Black Sabbath - The Eternal Idol
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- 2 days ago
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On November 23, 1987, "Black Sabbath" released their thirteenth studio album "The Eternal Idol".
It arrived during one of the most unstable, chaotic, and uncertain periods the band had ever endured. After years of internal turmoil, shifting lineups, management disputes, and creative exhaustion, "Black Sabbath" were once again fighting for survival. This album became the first to feature vocalist Tony Martin.
What happened behind the scenes was nothing short of a storm. Recording began in October 1986 on the island of Montserrat with producer Jeff Glixman, bassist Dave Spitz, drummer Eric Singer, and vocalist Ray Gillen. But almost immediately the ground began to shake beneath the band. Glixman left early in the process, and Vic Coppersmith-Heaven was brought in to replace him. Spitz left during the sessions, and Bob Daisley — one of the most respected bassist/lyricists in the hard rock world — was brought in to re-record the bass parts. But he too left the band before production was complete, choosing to commit to his work with Gary Moore.
The situation became even more complicated when Ray Gillen, struggling with the lyrics, walked away shortly after returning from Montserrat. Singer recorded his drum tracks and immediately left as well, eventually joining Daisley in Gary Moore’s touring band. Both of them would later form "Badlands" with Greg Chaisson and Jake E. Lee.
With Gillen gone, the band held a series of auditions. Among those who tried out was Jon Oliva of "Savatage". But ultimately, they chose a young, and then unknown vocalist — Tony Martin — whose voice possessed the perfect combination of power, melody, and emotional weight. Under the guidance of producer Chris Tsangarides, Martin re-recorded all of Gillen’s vocals at "Battery Studios" in London, rewriting phrasing, shaping new melodies, and giving the album the identity it desperately needed.
Meanwhile, the album credits were becoming as messy as the lineup. The sleeve mistakenly listed Dave Spitz as the bass player, though every note was performed by Bob Daisley. Bev Bevan, credited with percussion, only added small cymbal overdubs to “Scarlet Pimpernel,” while Eric Singer played all drums.
And in the eye of the storm stood Tony Iommi, the last original member, holding the entire project together with unwavering determination. Alongside him, shaping atmosphere, was longtime collaborator Geoff Nicholls, whose keyboards once again served as the album’s unseen emotional spine.
"The Shining" opens with enormous force — a blistering Iommi riff and Martin’s soaring voice colliding into something dramatic and urgent. In a single moment, a new era of "Sabbath" was born. "Ancient Warrior" drifts into deeper mystery. It is dark, melodic, and cinematic, a shadowy hymn wrapped in layered guitars and slow-burning tension. "Hard Life to Love" brings a brighter, melodic metal feel, still anchored by Iommi’s unmistakable heaviness but infused with accessibility and confidence. "Glory Ride" is fierce and energized, with a chorus that lifts Martin into near-operatic territory. It sounds like a band rediscovering its strength.
"Born to Lose" opens the second side of the vinyl. It is sharp, cutting, and emotionally charged — a reflection of the frustration behind the scenes. "Nightmare" returns to a brooding, doom-laden atmosphere, echoing the band’s early darkness while filtered through late-80s production. "Scarlet Pimpernel" offers a brief, delicate instrumental detour — a moment of breath and melancholy shaped largely by Nicholls’ keyboards. "Lost Forever" moves aggressively, driven by urgency and raw determination. It feels like the band fighting back against everything trying to tear it apart. "Eternal Idol" closes the album with scale and weight. It is slow, towering, and emotionally rich — one of Iommi’s greatest late-80s compositions and one of Martin’s most powerful performances.
Later reissues added a wealth of bonus material, including Ray Gillen’s original vocal takes — rough, intense, and fascinating glimpses into an alternate version of the album that never came to be. Bonus tracks like "Black Moon" (featuring Geoff Nicholls on bass) and "Some Kind of Woman" (featuring Dave "The Beast" Spitz on bass), provided additional insight into the fragmented and evolving creative process surrounding the sessions.
Upon release, "The Eternal Idol" struggled commercially and received lukewarm reviews, overshadowed by the band’s earlier storms and the constant changes in its lineup. But with time, fans rediscovered its depth. Today it stands as the quiet beginning of the Tony Martin era — an era many fans view as one of the most musically rewarding and emotionally rich periods in the band’s later history.
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