“Anno Domini 1989-1995” is the upcoming BLACK SABBATH box set including four of five albums from the 1987–1997 Tony Martin-era of the band, with Headless Cross (1989), Tyr (1990) and Cross Purposes (1994) all remastered, and Forbidden (1995) freshly remixed by guitarist Tony Iommi, making this the first time those albums have been reissued.
The box set does not include The Eternal Idol (1987), Martin’s debut with Black Sabbath, as it was released by Vertigo/Warner Bros. Records while I.R.S. Records released all the other albums with which Iommi made an arrangement.
There’s 3 bonus tracks as well; ‘Cloak and Dagger’, a Headless Cross B-side. ‘What’s the Use?’ on Cross Purposes, and ‘Loser Gets It All’ on Forbidden, were previously available as bonus tracks to the Japanese editions of the respective albums.
This is a fantastic release, as all these albums are stupendous and now augmented with an excellent remastered sound.
“Anno Domini 1989-1995” picks up Black Sabbath’s story in 1989, two decades and multiple lineup changes into the band’s groundbreaking career as metal originators. At the time, membership had solidified around riffmaster and founding member Tony Iommi, legendary drummer Cozy Powell (Jeff Beck, Rainbow, Whitesnake), singer Tony Martin, and longtime Black Sabbath collaborator and keyboardist Geoff Nicholls (Quartz, Bandy Legs).
The group originally released HEADLESS CROSS in 1989 on I.R.S. Records, the first of four albums Sabbath recorded for the label. Praised by fans and critics alike, the band’s 14th studio release produced three singles: “Devil And Daughter,” “Call Of The Wild,” and the title track.
Bassist Neil Murray (Whitesnake, Gary Moore) joined for the “Headless Cross Tour” and stayed to record Sabbath’s next album, 1990’s Tyr. Named for the Norse god of war, the album explores similar mythological themes in songs like “The Battle Of Tyr” and “Valhalla.” On “The Sabbath Stones,” the band channels Old Testament fire and brimstone into a classic bruiser.
‘Tyr’ is a unique album in Sabbath story and one of our favorites, with a huge polished sound – if you never heard the record this is your chance to discover a monster of an album.
In 1992, following a successful world tour, this incarnation of Black Sabbath was put on hold when the band reunited temporarily with Ronnie James Dio. Two years later, Martin and Nicholls were back in the studio with Iommi to record 1994’s CROSS PURPOSES. The band was completed with the addition of founding Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bobby Rondinelli of Rainbow.
The Tyr-era Black Sabbath lineup reunited in 1995 when Powell and Murray returned to record FORBIDDEN. It was the band’s 18th studio album, and its last for nearly 20 years. (In 2013, Iommi, Osbourne and Butler released Black Sabbath’s final studio album, 13.)
FORBIDDEN, produced by Ernie C of Body Count, the hard rock band fronted by rapper/actor/Sabbath fan Ice-T, who appears on the song “Illusion Of Power.” Since its release, sonically improving the album has been one of Iommi’s pet projects.
He explains, “I was never happy with the guitar sound, and Cozy was definitely never happy with the drum sound… So, I thought it would be nice to do it for him in a way.” He adds, “I just felt that, without changing any of the songs, there was an opportunity to go back and bring out some of the sounds and make it more what people would expect Sabbath to sound like.”
A Must Have Box Set.
Headless Cross (1989)
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”
Bonus Track:
9. “Cloak And Dagger”
Tyr (1990)
1. “Anno Mundi”
2. “The Law Maker”
3. “Jerusalem”
4. “The Sabbath Stones”
5. “The Battle Of Tyr”
6. “Odin’s Court”
7. “Valhalla”
8. “Feels Good To Me”
9. “Heaven In Black”
Cross Purposes (1994)
1. “I Witness”
2. “Cross Of Thorns”
3. “Psychophobia”
4. “Virtual Death”
5. “Immaculate Deception”
6. “Dying For Love”
7. “Back To Eden”
8. “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle”
9. “Cardinal Sin”
10. “Evil Eye”
Bonus Track:
11. “What’s The Use”
Forbidden (1995)
1. “The Illusion Of Power” – featuring Ice-T
2. “Get A Grip”
3. “Can’t Get Close Enough”
4. “Shaking Off The Chains”
5. “I Won’t Cry For You”
6. “Guilty As Hell”
7. “Sick And Tired”
8. “Rusty Angels”
9. “Forbidden”
10. “Kiss Of Death”
Bonus Track:
11. “Loser Gets It All”
Tony Iommi – guitars
Tony Martin – vocals
Geoff Nicholls – keyboards
Cozy Powell – drums
Bobby Rondinelli – drums (Cross Purposes)
Geezer Butler – bass (Cross Purposes)
Laurence Cottle – bass (Headless Cross)
Neil Murray – bass (Tyr and Forbidden)
with
Brian May – first guitar solo on “When Death Calls”
Ice-T – additional vocals on “The Illusion of Power”
CD List:
01. Headless Cross (Remastered) - Disc 1
02. Tyr (Remastered) - Disc 2
03. Cross Purposes (Remastered) - Disc 3
04. Forbidden (Remixed & Remastered) - Disc 4
Black Sabbath – Anno Domini 1989–1995 (2024 Remaster 4CD Boxset)MP3+FLAC
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