So there’s this few years period between 1983’s BORN AGAIN and 1986’s SEVENTH STAR. There is a bit of history to wrap your head around.
OK, so it’s 1984, Ian Gillan leaves to join Deep Purple. Bill Ward, now clean and sober, returns. They recruit a new singer, the recently deceased Dave Donato. This is what I like to call the photo session line up, because that’s all they did. Donato did not last long for whatever reason, but you can find photos of this line up online taken for Kerrang magazine or something. Donato would go on to form the obscure band White Tiger with almost as short lived KISS guitarist Mark St. John.
Next up, going into 1985, was talks of a reunion with Ozzy! The reunion very briefly happened at Live Aid. Yup, July 1985, the original line up played in Philadelphia - “Children of the Grave,” “Iron Man” and “Paranoid.” Talks of a reunion tour briefly happened, but the timing wasn’t right. Ozzy was way more popular as a solo artist at this point and the other guys needed Ozzy more than Ozzy needed them. The talks were short lived. After this, Black Sabbath broke up!
So now that Sabbath has broken up, Tony Iommi decides to write music for a solo album. Initially, he wanted a few singers for the album, rumors include Rob Halford and David Coverdale. Who he actually got was Glenn Hughes, more on him in a bit. The rest of the band was drummer Eric Singer, who was from the touring band of Tony’s then girlfriend, Lita Ford. The bassist was Dave “The Beast” Spitz, brother of Anthrax lead guitarist Dan Spitz. Keyboardist Geoff Nichols, who has played on every album since HEAVEN AND HELL, finally gets band member credit. But the solo album was recorded and when it was time to be released, the record company, Warner Brothers, insisted it be a Black Sabbath album. So 1986’s SEVENTH STAR has the uncomfortable moniker of “Black Sabbath featuring Tony Iommi.”
Let’s talk about bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes. Got his start in the late 60’s in a band called Trapeze. They released three pretty cool albums (MEDUSA being the best of the three, in my opinion), before Glenn Hughes joined….(drumroll)….Deep Purple in 1973! Ironic he kind of sort of replaced Ian Gillan in that situation as he kind of sort of is here. I say kind of sort if because actually David Coverdale was the strict lead vocalist while Hughes was the bassist who provided a lot of vocals, even the occasional lead. Hughes did three strong albums with Deep Purple until the band broke up in 1976. In 1977 he made a straight funk/soul solo album called PLAY ME OUT. Didn’t show up again until 1981 when he did the melodic hard rock masterpiece with guitarist Pat Thrall called simply HUGHES/THRALL. Can’t recommend that one enough. Sang on a few tracks for Gary Moore as well but between the ten years leaving Purple and to this album, that’s it. His lack of activity can be summed up in one word, drugs, namely cocaine, alcohol and also some overeating, he was overweight by 1986. He even dated Linda Blair for a bit and the two shared the cocaine habit. So many prime years sadly wiped out for this talented man, and he was still a mess by the time of SEVENTH STAR. Hughes today says he doesn’t even remember the 80’s. I’ll give you the second half of the story when we’re done with the track by track.
So yeah, considering this wasn’t even intended as a Black Sabbath album, most of these songs don’t sound like Sabbath, as I’m sure you can tell by the “No Stranger to Love” video. A few power metal type tracks, AOR balladry, and some real tasty blues type stuff. No doom metal at all, nothing dark. I hated this album as a teenager but have grown to like it as I’ve gotten older. It boils down to more open minded tastes, accepting the album for what it is versus what it isn’t and a growing appreciation for the voice of Glenn Hughes. Quick note: on most projects, Glenn plays bass and sings, here, he just sings. Onto the track by track.
“In For the Kill” The album starts out metal enough, though more so in updated 80’s speed/power metal style than what Sabbath are known for. Great track as Glenn Hughes establishes his strong vocal presence right away and we also get a very catchy chorus. Awesome guitar solo by Iommi, great opener.
“No Stranger To Love” If there’s ever a song that proves that this was not meant to be a Sabbath album, this is it. A straight forward eighties ballad that sounds like it can be written by Foreigner. But hey, the older I’ve gotten, the more I appreciate this one. Some tasteful melodic playing by Iommi and Glenn Hughes excels at this kind of stuff.
“Turn to Stone”. Another pretty cool modern for the mid eighties metal track. Not much to say other than I love the opening riff and the double kick drum led rhythm section. Another strong track.
“Spinx (The Guardian)/Seventh Star” Really cool, atmospheric title track. Very Middle Eastern sounding, it actually reminds me a bit of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” The whole song is great, but I especially love the moodiness of the middle instrumental part.
“Danger Zone” Not to be confused with Loggins and Messina, this is another very eighties sounding hard rock/metal track. The rhythm section has that real meat and potatoes eighth note feel common in some mid paced Judas Priest songs of the era. Love the galloping riff in the middle and the bridge especially.
“Heart Like a Wheel” This is a favorite of some deeper Sabbath fans as it is a slow blues that is a great showcase for both Iommi’s guitar playing and Glenn’s powerful vocals. From this point forward, the album is more moody than song craft to me, but this is the most successful of these types of songs.
“Angry Heart/In Memory…” Two separate songs that flow into one for me that close the album. The first part is mid paced, close to dirge eighties rock and the latter is simply a moody piece with acoustic guitars and some soulful Glenn Hughes vocals. Some good musical ideas afloat, but nothing seems fully developed here. A weird way to end the album.
So probably my least favorite “Sabbath” album at this point and it’s still very good. I like all of it better than the low points of NEVER SAY DIE, but nothing approaches the high points. So what happens from here?
This line up goes out on tour and Glenn Hughes, far from ready to perform, only lasts four gigs. In addition to his weight and addiction issues, he gets in a fight and gets punched in the nose. Blood dripping from his nasal cavity makes it impossible for him to sing. He gets replaced the rest of the tour by some 27 year old unknown from New York named Ray Gillen. The first replacement singer without any previous fame. Iommi/Gillen/Nichols/Spitz/Singer will enter the studio for the next studio album. They won’t be together when it’s done, but that’s for next time.
As far as Glenn Hughes, one of rock’s great redemption stories. In the nineties, the man completely cleaned up and for whatever lack of productivity he had from the late 70’s - early 90’s, he has more than made up for since then with multiple solo albums and projects. I saw him live in 2018 at 67 years old singing songs from his era of Deep Purple and at an age where most rick singers are declining, Glenn’s voice was unbelievable. The only concert I ever attended where everyone was looking at the person next to them with a WTF look of disbelief. Such a great show.
This may be Glenn’s only “Black Sabbath” album, but he’ll record two more albums with Tony Iommi under the Iommi/Hughes banner. In the mid 90’s they recorded some stuff which saw release in 2004 known as THE 1996 DEP SESSIONS. There is also FUSED from 2005. Both fine albums that you’ll have to check out on YouTube as they’re not on streaming services. I will link you to the closing track on the latter album, a masterpiece I like better than anything in SEVENTH STAR.
