Black Sabbath Concert Review November 9, 1995 Wolverhampton, UK A review by Steve Beebe

This review originally appeared in Kerrang! Magazine, November 1995

MOST ROCKING MOMENT: The dark, elemental forces of 'Black Sabbath'. Still terrifying.

LEAST ROCKING MOMENT: A lumbering drum solo

BEST ONSTAGE QUOTE: "Do you want it loud ? Do you want it heavy ? So be it!" -Tony Martin.

VERDICT: A brilliant nostalgia trip, but nothing more.

IT'S ALWAYS a pleasure to find Skyclad on the bill, particulary when you're expecting obscure doomsters Tiamat. By the time they reach "Another Fine Mass" and old favourite "Spinning Jenny" , this half-full venue has warmed to the cause. Skyclad continue to wallow in violins and keyboards, paying tribute to the legend, war and ale. Celtic thrash folkcore,anyone?

Whick leaves Black Sabbath, the original kings of heaviness, with a hard act to follow. Sabbath, however, have polished their act to such clinical perfection you can see your face in it.

Tonight they are a blizzard of all things heavy. But for all that, this is clearly a journey back in time. Sabbath '95 can plug new album Forbidden all they like, but they're wasting their breath. You may as well forget The Shining and Headless Cross too. Its War Pigs people are here for. And Iron Man. And Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

When the classics do come they are greated by a sea of devil signs. Iommi, still a profoundly evil looking man, nods knowingly, as he lurches tidal wave after tidal wave of remorseless power.

Black Sabbath is music to hang yourself to, a deep, deep pit of despair made all the darker by the expressionless guitarist's sonic rages. Awesome.

Tony Martin is a good vocalist who spouts olde worlde drivel between songs. He is also not Ozzy Osbourne. This is a major problem, if only for the reason that Ozzy sings in a much higher register, and Martin is therefore not in a position to make the Sabbath classics come to life with the same tearful hysteria. But as long as Mr Iommi is prepared to continue repeating thoise grim, primal riffs, Sabbath will stagger on.

Typed down by ANDERS ANDRAE for the Black Sabbath home page.