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By request, this week's "pick" is Black Sabbath's 1989 release titles "The Headless Cross" (or "Headless Cross", depending on what version of the album you get I suppose).

 

This is the second album featuring Tony Martin on vocals as well as Neil Murray (Whitesnake) on bass and Cozy Powell (every band, ever) on drums as well as Tony Iommi on the geeeetar. 

 

I'm going to be perfectly honest here: I have heard this album quite a few times cause I own it (because Brian May does the geetar solo on one of the songs, try and figure out which one), yet I can't remember anything off of it. It's not like "Paranoid" or "Mob Rules" where I know each song (sadly, you can add "Never Say DIe" to that list now that I think about it). So, everytime I give it a listen, it's like I've never heard it before.

 

It's not a bad album, but it seems to be a bit unmemorable. That could just be me though.

 

I'm actually listening to it right now as I type this and, with the exception of the title song, I DON"T REMEMBER A DAMNED THING OFF THIS ALBUM.

 

Ok, if you want more details on this album go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headless_Cross

or here: http://www.allmusic.com/album/headless-cross-r2011.

 

 

The Headless Cross

1. The Gates Of Hell

2. Headless Cross

3. Devil & Daughter

4. When Death Calls

5. Kill In The Spirit World

6. Call Of The Wild

7. Black Moon

8. Nightwing

 

 

Availability: OOP but can be found starting around $23.

 

MSoTW: After some serious self-doubt, Rjhog was the winner (again?) last week. For this week's pick I want the names of both vocalists!

 

 

 

 

 

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Im stealing RJ's thunder on the MSOTW..  It's definitely Paul Stanley and Sarah Brightman.  I think I just threw up in my mouth a little...
Yeah, I did too when I found out it was Paul Stanley. Totally 100% understand where you're coming from.

I've cycled through this a couple times this weekend and once again this morning...  I really like the guitar work on this album, alot.  I recently watch Iommi on "That Metal Show" and Eddie Trunk mentioned how good of a soloist he is and that he only gets credit for writing great riffs.  I agree!  The riffs are still cool, but the solos are fantastic on this album. Including Brian Mays effort on When Death Calls 

 

That said, it has a such an 80's gloss to it and that takes away from the longevity of what this could have been.  Also, the lyrics dont work for me and Tony Martin didnt really speak to me either.  I thought his vocal performance, while maybe good for the 80's, doesnt work now.

 

Long story short: I found the music to be bland when Martin was singing and extraordianry when the solo's kicked in.

 

Overall, I am surprised I liked it as much as I did since Im not a huge Sabbath fan.

 

Interesting to read these comments, and very good to hear this again after so many years. I actually still have this on cassette, but I just never got into it much. I think I'm actually enjoying it more now than I did "way back when". But I still have to say it is one of the weaker Sabbath releases in their long and glorious metal careers!

And being a lover of lead guitar, I'd like to add my comments on that subject as well. Even though I was loving Sabbath by the early 1970's, I too always thought Tony Iommi was a great rhythm player, but was kind of "choppy and eratic" on his lead work. But, without a doubt, his lead playing has improved so much over the years, it is amazing!

I think it his Iommi's awesome lead work that lead me to really like the last Heaven and Hell studio release, before RJD passed away. Go back and listen to "The Devil You Know", and pay close attention to the guitar leads. Very very good, my fellow rockers!

Anyway, thanks Jon for posting this. I really do enjoy this site. And after hearing this all the way through, I'm gonna go back and check out the track with Brian May! Cool little info tidbit that I dont recall being aware of.

My thunder has been stolen...but how could you not like that Scott?  I think Paul actually sounds better than Sara on it.  It's a good thing she asked him to record with her before he lost his voice...I don't think he could do it today. 

 

Thanks to Jon for posting this album.  It's one I've wanted to hear for a while now.  However, I think Jon's description of not memorable is the best description of it.  But I do really like the title track.

Vocally, your right, he sounds great!  But his style didnt work well with Brightman's.  So the overall song was just "eh!"
Headless Cross is definitely an underrated record. The best non-Ozzy or Dio Sabbath album, in my opinion, is Born Again, but this is the best of the Martin albums and the second best one without Ozzy or Dio on vocals. (I prefer the Dio albums to the Ozzy ones)

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