Headless Cross [Import, Original recording remastered]

Black Sabbath | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 27, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Import
• ASIN: B00001ZT6Z
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,393 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Gates Of Hell

2. Headless Cross

3. Devil And Daughter

4. When Death Calls

5. Kill In The Spirit World

6. Call Of The Wild

7. Black Moon

8. Nightwing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Sabbath's Best, though a "forgotten" album, September 14, 2006

By 

Lunar Strain "Thrash, don't mind if I do" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Headless Cross (Audio CD)

When you ask someone to name off the best Sabbath albums, they usually respond with Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Vol. 4, or Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Every once in a while some one will mention Heaven and Hell from the Dio era but very, I mean very rarely does anyone mention an album from the Post-ozzy era. This is a shame as Sabbath recorded a lot of good material after Ozzy but for some reason they all seem to be erased from people's memory.

One of these seemingly forgotten albums is Headless Cross. I don't only consider Headless Cross just to be one of the best post-Ozzy Sabbath albums, but one of the best Sabbath albums altogether.

One reason die-hard Sabbath fans tend to forget this era of Sabbath albums as they don't sound exactly like Sabbath of old. For one reason, as with Headless Cross, it has a very 80's ring to it. I personally found this sound to much of my liking. Though it may not sound exactly like the material present on, oh let's say Paranoid, it is still very Sabbathy.

The vocalist on this album is Tony Martin, and this is his is his second album with the band. Tony Martin has to be one of the most underrated vocalists in the metal genre. I mean this guy has a set of pipes on him that just blows the vocal talents of Ozzy away. I might be going too far to say that Martin might even be a better singer than Dio (!?!). His vocals are dang near perfect and they fit the music like a glove. Tony Iommi is also amazing on this release like usual.

The album opens up with a moody intro entitled The Gates of Hell that goes right into the first song Headless Cross. This is a pretty epic song for Sabbath and it features really interesting lyrics penned by Martin. That's another thing about this album that is great as the lyrics are really interesting. Like Sabbath vocalist's of the past, the man on vox usually pens most of the lyrics and Martin is a genius when it comes to dark, interesting words to accompany Iommi's monster riffs and solo's.

Devil & Daughter is up next and again it is one of the highlights of the album. Faster paced than the first song and every bit as good. There are a lot of keyboards present in this song but Sabbath uses the keyboards perfectly, as with the rest of the album. The keyboards are not overbearing and they are subtle enough not to corrupt the music.

The next song When Death Calls is what I would consider the albums weakest track but really the only one I would put next to "filler". It's just not up to par with the other great songs on the release. Thankfully the song after called A Death in the Spirit World brings the album back up. This is just a terrific song with great rhythm and a sing along chorus. Call of the Wild is up next. It's not as "bad" as When Death Calls but it doesn't rank along with the albums best tracks. Decent, but the song after is one of the best. Black Moon would serve as the albums one and only single and it was a good choice. The lyrics are a little more silly than the rest of the tracks, but its a great song none-the-less. It's fast paced and has a sing-along- chorus. "I see a black moon rising, and its calling out my name!" The album finally finishes on a nice note with Nightwing.

Overall I found this to be a terrific album. We got a great vocalist, interesting lyrics, top guitar riffs and solo's, a dark/brooding atmosphere, and a cool 80's sound that only Sabbath could produce. If you are a non-fickle Sabbath fan that is willing to listen to material in the Post-Ozzy era, then pick up Headless Cross as it is one of the band's best. If you find it to your liking, then I also recommend the band's next release TYR.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Monumental Sabbath!, February 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Headless Cross (Audio CD)

A majority of Sabbath fans over the years never adjusted too well to the changing frontman situation after Ozzy's departure in 1978.We've seen Iommi take down and re-assemble this band a number of times since 1980 and fans are divided on the issue of whether or not his 80's efforts are indeed "Black Sabbath" or are they merely "Tony Iommi and his backing band" hmmmm..the debate rages on.Who could not take a stand on Ozzy.Yes..in a way Ozzy was "Sabbath" in the classic legendary sense,however,Iommi should've gotton more credit than received for his post-Ozzy works as well.Bringing in Dio was brilliant move,but then Gillian:ehhhh! Glenn Hughes:No comment! If Tony wanted to bring credibility back to Sabbath,he needed a dynamic frontman that could turn some heads.He found him in Tony Martin back in 1987 during sessions for "The Eternal Idol" as Ray Gillen backed out midway through the recording..Martin re-recorded the vocal parts and it turned out to be a new era in the Sabbath legacy.Due to the commercial flops of "Born Again" and "Seventh Star",long time label Warner Bros. and Iommi said 'adios' along with Iommi dismissing the "Idol" band as well with one exception.Retaining Martin as his frontman,and on "Headless Cross" it is easy to see why. Securing a new deal on IRS Records and showcasing talent such as long time keyboard whiz-Geoff Nichols and veteran drummer Cozy Powell (Deep Purple,Whitesnake) Iommi and co. unleash "Cross" in the spring of 1989.This effort wasn't Iommi and his "backing band".Musically,it had the same depth and aura as the self-titled debut back in 1970.The eerie opening of "The Gates Of Hell" sets the tone to a powerful collection of mythological and spiritual anthems in Sabbath tradition.Tony Martin's performance here is the best of his years with the band.His aggressive,dynamic,three-dimensional lead vocals give the material the character it so deserves (most notably on "When Death Calls" and the title track).The solid rythym section led by Powell's fluid performance brought life to upbeat cuts like "Kill In The Spirit World" and "Call Of The Wild".All around,Iommi lays down his trademark rythym laced with leads that howl on every passage.Criticized by some for being "over-produced" and "generic",the verdict is that these tracks needed this kind of heavyweight sound of fat,bold drums and multi-layered vocals to showcase it's complexity.If you want Sabbath re-defined in the 80's,this is the one!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Black Sabbath's finest hour, November 7, 1999

By A Customer

Headless Cross heralded the start of their contract with IRS,and what a brilliant album it is.

It is my all-time favouriteSabbath album (and beating classics like Volume 4, Master of Reality and Heaven and Hell is no mean feat!)

It's atmosphere is incredible, starting with the wails and sighs of Geoff Nicholls' keyboards, and melding into the anthemic Headless Cross itself.

Devil and Daughter is a good hard rock track, When Death Calls, with it's Gothic tone at the start leading into a crushing battery of riffs and drums, is classic Sabbath. Kill in the Spirit World and Call of the Wild are ok with Tony Martin really shining on vocals, and Geoff playing some interesting keyboard swirls. Black Moon is a good, but flawed attempt at a blues-edged track, and then comes the masterpiece of the album - Nightwing.

Nightwing is simply magnificent - with a wonderful acoustic guitar solo, and it's haunting, seductive melody easily show what Sabbath were best at, and Cozy Powell drums up a storm as it fades out. Laurence Cottle, bassist for this album is fantastic, and the bass solo on nightwing at the start is better than a lot of the stuff that Geezer Butler did (though Geezer is still my fave Sabbath bassist).

All in all, a great metal album - but not really for Ozzy fans. Still, highly recommended.