Rainbow – Stranger in Us All – 1995 From the very first track, “Wolf to the Moon”, it’s obvious that Blackmore has been itching to rock. Judging from the terrible, wretched pap that he was forced to get behind with Deep Purple I don’t blame him. There’s a certain southern Continue Reading
Purple Sabbath
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Black Sabbath – Forbidden
Black Sabbath – Forbidden – 1995 I worked with Ice T once. I was a guest on his show “Players”. We had a nice chat. Seems like a nice guy. And he’s featured on the bridge of easily the most annoying Sabbath song ever, “The Illusion of Power”. Uninspired. Insipid. Continue Reading
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Dio – Strange Highways
Dio – Strange Highways – 1995 Metallica really invigorated the medium, didn’t they? All that 80s pop-metal posturing has been tossed out the window in the 90s as bands like Sabbath, Ozzy and Dio go for a harder and harder sound. Strange Highways opens, as so many Dio records do, Continue Reading
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Black Sabbath – Cross Purposes
Black Sabbath – Cross Purposes – 1994 So, Sabbath decides to open for Ozzy, who is now an international bat biting superstar. Dio thinks this is beneath the band and he up and quits. What does Iommi do? He brings back his co-hort in the band’s best recent material, Tony Continue Reading
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Deep Purple – The Battle Rages On
Deep Purple – The Battle Rages On – 1992 Oh, just look at the album cover. If there was ever anything that screamed “Sell out!” it’s that. One thing I’ve learned from this series that the roots of Heavy Metal are deep not in the blues, but in psychedelia. Go Continue Reading
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Black Sabbath – Dehumanizer
Black Sabbath – Dehumanizer – 1992 Dammit. Dio. You know, if right after Mob Rules Sabbath had put out another album with the same lineup I would probably have been excited. That was before I had to slog through 38 solo albums by the metalelf. So, now we’re back to Continue Reading
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears
Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears – 1991 Xylophones and toys are scary. Let’s face it. Ever since Poltergeist we’ve known that. That’s how No More Tears starts out. The hyper-demonic “Mr. Tinkertrain” sets the table with a song from the perspective of a child abuser and the album never Continue Reading
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Deep Purple – Slaves and Masters
Deep Purple – Slaves and Masters – 1990 I’m so tired. It’s not because of a new baby or life or work. It’s because of the chore I have set out for myself. When it can be quickly become invigorated by, say, the resurgence to greatness by Black Sabbath on Continue Reading
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Black Sabbath – Tyr
Black Sabbath – Tyr – 1990 Nothing you have heard from Black Sabbath is really gonna prepare you for Tyr. What seems to be a concept album about Norse mythology is much more than that. The band denies any conceptualizing or thread but it seems so obvious. So what is Continue Reading
Listening Post: Purple Sabbath – Dio – Lock Up The Wolves
Dio – Lock Up the Wolves – 1990 This record explodes with power at the outset. “Wild One” is a barnburner and makes me just hope that the rest of the album can keep up with it. It’s more likely a testament to new guitarist Rowen Robertson than RJ, honestly. Continue Reading