Released January 28, 1986 (US)
Released February ??, 1986 (UK)
Re-Released April 22, 1996
Re-Released Nov 1, 2010 (Deluxe, UK)
Re-Released Oct 8, 2013 (US)

[ Lyrics | Tour Dates ]

Track Listing

In for the Kill
No Stranger to Love
Turn to Stone
Sphinx (The Guardian)
Seventh Star
Danger Zone
Heart Like a Wheel
Angry Heart
In Memory …
No Stranger To Love (Remix, 2010 Deluxe Edition Only)

Disc 2 (Live; 2010 Deluxe Edition Only)

Mob Rules
Danger Zone
War Pigs
Seventh Star
Die Young
Black Sabbath
N.I.B.
Neon Knights
Paranoid

Writing Credits

Music & Lyrics by Anthony Iommi (Disc 1)
Additional Lyrics by Geoff Nicholls, Glenn Hughes, & Jeff Glixman (Disc 1)
Writing Credits vary widely for Disc 2, see albums songs originally came from

Credits

Glenn Hughes – Vocals
Ray Gillen – Vocals (2010 Disc 2 Only)
Dave Spitz – Bass
Eric Singer – Drums
Geoff Nicholls – Keyboards
Gordon Copley – Bass (No Stranger to Love)
Produced & Engineered by Jeff Glixman
Recorded at Cheshire Sound Studios, Atlanta
1986 Original Mastering by Greg Fulginiti @ Artisan Sound Recorders – LA
1996 Remastering by Ray Staff @ Whitfield St Studios
1996 Reissue, design, booklet notes and sleeve art by Hugh Gilmour
2010 Project Coordinator – Steve Hammonds
2010 Project Management – Jon Richards
2010 Sleeve Notes – Alex Milas
2010 Reissue Design – Hugh Gilmour
2010 Remastering – Andy Pearce & Matt Wortham @ Wired Masters

Catalogue Numbers

LP Warner Bros 9-25337-1 (US 1986)
CASS Warner Bros 9-25337-4 (US 1986)
LP Vertigo VERH-29 (UK 1986)
LP Vertigo 826-704-1 (NETH 1986)
CASS Vertigo VERHC-29 (UK 1986)
CASS Vertigo 826-704-4 (?? 1986)
CD Vertigo 826-704-2 (EUR 1986)
CD Vertigo PHCR-4118 (JPN 1995)
LP Warner Bros 92-53371 (CAN 1996)
CD Essential/Castle ESMCD335 (UK 1996)
CD Sanctuary SMRCD076 (UK 2004)
CD Universal 2752472 (UK 2010 – Deluxe)
CD Universal UICY-25130 (JPN 2011)
CD Warner R2-25337 (US 2013)

Notes

There is a music video for No Stranger to Love with Denise Crosby (Granddaughter of Bing and Star Trek actress) in it.
Glenn Hughes was fired about 5 dates into the tour and was replaced by Ray Gillen.
This was originally supposed to be a Tony Iommi solo album. Record company pressure forced Iommi to call it a Black Sabbath album, hence the official name of the band on this album being “Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi”. The “featuring” part was dropped when they went on tour, however.
As of 2011, this album has never been formally released on CD in North America by Warner Bros.
Disc 2 of the Deluxe Edition was recorded on June 2, 1986 @ The Hammersmith Odeon in London. I’ve been asked a few times why the band used that vs some other bootlegs out there of a superior quality. I’ve been told that the band is restricted in these matters regarding what recordings they legally own and have access to. Just because the fans have it, doesn’t mean it’s in a legal shape that the band can release.
Geoff Nicholls told me the song “In Memory…” was written about his mother.
The album was re-released on CD in the United States in 2013. However, little is known as to why. I asked someone at Warner, and he wasn’t ware of it. I asked Ralph Baker, and he didn’t know it was happening. I got a hold of a fan who purchased this version, and he says there is nothing in it that even indicates it was released in 2013. Can’t find a reason why this exists, or why it was made.
I was sent this story regarding the Antony Aristovolou in the fall of 2002 regarding the artwork on the album. Very interesting stuff…

