Quote from: HuDaFuK on Nov 02, 2016, 07:01:18 PM
The Eternal Idol by Black Sabbath
http://en.metalship.org/archives/albums/album548.jpg
There must be something wrong with me, because my two favourite Sabbath albums feature neither Ozzy nor Dio on vocals 
While I rate their subsequent album Headless Cross higher than Tony Martin's debut with the band, this is still a great collection of rock songs. Opener "The Shining" is up there with the greatest songs Sabbath have ever done.
Also for me i actually prefer the Ray Gillan vocals of some of these songs. Its a shame the Martin era doesnt get more respect from Sabbath fans
The Seventh solo album by Sting and its his most experimental, using elements of R&B (rhyme and beats in this case) and some diverse guests (although that aspect does carry over from 1999's Brand New Day). Its also the last studio album to feature the work of Producer/Musician Kipper. While i enjoyed his work, i felt that the drum programming aspect removed something from the music as some of the best moments on this album feature real drums as played by Manu Katche and Vinnie Coliauta. The featured/backing vocals of Joy Rose are something to behold, especially on the later tour where she took all the duet vocals. Its very surprising that we havent heard much from her since.
Album opener
Inside is an emotional tour de force, that builds until its final coda as Sting almost starts rapping the final phrases. Second track and first single
Send Your Love features an adaption of the opening quatrain of William Blake's Auguries of Innocence poem, but to me its also filler on the album. Its a good song, but to me it doesnt quite gel with the rest of the album.
Whenever I Say Your Name follows next and its a beautiful duet with Mary J. Blige, i was very surprised how well their voices harmonise and flow through each other, it should have been a much bigger hit. Surprised it hasnt been covered by some pop act.
Dead Man's Rope is next and is more acoustic based, its very serene and fits well following the previous duet, also has a nice reference to
Walking In Your Footsteps.
Never Coming Home is probably the biggest experiment on the album and actually the only one where the drum programming works. Its the perfect tale of a woman leaving her man in a heartbreaking move for emotional freedom. Its told from three points of view, which Sting takes by himself. I would love to hear this done with three vocalists, but atm i will take this brilliant version.
Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing) is next and is the only one really that has had multiple proper versions, (The album version, The single version and the duet version with Mylene Farmer from 2015(I'm not counting all the various remixes here)). It was also the third and final single from the album.
Forget about the Future is actually quite a funny take on realtionships and the little battles in between.
This War is the most Rock song on the album (and something he wouldnt return to till this years 57th and 9th). Railing against stupid politicians and warmongers and money men.
The Book of My Life features the sitar of Anouska Shankar, and you could picture it being performed around a fire as the narrator looks back on his life, its a perfectly written tale. The Final official track is the title track
Sacred Love is a song about when Sex and Love are combined to a perfect relationship, where both arent mutually exclusive or the way to get one or the other, both combined keepin a relationship alive.
Now when this album was released, in each territory, there were a variety of bonus tracks and because of that, for this little review, I've decided to leave them be. This would be Sting's last album of original material for nearly a decade but least we had this album to tide us over till then
