TONY MARTIN – Thorns

Return of The King

The year 2022 is off to a fantastic start for the world of Heavy Metal, thanks to the upcoming release by ex-Black Sabbath front-man Tony Martin – Thorns on Battlegod Productions. Sabbath fans will debate who was the best singer for Black Sabbath until the end of time, though it should be remembered that Tony Martin held the job for 10 years, second only to Ozzy Osbourne. The release has been long anticipated after Martin’s last solo effort in 2005 titled Scream.  Tony Martin has co-written the album with guitarist Scott McClellan, recruiting the formidable talents of Magnus Rosén (ex-Hammerfall) on bass guitar, Danny Needham (Venom) on the drums, and Greg Smith who performed with Alice Cooper, Rainbow, Blue Öyster Cult to name a few.

Major League Heavy Metal

Tony Martin has a golden voice that if you grew up in the late 80s or early 90s, you’d know as the voice of Black Sabbath on such classic albums as Eternal Idol, Tyr and The Headless Cross. Thorns shows that Tony Martin still has the voice, and the song writing skills that made him a force in Black Sabbath. The album Thorns offers listeners epic old-school Heavy Metal from the opening track “As The World Burns” onward. One great thing about the album is that the formulae isn’t constant, allowing for songs like “The Book of Shadows” that has little guitar, but features an ominous choir with Tony Martin really shining over bass guitar heavy riffs and haunting keyboards that both capture and intrigue the audience. Thorns has lots of variety in song styles, which actually improves the listening experience as we go from thundering Heavy Metal of  “Black Widow Angel” to the Spanish themed “Crying Wolf” with amazing vocal harmonies.

Final Notes

All 11 tracks on Thorns offer something different, giving the listener an experience that is more than worth the effort. Tony Martin shows why he fronted the biggest Heavy Metal band in the world for 10 years, and if Thorns is any indication of what 2022 has in store, it’s going to be a great year. Thorns already has a slot in next year’s top 11 albums for this reviewer, and should definitely be in your collection.

Lineup

Tony Martin – Vocals
Scott McClellan – Guitars
Magnus Rosén – Bass
Danny Needham – Drums
Greg Smith – Bass

Thorns – Tracklist

01. As The World Burns
02. Black Widow Angel
03. Book Of Shadows
04. Crying Wolf
05. Damned By You
06. No Shame
07. Nowhere To Fly
08. Passion Killer
09. Run Like The Devil
10. This Is Your Damnation
11. Thorns