The Mosh Pit 07.18.08: Sabbath - The Tony Martin Era

Posted by Dan Haggerty on 07.18.2008

The week the Mosh Pit digs into the Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath to discuss what went right and wrong in one of the most underappreciated eras of that band; including reviews for each album!



Happy Friday ladies and generals! I would apologize for my absence last week, but I was in Sin City so the sad fact is I'm not feeling particularly guilty. Several days of expensive fine dinning, drinking, and the Vegas strip nightlife has done wonders for my morale. My wallet took some abuse, but I held my own at the craps tables. Good thing too, with Ben and Mitch being the people who live closest to me, I'd be crashing at their house until I felt safe returning home. Blake lives closer than Mitch, but I haven't known him long enough to impose yet – So you're on notice for my trip next year mister!

And I only saw one Elvis impersonator this year. What's up with that? The pole dancers on top of the slots at the Flamingo made up for it though. They weren't that good mind you, but it's the thought that counts.

This week is for you Ashish, as promised we're looking at the Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath! So remember folks, if you have a question/curiosity you want looked in to, I might just be able to dedicate a column to helping you out. Us metal aficionados need to stick together after all.

Finally, no Set List - I listened to Sabbath this week! Certainly a viable option if I do say so myself. Just asume these five albums were played pretty much in the same order straight down.


Black Sabbath: The Tony Martin Era

Black Sabbath, for all of its history, still has many aspects of their career that is a mystery to fans. That's due to three distinct incarnations of the band, some interchanging back and forth later on, a few odd one-offs in the middle, in sum spread out over almost 40 years (!) now. The Tony Martin era is one of the most enigmatic of the larger runs of the band, being the last incarnation of the band and having the most line-up changes. This run was split into two sections, and for better and worse encompasses some of the most unknown albums released. This version of the band also has the stigma of being the last run of original full-length releases the band ever produced – Until the much hyped Heaven and Hell reunion of this year. This is in part history, part timing of the band, and part people's views of the man himself: Tony Martin.

History:

Black Sabbath with Ozzy is the incarnation for which everyone knows Sabbath. Further more, their most popular songs, plus the fact this was the incarnation of Sabbath that helped create metal, makes this the most popular version of Sabbath. When you think of Black Sabbath, you think of the original band and their eight albums.

But Sabbath did the virtually impossible and unknown feat (then) of coming back from losing Ozzy and having a second successful run of albums with Dio. Further, it was a new and updated sound for a new decade. Today's successful Heaven and Hell reunion is a testament to how well this version of the band did.

So now you have two incredibly beloved and successful versions of Black Sabbath. The band was able to weather the loss of Ward with the entry of the viable skin pummeling Appice, but the further split that resulted in Dio and Appice's departure broke Sabbath into a band consisting of two original members. With the Ian Gillian deal for a one-off, Ward manage to come back long enough to record the awesome Born Again before departing. After the brief tour, Geezer departed as well, leaving Iommi the sole original member. Tony decided the best course was to hire a new band and put out a solo album. Unfortunately, the label wanted to use the Sabbath name to insure the album would sell, and thus was born "Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi: Seventh Star". The album might have been labeled Sabbath, but it was not Sabbath. It was a bluesy hard rock album, basically what an Iommi side project would be expected to sound like, so response was not good. Add the fact that new front man Huges was punched in the throat during a fight shortly thereafter and had to be replaced for the upcoming tour, and things were not good.

More confusion with the line-up occurred, to the point of becoming a media joke, and Tony Iommi set about trying to "fix" Sabbath permanently. Enter Tony Martin.

So Martin has the distinction of getting the chance to front the biggest name in metal, but doing so after two great versions of the band followed by several years of chaos. Further, anyone who knew anything knew that this was a new version of the band. Iommi was the only original member of the band – And yes I'm aware that the flux in positions afforded the occasional guest appearance.

Black Sabbath v3.0 was going to have to blow people out of their shoes by this point. Not only did the band need to compete with two successful versions of the band, but make up for several years of chaos. The band produced some great music, but the mountain was high and the band struggled. The good news is that for the bands first three albums they held their ground and had some very successful tours, despite these handicaps and line-up changes.

