Tony Iommi-The 1996 DEP Sessions

Artist: Tony Iommi
Title: The 1996 DEP Sessions
Genre: Metal-Rock-Blues
Label: Sanctuary Records

I am going to use the worn out cliché rock guitar God, I have to because I will be discussing Tony Iommi. He has accomplished some amazing things over his long and fruitful career. He definitely has earned his place amongst the legends of music. Ever since he broke onto the scene with Black Sabbath, his guitar virtuoso has influenced guitar players in metal and rock bands all over the planet. He is more than one-dimensional; he plays bone-crunching rock riffs while reaching into the blues and jazz realms.

The 1996 DEP Sessions were uncovered recently and released by Sanctuary Records. It is beyond my comprehension why the sessions did not come out immediately after they were recorded. Iommi chose one of the best bass player/vocalist to help him record his music, Glenn Hughes. I always enjoyed the bluesy emotionally soaked vocals of Hughes. In the 70’s, when he was with Deep Purple, he impressed me as one of the very best at his craft and he was every bit as good as his counterpart in the band, David Coverdale.

I have not stopped listening to this CD since I got it. What Iommi achieves on this recording is an interesting combination of hard-hitting metal, blues and rock. Hughes is a perfect fit for this music, his voice sails along beautifully right along the top of Iommi’s guitar lines. The familiar Black Sabbath-like licks are present; "Time Is The Healer" and the incredibly exciting opening track "Gone," are the best examples of that sound. "Fine" is a great track as well, it reminded me of Living Colour, one of my favorite rock-fusion bands. The combination of Iommi’s sharp and lightning quick guitar licks and the soulful vocalizations of Hughes make for a lethal combination. Every track is an assault of the senses, and an enjoyable one.

This may very well be the best album you never heard. Usually recordings that finally get the dust blown off after sitting in the can for years are not this good. You can count on a great listen from start to finish with this album. This is the hard-hitting crunch of metal drone with rock and blues-killer stuff.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-http://www.muzikreviews.com

October 16, 2004

Rating-9.5/10

Credits:

Tony Iommi: Guitar
Glen Hughes: Vocals/Bass
Jimmy Copley: Drums
Don Airey/Geoff Nicholls/Mike Exeter: Keyboards

1. Gone (4:29)
2. From Another World (5:55)
3. Don't You Tell Me (4:14)
4. Don't Drag the River (4:34)
5. Fine (5:05)
6. Time Is the Healer (4:16)
7. I'm Not the Same Man (4:21)
8. It Falls Through Me (4:46)

Tony Iommi Website
Artist Site