You probably know this, but since you haven’t mentioned this on your site, (maybe you don’t see the info as being too important), I thought, just in case you don’t, I’d let you know that the back cover artwork on ‘Seventh Star’ is a copper-plate engraving print by the German painter and engraver Lucas Cranach the Elder. It is the appropriately titled ‘The Torment of Saint Antony’, and was made in 1506. St. Antony the Great, (otherwise known as St. Antony of Egypt), was a 4th century Egyptian, who first developed Christian monasticism, leading the ascetic life of a hermit in the desert, in his endeavour to rid himself of the temptation to sin and attain spiritual peace and oneness with God. It seems that Mr. Iommi himself was going through much torment by record company execs to call his solo project a Sabbath album, and also, maybe, due to more personal reasons. Seeing Iommi looking quite distressed on the album cover, standing in the middle of a desert, one cannot help but see striking parallels with the mental torment faced by Iommi’s holy namesake in the deserts of Egypt. ‘Sphinx (The Guardian)’, and ‘Seventh Star’ seem to be Iommi’s tribute to St. Antony and Egypt, where both he and his namesake await the end of this world, (“…let my spirit go, lead my burning soul to rest…a thousand chanting souls, waiting judgment from God’s hand…the pyramids will fall…), and the coming of the new, (…the star will rise again, until destiny is done). I hope I have demonstrated that the relationship between the front cover photo of Iommi, the Cranach engraving on the back, and the two feature tunes on the album, are more than just co-incidental.

Images

The next couple of images are scans of my original 1986 cassette tape of Seventh Star I still have all these years later.

The next image is a cassette tape scan of Seventh Star printed in the Netherlands.

The next three images are the back side images for the 1986 Vertigo CD, the 1996 Castle CD, and the 2010 Deluxe Edition CD.

This is a 1986 promotional advert for the Seventh Star album from Warner Bros.

This is another piece of promotional art, the origin of which I do not know.

The following is cover art for the 12″ single for No Stranger to Love

The following are pictures of the acetate version of Seventh Star when it was really obvious that it was going to be just a Tony Iommi solo album, not a Black Sabbath record. Photos are (c) Mitchell Foy. Click here to see a story from Mitchell about the acetates.

Here is an article about the band’s feelings regarding itself. It was obvious this was done before the tour started, as everything was happy. When this was actually in the newspaper it appeared in, Glenn was already gone from the band. Click on it for a larger, more readable version.

This is an image of a vinyl pressing from the Netherlands. Click it for a much larger picture.

Video

This is a cool video interview with Tony Iommi from 1986 talking about what happened inbetween Born Again, Seventh Star, why Glenn Hughes didn’t work out. Good video. Please let me know if it’s not working.

In For the Kill

Thunder shattered the dawn
Raging with fury, the king has come
The power of terror will reign
There is no mercy in pleading

In for the kill, no quarter be shown
Live for the thrill of battle alone
Blessed by the will to die for the throne
In for the kill
In for the kill

Freedom is taken by storm
The blood on his hands is still running warm
The power of terror will reign
There is no mercy in pleading

In for the kill, no quarter be shown
Live for the thrill of battle alone
Blessed by the will to die for the throne
In for the kill
For the kill

Thunder shattered the dawn
Raging with fury, the king has come
Death and destruction riding the storm
Blood on his hands still running warm

In for the kill
The king has come

No Stranger to Love

Cold is the night
Lonely till dawn
Cry for the light
For the love that won’t come
You said that you’d never
Leave me alone

I gave you my heart
You cried for my soul
An angel won’t come
This devil won’t go
Something is wrong
I just can’t get away

Living on the street, I’m no stranger to love
Why can’t you see I’m no stranger to love
But I’m a stranger in your arms
Yes, I’m a stranger in your arms

Maybe it’s right
But I just can’t understand
The hurt that I feel
For my love second hand
I know I should leave
But I just can’t walk away

Living on the street, I’m no stranger to love
Why can’t you see I’m no stranger to love
Living on the street, I’m no stranger to love
I’m a stranger in your arms
Living on the street, I’m no stranger to love
Why can’t you see I’m no stranger to love

Turn to Stone

She came from the past
She was never meant to last
Her destiny was fatal
From the start

