40 years ago today (1/28/86), Black Sabbath released its twelfth studio album Seventh Star. The album is billed as “Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi,” a credit that hints immediately at its unusual status.
In reality, it began life as a Tony Iommi solo project. His aim was a melodic hard-rock record steeped in mid-’80s AOR polish, far removed from Sabbath’s heavier roots. The label later insisted on using the Black Sabbath name for commercial reasons, leaving the album with a built-in identity crisis. Vocals are handled by Glenn Hughes, best known for his work with Deep Purple, and the album remains one of Sabbath’s most misunderstood and under-listened albums. Watch the official video for “No Stranger to Love” with Iommi playing a Washburn in place of his SG.
