Black Sabbath’s history with singers Ozzy Osbourne and Ronnie James Dio has been chronicled extensively through the years in multiple collections. Until now, no boxed set has focused on Black Sabbath’s time with Tony Martin, the band’s second-longest-serving singer.
Rhino is exploring this prolific period from the godfathers of heavy metal in a new collection that brings four albums back into print after an extended absence. The “Anno Domini 1989-1995” 4LP and 4CD sets contain newly remastered versions of “Headless Cross” (1989), “Tyr” (1990), and “Cross Purposes” (1994), plus a new version of “Forbidden” (1995) that guitarist Tony Iommi remixed specially for the collection.
Pre-orders are available HERE.
Iommi explained about the“Forbidden” remix: “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.”
Several albums make their vinyl debut in the LP version of “Anno Domini 1989-1995”, while the CD version contains three exclusive bonus tracks: the B-side “Cloak & Dagger” and the Japan-only releases “What’s The Use” and “Loser Gets It All.” A booklet comes with the set featuring photos, artwork, and liner notes by Hugh Gilmour. The collection also contains a “Headless Cross” poster and a replica concert book from the “Headless Cross Tour.”
“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).
Stream the remastered versions of “Anno Mundi” from “Tyr” and “Headless Cross” from the album of the same name below.
