Black Sabbath didn’t stop when Ozzy Osbourne got booted from the band in the late ’70s, after delivering six all-time great albums (as well as two lesser platters).
It also didn’t call it quits after the initial go around with Rio James Dio, which resulted in two top-notch records.
No, these heavy metal pioneers kept right on thundering away, calling on (what at least seemed like) another 434,812 front men to keep the party going.
One of those was the great Tony Martin, who would serve as the band’s second-longest-lasting lead vocalist (after Osbourne).
The work that Martin did with Sabbath has long been overlooked and overshadowed. Yet, it’s now getting its due in glorious fashion with “Anno Domini,” a newly released box set from the swell folks at Rhino Records.
The set features four long-out-of-print Martin platters — 1989’s “Headless Cross,” 1990’s “Tyr,” 1994’s “Cross Purposes” and 1995’s “Forbidden.” The first three are presented in remastered editions, while the fourth — “Forbidden” — comes to us in a new remixed version that may well change opinions on the widely disliked (even by the band) album.
Of course, the main reason to buy this box set is to hear more of those amazing riffs from Tony Iommi — one of the greatest guitarists in rock ‘n’ roll history. And he’s definitely in legendary form on this collection.
“Anno Domini” is offered as both a four-LP vinyl set ($99.98) and a four-CD collection ($59.98). For more information, visit rhino.com.
