I clearly remember when I first watched the video for
Trashed - the first single from the at the time "new"
Black Sabbath album. I was a big Purple fan and really liked the
Dio era of
Black Sabbath. The Gillan/Sabbath pairing should have been a dream line-up.....but the video was commercial suicide, the artwork was awful and the music was raw without any anthems that could live up to
Black Sabbath's legacy. Furthermore side A on the LP had
Stonehenge and
The Dark - both are creepy noise that only sounds like the intention was to fill out record space. I quickly sold the Lp again.
However, "Born Again" might be the Sabbath album that has aged best. Finally the album sees a CD reissue in a deluxe re-mastered 2 CD version. My musical taste must have changed because this is a highly enjoyable album with
Trashed and
Disturbing the Priest as musical highlights.
Iommi's riffs are as good as ever. Gillan sounds amazing. This is actually some of Gillan's best work. Even though the album deviates from his regular musical style he delivers a top notch performance with his tone as the icing on the cake.
Disturbing the Priest could have been off any of the
Dio era albums - a slow haunting Sabbath song driven by Gillan's strong voice. There is no middle way with
Zero The Hero - you either like it or hate it.
Digital Bitch is an up-tempo song in the same vein as
Turn up the Night from "Mob Rules". The title track is a ballad where the sound effects play with emotions. The song is based on the melody and emotions rather than Gillan's expressive vocals.
Hot Line is driven by a tasty
Iommi riff that for once is up-tempo instead of his doomy trademark riffs.
Hot Line is among the best songs.
Hot Line also opens the bonus concert disc from Reading festival, which was the culmination of the "Born Again" tour in 1983. The show features another Birmingham native Bev Bevan from ELO on drums. Reading festival was the only UK show Gillan-
Black Sabbath ever played and it was broadcasted by BBC. Four songs off "Born Again" is aired along with Sabbath classics. The crowd is loud singing along to
Smoke on the Water, which makes this an important
Black Sabbath live recording.
Give "Born Again" a second chance. With the CD reissue you get value for money and finally I can state that "Born Again" is yet another great
Black Sabbath album that is a true pleasure to rediscover 28 years later.
It is never too late - go check it out or rediscover!
Written by
Michael Monday, July 4, 2011
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