Iommi - Iommi

Tony Iommi released a solo album in 2000 that I had to buy the second it came out, because it was one of my top three guitarists, performing with some of my favourite vocalists. Sure the album may have just been one giant cliche, but I was willing to take that chance when I picked it up. Hell, when Peter Steele, Ian Astbury, Billy Idol and Ozzy all show up on an album, with the Lord of Doom and Gloom guitar, it's a pretty safe bet, you should like a few songs.

The beauty of this album is that it's Tony Iommi, the greatest Heavy Metal guitar player of all time. Any one says different and I will sit you down, strap some cans on your ears, and let the master school your sorry ass. This album is pure Iommi at his best, backed up by a who's who of musicians and Vocalists. Also when it comes to the vocalists, the variety is amazing, yet not that unexpected, and the words are often music more poetic than lyrical. This is an album that is designed not only for the average listener, but also for the fans, and the musicians.

While the track listing on the back of the album cover focuses on the Vocalists, you need to pull out the CD's book and examine the names that fill out this album. Because each one drives each track differently and creates ten different worlds of musical bliss.

I should mention also to go with all that, that all the songs on this album are writen by Iommi and the vocalist for the specific song, as well as by Bob Marlette too. There is only one song Marlette doesn't write on. Why do I mention this, because this is the same guy that helped co write most of Alice Cooper's Brutal Planet and Dragontown, which were both very heavy and dark. He brought the same thing to this album too. There is also one guest guitarist on the album as well, but including when a vocalist picks up an axe, and that's Brian May. Yes, the same genius behind Queen, that is very good friends with Tony Iommi.

Laughing Man (In The Devil Mask) which features Henry Rollins on vocals, Terry Phillips on bass and Jimmy Copley on drums, opens up the album. This is a great track, it really is. While I have never bothered to buy any Rollins music over the years, I respect the hell out of this mans work. It's funny though, I always forget it's Henry performing on this song, but only due to the fact I always have this silly notion that he retired from music after 1992, and went to work in media instead. I have no clue why.

Skin is the token female vocalist on this album, and damn is she good on Meat. Then there's her lyrics as well, which are just mind blowing, especially with her delivery. "You taste what you want from me / You taste all of the gristle from the bones I need / To stand up to you / To live up to fools / It's too troubling / Can't take what you like from me / Can't take all of the vision that your money thieves / Don't be careless now / Just a pretty babe / A cool covering / You can't hide, no / You can't hide the way you feel / You're just dead inside this meat / That you're smothering / You can't run, no / You just stumble, crash and cry / Without asking questions why / It's all crumbling / Dark eyes, beauty's never cheap / Dark hair, dark lips maybe that I want to cheat / See my sorry face / In this love that fails / It's all good for me / Slick baby that ain't worrying / Slick rage, strong is the ego that I want to test / In your head of lies / Cut me down to size / It's all credible / You can't hide, no / You can't hide the way you feel / You're just dead inside this meat / That you're smothering / You can't run, no / You just stumble, crash and cry / Without asking questions why / Pure fear that you're falling for / These tears, thick in the sadness that was running before / Welling up in dread / For a softer bed / I'm not worrying / You're so sane, all the lines you shed / So cool, so good, the picture for those crazy hoods / Got this gun for keeps / Stick it in this meat / I'm not hurrying / You can't hide, no / You can't hide the way you feel / You're just dead inside this meat / That you're smothering / You can't run, no / You just stumble, crash and cry / Without asking questions why / It's all crumbling / You can't hide, no / You can't hide the way you feel / You're just dead inside this meat / That you're smothering / That you're smothering / That you're smothering". The rest of the band is filled out with Bob Marlette on the bass, and the drums by John Tempesta, with additional guitars work, if performed, by Ace (Martin Kent) from Skunk Anansie, which is also where Skin comes from.

Goodbye Lament is David Grohl on vocals and drums, which is really to be expected and Laurence Cottle on bass. This is the first track to see Brian May laying down the additional guitar. Much like the lead off track on this album I think this track is great, It's just not one of my favourites. However, the drumming does need to be noted on this one, because Grohl is good.