Then the Dio reunion happened and Sabbath 3.0 got shut down for that reunion and tour. But that didn't even survive the tour (Dio walked versus opening for Ozzy at Ozzfest, but that is another story). So after all the confusion settled, Iommi put the Martin version of the band together again.

For two more albums the band struggled, but momentum was killed. It was the 90's (see the next section), the band honestly wasn't putting out the same music, and shows were even canceled. Iommi kept the franchise together long enough to finish his contract with the label. After a "Best Of" album to finish his deal, Sabbath was done.

Well, until Reunion, but that is also another story…

Not exactly the legacy to be remembered for, nor the lasting image of the Ozzy or Dio versions of the band.


Timing

Sabbath v3.0 did manage to hold it's own for its first three albums, but even this had its issues. It was the late 80's, and Sabbath struggled against the changing metal landscape of the time. Hair mania was mainstream and thrash dominated the underground. To the bands credit, they stuck to their style and still put out some good stuff.

But by the second Martin run, it was the mid 90's, and metal was a completely different creature. Like many older bands, they struggled hard, and were drowned in the new metal order. The Martin era is lost to many simply because it was buried beneath a scene that had advanced and changed way beyond them, and this version of the band didn't have the gravitas to stand up to it. Honestly, beyond a few faithful no one cared until Reunion when the original line-up could put that kind of power to field against the times.

Tony Martin

Tony Martin is a good singer. When it comes to pure singing, he's better than Ozzy, although Ozzy has him beat on passion and charisma – Let's face it, as a front man Ozzy craps on 99% of society; the man knows how to connect with a crowd. Also, people make a good case for Martin beating or equaling Dio. I'm not to sure about that, as Dio brings thespian skills and pure power to the table along with singing ability. But at any rate, the point is Tony Martin has some serious skill. So as a front man, he's got the goods. This is good when you're fronting the man who invented the metal riff!

But the problem is Martin has been pegged as a Dio clone. His style, power, and range make him sound like the elfin one, and Sabbath 3.0 suffered due to people making that comparison. It's a shame, as he is his own man and delivered new aspects to Sabbath in his own right. But the image was there and many never overcame that fact. This image just helped to water down perception of the band. It's a shame when you consider that Tony Martin had the second longest run of any singer in Sabbath...



Brief Reviews For The Albums




The Eternal Idol

When you talk about the Tony Martin era of Sabbath, there are (generally) two albums you hear debated as the best. This is one of them. The first thing that you notice is the atmosphere. This is a different Sabbath but yet familiar. The backbone is there, but the keyboards become more prominent, not in the 80's synth sense, but it washes the soundscape with a goth-like texture. And when I say goth, I mean old-school goth in emotional feeling, shades of darkness, not the thick make-up hot topic crap today – That's diet goth. Think of Ozzy era Sabbath (musically) doing gothic atmospheres but done with Dio. This is a damn good album, Iommi firing up a non-mainstream platter of chunks and grooves smoothed into melting shadows

For me, this is the most expressive for Iommi, who has some good riffs, solid leads, and some great solos. Iommi is not well known for his solos sadly, an oversight nothing to do with the man's talent, but this album is exhibit ‘A' to what he can do. Did I say good riffs? "Hard life to Live" sees the man open up a can of old-school whop-ass that is still modern (for the time). In fact that describes this album – It's the most modern Sabbath take on their sound, relative for that time period, before things would gradually slide into more earthly pursuits. Great album.

FUN FACT: Real people were painted and posed for the cover. Yikes.






Headless Cross

Iommi and Martin seek to continue to reclaim the bands glory, and find new wells of sound and inspiration in drummer Cozy Powell. This album, along with the Eternal Idol are your standard bearers for Sabbath 3.0, but this album gets a musical boost from their added drummer for a reason not well recognized – With his participation, along with Iommi, Martin, and Nicholls, the band is acting more like a band, producing cohesively together. This adds new elements and depth. The riffs are mid-paced and heavy, lurching forward under Martin's Dio like stage presence, while Iommi hunts as soloist again. The subject and content are a little more mainstream, heavier of hook, but it's a welcome departure from their previous album, making both albums different but equal, all while linked by the markings of the band's new era. Basically a gloomy take on power metal. Great album well worth picking up.






