like the previous album. ''Heaven In Black'' is a great gem.
I also would have liked a 3rd album from this lineup. Edit: right after the 1990 one.
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Wogmidget
Shitpost bot
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Dehumanizer (1992)
1. Computer God - Robotic noises give way to Vinny Appice's announcement that Black Sabbath is BACK, baby! in the form of a really cool, shifty drum intro. But this incarnation of Black Sabbath is a little older, more mature, and working outside of the mainstream eye. Dio comes back ready to summon the devil. His performance is a lot more raw and visceral than what we heard ten years ago. Age is slowly creeping up on him - or maybe the vocal mix just isn't very good. The signature Sabbath stomp is in full effect with this groove. I really love the chorus, which is still a raw stomp but has a nice burst of melody. Dio gets to show off his beautiful quiet voice in the bridge and then the song picks up speed with a solo and outro reminiscent of Heaven and Hell. Truth be told, this is my least favorite part of the song. But overall, it's a great album opener and it feels a lot more like Black Sabbath than the past few albums - although that comes with a caveat, because I kinda miss the previous Sabbath lineup. 8/10
2. After All (The Dead) - Doom metal had evolved a bit since Sabbath wrote the blueprint on Master of Reality, but this song comes in like Tony Iommi wants the world to know who the master is. Candlemass? Pah! Here's some pure, utter doom from beginning to end. Dio's voice is even more raw and he practically summons bags of bones to life with this one. I love how his voice rises at the end of the verses. Bits and pieces here remind me of the band's eponymous song from the debut. The beat is a trudge, Geezer Butler's bass rumbles in the background like the River Styx. I really dig the guitar in the chorus, sounds like light sparkling off of a chandelier. This beast feels a little unfinished and I wish they injected something extra in here, but it's another great song. 8/10
3. TV Crimes - Before you start feeling lethargic, here's a shot of energy to keep you awake! "TV Crimes" is a faster song that gets your blood pumping, but don't be fooled - this ain't no "Law Maker", it's doom with a dose of adrenaline. Very fun take on televangelism and its prey, great chorus ("Jack be nimble, Jack be slick - take the money, get out quick!") - you can tell Dio felt some kind of way about these false prophets. Solo reminds me of "Neon Knights". The pre-chorus plods a bit too much for me but otherwise this is another great song. 8/10
4. Letters from Earth - This one is a bit by-the-numbers but it gets an extra point because I really like Iommi's riffing across this track, and Dio turns in another great performance. I don't really know what the lyrics mean, is this about a visiting alien sending his family some postcards and telling them about how fucked up we are? Anyhow, solid song. 6/10
5. Master of Insanity - Intro feels like a callback to "Computer God" with its ambient build-up into the groove and heavy riff. The verse riff reminds me of Led Zeppelin's "The Wanton Song"; kinda fun. The chorus is legitimately one of the least interesting choruses Dio has done with Sabbath. I really expected better from them, this is like c-tier metal 101. Some pacing issues throughout the song as well. I dunno, I don't love it, I don't hate it, it's a pretty average song. 5/10
6. Time Machine - Side 2 begins on a better note than the previous track. The band feels more alive on this song even though it never really builds to a peak and the hook isn't all that memorable. It's pretty fun overall, though. They're just grooving together. The intro and verse reminds me of some of the Born Again material, but this sounds so much better. Funny how having a competent vocalist can make such a massive improvement over similar songs, huh? 7/10
7. Sins of the Father - This song takes me back to Sabotage. Dio comes in immediately with the verse and honestly I can envision Ozzy doing the vocals here. This might piss some people off but some of the vocal lines across this album feel like he could've stepped in instead of Dio, they feel interchangeable with the material, to a certain extent. ('Course, unlike Sabbath and Dio, Ozzy was actually riding high in 1992.) The riff in the second half of the track reminds me of "Megalomania". I think it's mostly a good song but it really runs out of steam by the end. 6/10
8. Too Late - This song joins the canon of "metal songs that warn about opening portals to realms you are ill-equipped to enter", along the likes of Mercyful Fate's "A Dangerous Meeting". Finally we return to the heights of the album's first three tracks. The first part of this song is easily my favorite moment on the album. Haunting acoustic guitar sings to the netherworld and Dio's vocals are gorgeous here, as he takes on the role of a neutral narrator whose warning comes far too late for your soul. "It's too late - something heard you!" is an incredibly frightening line. Once the track gets going it plods a little, but this is still a great song and I love the lyrics and the atmosphere within it. 8/10
9. I - Intro is a melancholic thing that reminds me of "Bassically/N.I.B.", but then the stomping riff kicks and in and we're into the album's most anthemic track. Dio is utterly commanding here, declaring himself whatever he wills himself to be. The chorus is awesome and sounds like it would be a killer with a live crowd. I wish this one had a little more focus because returning to the intro midway through hurts the energy. I also have to say that I'm not the biggest fan of Iommi's solos on this album. What happened to the energy he had on Headless Cross? Great song though, tucked away towards the end but should not be written off at all. There's a real hunger within it. 8/10
10. Buried Alive - Aaaaaand we end on a plodder. Stomp. - stomp. - stomp. Dio rips his vocals chords out, everybody clap, the parade has ended. Really don't care for the unmelodic vocal lines on the verses, Dio is too good a singer to be boxed in like this. Luckily, the song has a great and memorable chorus, which boosts up my appreciation for it, but it just never reaches the heights of the album's best material and is kind of a weak closer. 6/10
OVERALL
Dehumanizer is a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, I like hearing all of the musicians here working together. I love Appice's drumming, I love Geezer's basswork, Iommi's riffs are still heavy as fuck, and even a harsher-sounding Dio turns in a great performance. I just don't think the material is all there. The great songs are great but nothing crosses the threshold into the divine. Too much stomping and not enough drive. It's also a bit too long for its own good.
To me, this is the first album where it sounds like Black Sabbath is trying to sound like 'Black Sabbath'. It doesn't fully feel like a return to the first Dio era; rather, it feels like it's taking aspects of the doomy sound that Sabbath created in the '70s and modernizing it, making it heavier with a more versatile vocalist. I like this album, but I don't love it, and especially when juxtaposed after Headless Cross and Tyr, I kinda wish we just got a third album from that lineup. Tony Martin and Cozy Powell added so much energy to Sabbath and it's sorely missing here. Dehumanizer sounds like a buncha old geezers getting the band back together and trying to reclaim their youth. It barely succeeds.
Total: 70%
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
This album rips. The main riff on Master of Insanity is one of the craziest things Iommi has ever written.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
LOL. Never picked up on that.
But I'm talking about the intro riff that starts on bass.