While it’s certainly true that singer Tony Martin‘s time with Birmingham metal pioneers Black Sabbath is not exactly the most revered era in the band’s storied history, it’s also a little unfair to judge that period too harshly. Given the daunting, if not impossible job of following in the footsteps of Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie James Dio, and even Ian Gillan, Martin also happened to enter the fold when the band were on somewhat of a downward turn.
BLACK SABBATH – L-R: Tony Martin, Tony Iommi, Cozy Powell, Neil Murray – photosession – Sep 1989. Photo credit: Pete Cronin/IconicPix
With Ozzy outselling Sabbath by some distance, and with Born Again and quasi solo album Seventh Star failing to reach previous heights, Martin took the opportunity handed to him by Sabbath’s legendary guitarist and moustache breeder Tony Iommi on 1987’s The Eternal Idol and simply went for it. Gaining highly favourable reviews, Martin’s underrated debut helped steady the ship, allowing him a second bite of the cherry. A luxury not even afforded to the likes of Gillan or Glenn Hughes.
It’s at this point where Black Sabbath – Anno Domini 1989-1995 (BMG Music) begins its story. As well as spawning a hugely successful flagship single of the same name, 1989’s Headless Cross also saw a change in personnel with Iommi, Martin, and much-missed keyboard player Geoff Nicholls recruiting bassist Laurence Cottle and none other than the late, great Cozy Powell (The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow, and Whitesnake) on drums.
The names didn’t stop there either with Iommi’s long time friend, Queen guitarist Brian May guesting on the mighty “When Death Calls”. The second single “Devil and Daughter” was another relative success along with “Call of the Wild,” while “Nightwing”, the Dio-esque “Black Moon” and the hook-laden “Kill In the Spirit World” ensured the record was a more than worthy successor to The Eternal Idol. Although the riffs stopped at that point back in the day, this box set also includes bonus track and “Headless Cross” 7” B-side, “Cloak and Dagger”, a song arguably good enough to have graced the album in the first place.
Now firmly ensconced in the Sabbath camp, Martin’s arguably most assured performance to date was to arrive on 1990s Tyr. Rooted in Norse mythology but not an actual fully-fledged concept album, Tyr saw bassist Laurence Cottle replaced by Whitesnake and Gary Moore four-stringer Neil Murray as the band achieved a level of consistency not enjoyed for quite some time. Opener “Anno Mundi” would go on to be a live favourite for the next few years while “The Law Maker”, “Valhalla”, “The Sabbath Stones”, “Heaven in Black” and “Jerusalem” remain just as powerful as they did over thirty years ago.
Probably the least Sabbath-sounding album in the band’s history, Tyr is still suitably dark and heavy despite the keyboards playing a more prominent role than usual. Dismissed somewhat unfairly at the time, the single “Feels Good to Me” still stands out like a sore thumb from the rest of the record but a certain nostalgic air does make it more enjoyable this time around.
After Dehumanizer saw Ronnie James Dio come and go once again, Martin rejoined Iommi and original bassist Geezer Butler for 1994’s Cross Purposes, the line-up completed by US drummer Bobby Rondinelli. Despite the keyboards remaining at the fore, the record saw a return to more traditional style Sabbath riffs, gaining no shortage of praise in the process. He might not have been Dio or Ozzy but Martin was welcomed back with open arms and songs like sturdy opener “I Witness”, “Cross of Thorns” and “Immaculate Deception” did nothing to harm that.
Based on the Branch Davidian siege at Waco, “Psychophobia” is another strong cut, as is “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle”, a song written about an English children’s nurse convicted of serial infanticide the previous year. “Virtual Death,” “Cardinal Sin,” “Back to Eden,” and closer “Evil Eye” are all appropriately robust and the box set also includes ‘”What’s the Use,” a bonus track from the original Japanese release.
All of which brings us to what is seen by many as the nadir of the Sabbath back catalogue. 1995’s Forbidden. There’s no point beating around the bush here, Forbidden is not classic Sabbath by any stretch of the imagination. With a reconciliation between Iommi and Sharon Osbourne around the corner and rumours of a reunion with Ozzy already gathering pace, once again there were dark rumblings from within the Sabbath camp. Not that you’d ever have known from their live performances on the subsequent tour though.
However, despite the perceived imperfection of the finished product, it was certainly a bold move to invite Body Count guitarist Ernie C take control of the production booth and feature Ice-T on vocals for “The Illusion of Power.” With both Cozy Powell and Neil Murray returning to the band, Forbidden was certainly performed well enough but some of the songs just didn’t measure up.
However, with the benefit of time and a legitimate Sabbath swansong album appearing in 2013, plus, once again, good old-fashioned nostalgia, Forbidden isn’t quite the car crash you’ve heard about or convinced yourself you wanted to forget. “Rusty Angels,” “Can’t Get Close Enough,” “Kiss of Death,” and “Get a Grip,” and “I Won’t Cry For You,” all made it onto the subsequent touring set list while the remaining tracks aren’t the worst things ever recorded, just decent songs when fans demanded classics. Japanese bonus track “Loser Gets It All” gets the bonus track treatment this time, and having also gained a brand new remix (something promised since 2015), Forbidden is now worth another listen.
Including photos, artwork, and liner notes, plus a poster and replica concert programme from the Headless Cross tour, Black Sabbath – Anno Domini 1989-1995 is a high-quality box set covering a period of time well worth catching up on. Remastered for maximum effect, there are plenty of worse ways for any devoted Sabbath fan to spend their hard-earned cash.
Buy the boxset here:
https://BlackSabbath.lnk.to/annodominiPR
8 / 10
GARY ALCOCK