A deep dive into Black Sabbath's unexpectedly revitalized "Forbidden" album Highly anticipated. That’s the only way to describe the release of Black Sabbath’s box set covering their 1989–1995 recordings, featuring Tony Martin on vocals. This often-overlooked era, which we’ve previously delved into, contains its share of musical gems crafted by the masterful Tony Iommi. Yet, until now, the “Forbidden” album was universally regarded as the weakest link in the Black Sabbath discography. That perception, however, is now being challenged by a new remix of its material, laying the foundation for a fresh re-evaluation. At the time of its original release, “Forbidden” suffered from the production of Ernie C (of Body Count), an ill-fated attempt to keep Sabbath relevant amidst changing musical trends. The dry and flat sound undermined the compositions rather than enhancing them. Tony Martin’s vocals were pushed far to the forefront, Geoff Nicholls’ keyboards were virtually nonex...

    The first of two parts of personal choices for the past decade The past decade continues and seems very close to those of us who experienced it firsthand, especially when we refer to the musical works that defined it. This tribute offers nothing more than the writer's personal experience of the past decade of music, through the records he enjoyed most at the time they were released.   Vektor – Terminal   Redux (2016) Extremely technical and complex, with extreme influences and vitriolic vocals, Vektor were one of the revelations of the decade. A barrage of riffs, virtuoso lead guitars, a seminary rhythmic background and a subject matter that dealt with science fiction themes, the Americans reached their tech-thrash peak with this album and, nine difficult years later, we are still waiting for its sequel. Atlantean   Kodex – The C o urse Of Empire (2019) Starting from the multifaceted lyrical theme, which harmoniously intertwines historical and mythological...

The British heavy metallers and their impeccable record streak A new effort begins this year, on a more personal website, without restrictions, commitments or deadlines. Thus, Satan , the under-recognized British NWOBH metallers of great discography and so many decades of activity, set foot on one of the permanent pillars of this project. The Best  The pinnacle effort of a long recording career Life Sentence (Listenable Records, 2013) Thirty years after their legendary debut, Satan returned to the discography with - who would have expected it - the top album of their career. Indeed, "Life Sentence" still seems flawless today, surpassing all expectations and putting on glasses even on "Court In The Act". The ageless Brian Ross sounds as if a day hasn't passed since his prime years, the duo of Steve Ramsey and Russ Tippins may be one of the most overlooked yet great guitar duos in heavy metal, while English and Taylor form a rhythmic backbone with inventive beats ...

The underground scene of the American territory hides incredible treasures, with Reaper being one of them. Completely unknown, without a record label, and with only one 4-song EP to their name, one might wonder why anyone would mention them. The answer lies in the fact that Anthems Of The Cursed stands as one of the rawest and most primal examples of US power metal heard in the last five years, featuring a vocalist who elevates the final result by two or even three levels. Indeed, Tommy Santangelo (also a member of Last Pharaoh) possesses one of those distinctive US metal voices, full of intensity and passion, reminiscent of Wade Black, Harry Conklin, and James Rivera, without imitating any of them. The songs follow the genre's familiar structure, with the dry production adding rather than detracting, and the horror-themed lyrical concept about Transylvania and werewolves being faithfully executed. Hopefully, they will find a record label so we can hear more from them in the futur...

   A little love letter to one of the most beloved voices in heavy metal In the history of big bands, there have been all sorts of singers. The first, the transient, the classic, the misfits. The mediocre and the great. But none of those who come to mind can be described as more overlooked than Antony Philip Harford, more widely known as simply Tony Martin . You see, the British musician who turned 67 last year has been the second longest-serving singer in Black Sabbath history, having toured with them and released some great albums that were little appreciated in their time. He was in the band not once, but on two separate occasions, the first being to immediately replace Ray Gillen, who left before the release of Eternal Idol , and the second to return to the band after Ronnie James Dio left. Small detail: during the recordings for Dehumanizer , Tony Iommi asked the other Tony to return, since the collaboration with Dio was not progressing as expected. His wonderful voice, ...

A way of life that lasts 40 years Surely some will think why this "common" title for a rock site. Some others may think that the great Accept is the beginning of a new creation. The truth lies about 40 years back when I took my first steps in the world of hard sound. So, listening, on a makeshift stereo (cassette recorder/amplifier + turntable) to the epic Black Sabbath in Iron Man, at as much volume as I could, without wondering about those around me, I accidentally notice that my father is watching me. A tough, honest and kind man, whose only contact with this music was what he heard from me. Days later and at an unexpected time, he asked me to listen to the same song, whispering as melodiously as he could its first riffs. So, this metal heart that feeds on pure metal sounds and gives life to all of us who believe that rock is not music but a way of life comes to honor Metal Heart - the new metal website that is here to stay. The General