Tyr

Sabbath takes on Viking mythology, a metaphor for life run through D&D sentiments, and basically a polarizing album that sees people on both sides of the fence. Well, most. I'm more in the middle leaning towards the good. Basically, it's not up to the stance of the last two albums, but still a solid album in its own right. Plus I've never had an issue with fantasy lyrics like some people do. The keyboards drop a bit, while Iommi offers up more crunch. This album is more in the middle of the Matin era vote for me, being better that what would follow while not matching the previous two. Not that it is a bad album, it's good. Just not the excellent offering this band is known for. When it rocks, it rocks however with a few great tracks. Pick it up and enjoy adding it to your Sabbath collection.






Cross Purposes

Sort of a diet version of Headless Cross, not bad, but shrinking next to the earlier material. Don't get me wrong, there is some good scrap metal that gives big hooks and chunks of riffs, but somehow it doesn't add up for me. I appreciate the atmosphere and interlude parts, but… It doesn't always add up. I could do without the ballads, the goth feels like its run its course a bit. Hell, the album achieves a nobles air about it – As if the Martin era never missed a beat and is heading onto new lands only they can see. Very rhythmic, which is interesting, and having Rainbow's Bobby Rondinelli is pretty cool. It's a good enough album, but like I said, it just doesn't add up for me. I'll give it an average to good.

Truth in advertising: I have friends who stand by this as an underappreciated classic.









Forbidden

What hath Iommi wrote? I can appreciate departing the evil wizard's tower for street cred (and how in the hell does that jive with the album cover…), but samples from Ice T? Really? And Body Count producing the album to somewhat mainstream these guys "Into The 90's" just doesn't work. And if I wanted to cut them some slack for doing something creative, well the production does just stink anyways. It makes one cry to consider that Iommi either tried hard here and failed, or he didn't bother and hand picked some ideas that never made the Ozzy, Dio, and Gillian albums (although the revisit of the riff from "Zero The Hero" is appreciated – I love that song). Powell is back, and is great again (man, the line-up changes – Damn). Martin sings his head off. Iommi still a great soloist. Going hard rock at times is interesting… But man, the tank is obvious empty. Not good to average.







Encore

Basically, the first two albums are tied as the best. Both are 9-9.5 classics, and then things slowly drop in order from there. Tony Martin might be the most maligned front man of the major Sabbath incarnations, but the reality is he was part of two great albums, a good album, and two average albums (I'll cut Forbidden some slack). The first two stand up against the entire Sabbath catalog proudly as equals, while one holds up against some of the off albums. Don't be afraid to check out these albums, I think you'll find some new classic hiding in their midst.




Parting Shots
New feature – Little bits of metal news, music industry news, and site happenings.

So according to Bono, ISPs are responsible parties in illegal downloading. Like when a bank robber uses the freeway as part of a robbery, the DOT is responsible for aiding the thief. Shut the hell up Bono.

Isn't it fascinating that Johnny Cash covering Nine Inch Nails is not only respected, but widely hailed as brilliant. Meanwhile, a hip-hop remix of Cash has everyone up in arms. Why? Hypocrisy… Intolerance? Or maybe this is just how high we think of Cash that we know doing covers with the man can only work one way.

According to Bono, ISPs should be ashamed for making money during a bad economy. Evidently, people shouldn't make money during a bad economy because others aren't making money. Huh… I wonder how we will get out of that bad economy if no one is making money. Slept through Economics 101 Bono? Idiot.

Ben has a new feature here in the music zone, where all of us writers will participate and help find new underground bands each week for you to check out. Sick of the mainstream? Of course you are. So click HERE to get something new and interesting. I love it and will be participating next week.

Why in the hell do music "stars" who couldn't sell a new album if they made porn the gatefold picture still succeed with a "reality" show. Somehow, people aren't interested enough to by their albums, but interested enough for advertisers to pay them instead. Why? Proof positive the mainstram fails at life.

Hey, wait a minute – I bet Bono has made a lot of money the last couple of years. Hypocritical elitist pink-o fuck nut. Yea – I loathe Bono. It's not my fault he vomits up something stupid every time a reporter makes a mistake of putting a microphone in front of him.

Final Thoughts


"All the worlds a stage, and we're merely players, performers and portrayers, each another's audience outside the gilded cage." ~ Limelight by "Rush"

Use your stage folks. And while you're at it, turn it up to…