Time Is Mine sees Philip Anselmo on vocals. I have always defended Anselmo as a vocalist. When he actually sings, it really does sound nice. I love the entire range he shows on this song, and I even do a decent job of tolerating his screaming, which is my biggest turn off with vocalists. Laurence Cottle is also on this track along with Matt Cameron playing drums on just shy of half the album. The two of them together make a very solid rhythm section on this one.

Patterns is the first track on the album I don't consider a warm up. Seriously, the first four tracks are good. I mean they are really good. However, this is where the album goes from being good and great, to being a fucking work of art. Serj Tankian has an amzing voice. I'm not into System Of A Down because of the screaming, but there's none of that on hear. Oh my good does this man deliver his lyrics with such amazing beauty. "Life is a story / Go ahead and find your sight / Life is your glory / Go ahead and live the night / But to live means to be here / In the present now / Do try to bow for the gift of your day / Then you cede to the morning sun / Pretending that we live doesn't make us alive / Life is a story / Go ahead and find your sight / But to live means to be here / In the present now / Do try to bow for the gift of your day / Then you cede to the morning sun / Pretending that we see doesn't give us the sight / Pretending that we live doesn't make us alive / What is it that makes us lose sight / True sight, of what is real and essential / I'll take organized patterns of chaos / Over the chaotic organizations of man, any day / Pretending that we see doesn't give us the sight / Pretending that we live doesn't make us alive / Pretending that we see doesn't give us the sight / Pretending that we live doesn't make us alive". This is the first track where you also get to hear Laurence Cottle's Jazz skills, or at least where they stand out the most. This the second and last track Jimmy Copley plays drums on.

Let me just say that when Iommi decided on the vocalists that make up this album, no matter what the story, he did it with pure genius. Black Oblivion features Billy Corgan on vocals, bass, and additional guitar with Kenny Aronoff handling the drums. However, it really does bring it home on this song. Yet another vocalist who's from a band I don't really care for that does an excellent job and delivers a beautiful song. I would also like to mention that the solo in this song is a bit of a stand out, but only because of the way it was punched in, and the tone of it.

Ian Astbury is to my generation what Jim Morrison was to the children of the 1960's. Flame On is Astbury doing what he does best, I think is shining example of how poetry and music are so intertwined, even when people don't want to see it. "I am one, one that shines / Yeah, I was born of a scorpion's mind / I am one, so alive / Don't try to teach me what your lips can't decide / I'm the sun, so alive / A simple breath's all I need to get by / Words you speak are like dirt in my mind / I'm gonna burn till all the stars die / Flame on / I used to bleed like a suicide mother / Flame on / And now I breathe in this dirty black summer / Flame on / I bought the truth in the mouth of my brother / Flame on / I used to bleed like a suicide motherfucker / As it is, thought divine / A diamond seed in the heart of all mind / All is truth, truth it shines / Don't hesitate for the world it divides / Flame on / I used to bleed like a suicide mother / Flame on / And now I breathe in this dirty black summer / Flame on / I bought the truth in the mouth of my brother / Flame on / I used to bleed like a suicide motherfucker / Flame on / I used to bleed like a suicide mother / Flame on / And now I breathe in this dirty black summer / Flame on / I bought the truth in the mouth of my brother / Flame on / I used to bleed like a suicide motherfucker / Flame on / I used to bleed like a suicide mother / Flame on / And now I breathe in this dirty black summer / Flame on / I bought the truth in the mouth of my brother / Flame on / I used to bleed like a suicide motherfucker". This is hands down one of my two songs to sing, because the song is just so strong and powerful. Laurence Cottle, Matt Cameron, and Brian May are also on this track, doing the magic they all do.