A messenger from hell
She cast a deadly spell
On all of those who dare
To cross her heart

Ain’t no use in you trying to run
Fate has taken it’s toll
Just one look and the damage is done
Burn your eyes
Turn your heart into stone

History foretold of a circle
Cast in gold
An evil seed of power
Sealed within

But fate has lent a hand
Destroyed the golden band
And freed her soul
To wash the land with sin

Ain’t no use in you trying to run
Fate has taken it’s toll
Just one look and the damage is done
Burn your eyes
Turn your heart into stone

She cast a deadly spell
She put a spell on you
She’s got evil in her heart
Turn your heart into stone
Turn your heart into stone

Sphinx (The Guardian)

Instrumental

Seventh Star

There’s a vision in the sands
Rising from the ancient past
Crying let my spirit go
Lead my burning soul to rest

Hear the sound of distant ages
It’s the call of the seventh star

There’s no shelter from the heat
There’s no mercy from this land
Hear a thousand chanting souls
Waiting judgement from God’s hand

Hear the sound of distant ages
It’s the call of the seventh star
Hear the sound of fallen angels
It’s the call of the seventh star

The pyramids will fall
Turn to dust before the sun
And the star will rise again
Until destiny is done

Hear the sound of distant ages
It’s the call of the seventh star
Hear the sound of fallen angels
It’s the call of the seventh star

Danger Zone

Midnight, something don’t feel right
It’s been too much, too far away from home
Hard life, living the hard life
I can’t resist, I’m falling
To the danger zone

All day long I’m pushed and shoved
I just can’t get enough
In the danger zone

Red light, don’t stop for no red light
You know I’m always trouble on my own
Lonely, ever so lonely
I’ve got too much time
I’m heading for the danger zone

All day long I’m pushed and shoved
I just can’t get enough
In the danger zone

I’m eager, eager to please
I can’t stand no more
It’s got me on my knees

Ain’t gonna feel no hurt
Ain’t gonna feel no pain
I got nothin’ left to lose
I ain’t got no shame
Don’t try to stop me
Just leave me on my own
I’m gonna live or die
In the danger zone

I’m living in the danger zone
In the danger zone

Hard life, I’m living the hard life
I’m gonna take a chance
In the danger zone

Lonely, ever so lonely
I’m gonna live or die
In the danger zone

Midnight, can’t wait until midnight
Help me I’m falling to the danger zone

Heart like a Wheel

In the days of confusion
You’ve turned angry and cold
You say it’s an ilusion
There’s no fire in your soul

Say you don’t love me
Say you don’t care
But don’t leave me standing here

Your heart’s like a wheel
Just waiting to roll
It’s longing for freedom
To get out on the road

You’re hungry for something
That you may never find
So many reasons
Your love has made you blind

You say you don’t love me
You say you don’t care
So don’t leave me standing here
Don’t leave me standing here

You say you don’t love me
You say you don’t care
Don’t leave me
Don’t leave me standing here

Life ain’t been easy
Full of passion and pain
Told me no reason
Why I was to blame

Don’t leave me standing
Don’t leave me standing
Don’t leave me standing
On my own

Angry Heart

I still remember how it used to be
I thought the only thing
That mattered was me

You always told me it was just insane
To feel such joy while others feel pain

There’s no way to change this angry heart
Cause when love goes it will tear you apart

And it’s been this way since time began
It’s a desperate search for a promised land
And the years slip by like so much sand

So many people who are dying to live
It tortures my heart they’ve got so much to give

I never saw it as a battle before
To win the fight
There has to be more

And there’s no way to change this angry heart
Cause all these fears
Will tear you apart

And it’s been this way since time began
It’s an endless journey, it’s the fate of man
To live each day and never understand

And it’s been this way since time began
It’s a desperate search for a master plan
And the years slip by like water through your hands

In Memory…

No one told me the way I should feel
You left an aching heart
Lost and lonely, the feeling goes on
You were the one friend I had
You gave me so much love
Now the tears remind me you’re gone

It still haunts me there’s a silence
Where you used to be
It still haunts me
Just an empty space in history
It still haunts me
But life must go on, on and on

It’s still haunting me
It’s still haunting me
Haunting me
Haunting me