Well finally it has surfaced, the long awaited album which was anticipated back in 1997 that vanished into thin air. When rumors surfaced of Tony
Iommi doing another record with longtime collaborator and one time Sabbath member
Glenn Hughes to record what was believed to be either another incarnation Sabbath, a solo album, or "Eighth Star," excitement was running high in the metal community. But regardless of what rumor or news you might have heard there was never any set release date, and news of the project finally hit a brick wall, especially when the announcement of a brief Sabbath reunion with Ozzy would happen only a year later.
Finally, after numerous shitty "10th generation cassette tape" sounding bootlegs have surfaced on disc or via the Napster connection, the official version has arrived, with a much cleaner sound (and re-recorded drums). Although short, all tracks are strong, showcasing the collaborative compositions by both
Iommi and Hughes, making the material on the DEP Sessions appropriate for either a Sabbath record or a Hughes solo disc.
With the record itself being dark, provided
Iommi's signature dark riffs and Hughes' vocals adding the soulful vibe, tracks like
"Time is the Healer," "Gone," and the gloom ridden
"From Another World" have the typical rough eased back sound, leaning more towards Sabbath, while
"Don't you Tell Me" "Fine," and
"Don't Drag the River" have more of a Hughes influence on them with the occasional blues element here and there.
The most upbeat track is the mood driven
"I'm not the Same Man," with its jumpy chorus and doomy verses that add counterpoint to this cut. Ending with the emotional ballad
"It Falls Through Me," could easily be recognized as yet another endearing ballads that only could have been completed in the way these two could have (it almost reminds me of Kiss' "I Still Love You").
It is a shame that this was not released years ago, like possibly intended, it would have been great to hear this back then, but it's great to hear it now, sounding like it was recorded within the last few months, producing a quick bit of timeless music from two guys that are timeless themselves.
Written by
Hashman Monday, October 18, 2004
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