Liam BarrettWhen the story of Black Sabbath is being told, it is often Ozzy Osbourne and (to a lessor extent) Ronnie James Dio that take central stage in that narrative. And rightly so, given that they are two titans of heavy meal, so different in their sound and style, yet both equally influential in the world of rock music. It is perhaps no surprise then, that Tony Martin’s place in the band’s history is so often overlooked, overshadowed by his more famous predecessors. As the years have passed, Sabbath’s earlier, genre-defining albums have been remastered and reissued countless times, keeping them firmly in the embedded in the collective memory of the band’s fans, while the Martin-era albums of the 1980s and 1990s have been long out of print, fading into relative obscurity.
Well, that is the case no longer, with the arrival of this boxset (available on both CD and vinyl), collecting 4 of the 5 five albums that featured Tony Martin fronting the band, alongside the ever-present Tony Iommi and a rotating line-up of some of hard rock’s finest musicians. And while it is unlikely that any of these albums are going to unseat Paranoid or Heaven and Hell as anyone’s favourite Black Sabbath albums, there’s still plenty here for fans of the band, old or new, to enjoy.
The Albums
The four albums contained in this set are Headless Cross (1989), Tyr (1990), Cross Purposes (1994) and Forbidden (1995), covering nearly all of Martin’s output with the band (his 1987 debut, Eternal Idol, is unfortunately omitted due to it originally being released on a different label).
Of the four, Headless Cross and Tyr are probably the most well known, and represented something of a creative (if not commercial) resurgence for the band at the time. After a string of seemingly never-ending line-up changes in the 1980s, these albums brought some measure of stability, with the addition of drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Neil Murray. After dabbling with a more radio-friendly, hard rock style for the previous few albums, these two marked a return to the polished, but still hard-hitting, heavy metal sound that defined the Ronnie James Dio era of the band. Indeed, Martin’s vocal style is even reminiscent of Dio’s, providing a powerful complement to Iommi’s endless supply of thundering guitar riffs. Gone are the cheesy soft rock ballads and in their place are tales of the mythic and supernatural, with Headless Cross inspired by English folklore and Tyr taking its influences from Norse legends. It is this musical and thematic consistency that makes this pair the most highly regarded by those who remember them, and would make an excellent starting point for fans wanting to dip their toes into this iteration of the band.
Cross Purposes on the other hand, is often the forgotten album within a forgotten era of the band. Following more line-up changes and an ill-fated reunion with Ronnie James Dio, the band had once again lost momentum, leaving Cross Purposes as an overlooked footnote in the band’s history. Which is a shame, as even though it’s not the strongest Sabbath album, there is still plenty to appreciate. Martin’s voice is still in fine form, and Iommi continues to produce riff after riff. Original bassist Geezer Butler is back as well for this one, and his contributions, both musically and lyrically, adds an edge to Cross Purposes that had been missing on previous albums. While many consider this to be on the lower tier of Sabbath albums, I think it’s an under-appreciated gem, with some real standout tracks (“Evil Eye” can hold it’s head high among the best of Sabbath), and the unmistakable rumble of Butler’s bass has been sorely missed. This is also the most ‘modern’ sounding Sabbath album, with some slick 1990s production values, without sounding like the band is chasing trends.
Perhaps the most interesting of the four albums here though, is Forbidden. While Headless Cross and Tyr might be remembered fondly by some, and Cross Purposes not remembered at all, Forbidden has the unfortunate reputation of being the worst Black Sabbath album, a sad capstone to a recording career that had spanned 25 years and birthed a whole new genre of music. Much of that poor reputation is down to the absolutely awful production, and for this boxset the album has been given a completely new remix, overseen by Iommi himself. And let’s be clear, this is never going to be considered a classic album: this is very much Sabbath by numbers, and Martin sounds like he’s struggling vocally at times. Even the return of Powell and Murray couldn’t save Forbidden from a feeling of a band going through the motions. But the new mix does at least give it a fighting chance, and it is an infinitely more listenable experience than it once was. For long time fans of the band, this will be album they are should most be looking forward to hearing anew, and some of these songs are given a whole new lease of life, now that they no longer sound like they were recorded by someone with a microphone in a different room. It’s a pity they couldn’t get rid of that Ice-T rap on “Illusion of Power” though…
The Songs
Considering that all of these albums have been long out of print, it’s a joy just to be able to listen to them again (if you aren’t lucky enough to own one the original pressings). Along with Forbidden‘s fresh remix, each album has been newly remastered for this set, so this is the best they’ve ever sounded. Headless Cross and Tyr in particular benefit from a little bit of a sonic polish, as they were a little flat sounding in their original incarnations. Cross Purposes, to give it its due, has always sounded pretty good, so the remaster here isn’t quite as noticeable. And Forbidden, as mentioned already, sounds like a whole new album in places. I can’t emphasise enough how much better this veriosn of the album sounds.
It’s rare for late-era Sabbath songs to force themselves into the conversation when discussing Black Sabbath’s best songs, given that the band were churning out classic after classic in their early days. But there are definitely some killer tracks here that can make a case for inclusion. Headless Cross in particular barely puts a foot wrong, from the thumping title track, to the epic “When Death Calls” (featuring a guest guitar solo from none other than Brian May) and the catchy groove of “Black Moon”. Tyr isn’t quite as consistent, but it certainly hold its own with the likes of “Valhalla”, and “Anno Domini (The Vision)” is arguably the best song Tony Martin recorded with the band. From Cross Purposes, the aforementioned “Evil Eye” is the whole band firing on all cylinders, Martin shines in on the emotional “Cross of Thorns” and “Back to Eden” has a wonderfully funky feel to it. And Forbidden, for all its faults, has always had a classic in “Rusty Angels”. That track sounds as good as it ever did, but the remix also breathes new life into a songs like “Get a Grip” and “Kiss of Death”.
There is also a bonus track on each of Headless Cross, Cross Purposes and Forbidden, but they are largely disposable. Still, they’re a nice inclusion for die hard fans of the band who already know these albums back to front, and need something new to entice them.
The Verdict
This is a gorgeously packaged set, with three of the strongest albums from Black Sabbath’s later years (plus Forbidden), and is a must for any Sabbath fan. The long-time Martin die hards out there have been waiting many years for these albums to finally become available again, but it has definitely been worth the wait. These albums have never sounded better and would make a great entry point for any Ozzy-only fans who feel like branching out and giving other eras of the band a chance.