There have only been two musicians that have died in my music listening lifetime that have died and left me feeling sad. Peter Steele is one and it is because of songs like Just Say No To Love. He was truly the meaning of tall dark and brooding, and you can hear it all over this song. "Jealous black and envy green / No one died and left you queen / Rotted flesh and broken bones / Place your ass upon the throne / Just say no to love / Just say no to love / Multihued transparency / Of the girl you'd like to be / A special frozen place in hell / Preserved for those who love themselves / Left is right and right is wrong / None for all and all for none / I've had enough, say no to love / No to love / Jon Lord said that you were killed / Not possibly be more thrilled / A party thrown, I'm so excited / Since you're dead, you're not invited / On your grave I made a wish / You beneath me is such bliss / A fitting end for a phony / You dumped me for Tony Iommi / Left is right and right is wrong / None for all and all for none / I've had enough, say no to love / No to love / Left is right and right is wrong / None for all and all for none / I've had enough, say no to love / No to love / Left is right and right is wrong / None for all and all for none / I've had enough, say no to love / No to love / Left is right and right is wrong / None for all and all for none / I've had enough, say no to love / No to love / Just say no to love / Just say no to love". Then there's the music, and while I would have expected Peter Steele to play exclusively, Laurence Cottle also lays down some low end. Matt Cameron is the drummer on this one as well. All the musicians on this one really do create a very thick and rich tapestry of music on this one.

Ever heard of Black Sabbath? Who's Fooling Who is that band except without Geezer Butler. It's Ozzy, Laurence Cottle and Bill Ward. If you don't know those names by now, well I'm sorry. Now considering the names on this track I expected a little more from it. This is the most stock sounding song on the album, because of the people that are playing it. Although, the solo is note worthy.

The other song I love to sing on the album is Into The Night. Thank you Billy Idol. "And you say you wanna live forever / And you've got all the time to kill / And you're living in the dark forever / In your own little private hell / I wanna rule this world / I wanna walk the night / I wanna bleed this girl / Gonna take it all night till the morning light / I wanna lead this world / I wanna wake the dead / And all the undead souls who walk the night / They can suck my dick / Are you sure you're so clean and pure / As you lie here in front of me now / And you're tempting the lord of darkness / As you see what's forbidden to see / I wanna rule this world / I wanna walk the night / I wanna bleed this girl / Gonna do it all night till the morning light / I wanna rule this world / I wanna wake the dead / And all the undead souls who walk the night / They can suck my dick / Oh yeah, you know it's true / Yeah, you, yeah / When people say I'm from the underworld / Every kind of sin, you best believe it, girl / You come on over here from the other side / Come back to hell, it's so warm inside / I sleep through the day 'cause I'm into the night / I wanna sleep through the day 'cause I live through the night / I sleep through the day 'cause I'm into the night / I wanna sleep through the day 'cause I live through the night / Yeah, you / I wanna rule this world, yeah / I'm gonna walk the night / I wanna rule this world / I wanna rule the night / And all the undead souls / I wanna wake the dead / I wanna get you, girl / I'm gonna rule this world, babe / It's gonna be alright / Oh yeah". Musically this is some pretty dark sounding stuff. Ben Sheppherd and Matt Cameron lay it down thick and heavy, while Billy Idol snarls out every word. This is also my favourite track for guitar. I mean Iommi just brings it, gives it, and then drops the gauntlet after delivering the mother of all bitch slaps with it. The perfect way to end any album.

At this point you've probably thought to yourself, why was the guitar barely mentioned on most of those songs? The answer is simple enough. On every song Iommi comes out, whips it out, shows you what a guitarist can really do, and that's with playing real riffs, with real hooks, real solos, and no need to have a tempo of 120 or higher on every single song, except for the token ballad. Hell no! Iommi is a master because he understands not only how to play the instrument, but how to let it breathe, come to life and tell the story for itself. There's nothing forced sounding in this album at all.

To me this album is the ultimate in dark, brooding, heavy music. I often refer to Heavy as a music genre of it's own. This album is the text book description of what a Heavy album sounds like, in all of it's exstacy.

8/10 - content

9/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias