Well, I guess some will be frowning and considering how on earth I got this one so wrong. But I really don’t care. Yeah I know that the die hard fans look away from anything Sabbath did without Ozzy. Okay, some may add Dio to that, but the albums they made with Tony Martin are often overlooked. And that is a damn shame as the man has a magnificent voice. And on this album one Cozy Powell is beating the skins, so for me this is an all star line up.
Anyway, starting off with the suspension of instrumental opening The Gates Of Hell, we are soon awakened by the powerful drumming of Powell and the mighty riffs of Iommi as they launch into the title track. And what a monster it is. Makes my day every time I hear it! Next up is Devil & Daughter, another tasty song, in a more upbeat vein. No one quite writes chord riffs like Iommi, as he so energetically proves here once more.
When Death Calls is next, opening in quiet mode. Keyboards (Geoff Nichols) play a supportive role throughout the album, and really add colour to it. But not for too long, Iommi takes over with more riffage. Very impressive track, as it should be. Kill In The Spirit World is next, and we are back in more upbeat territory. And another song that takes no prisoners, nice Oriental feel to it too! The last 3 songs are also very good, trust me!
So if you are not familiar with this album, track it down and give it a listen, it will not disappoint.
