Tony Martin - Thorns Review



Tony Martin makes a triumphant return, with this brand new album. For those readers (few, I hope) who are unfamiliar with the guy in question, it is instructive to recall how Anthony Philip Harford (his real name) was picked to be the leader of Black Sabbath for a total of ten years. But I'm sure you knew that already.

Tony is almost 65 and his vocal performance in this album is very good, well, amazing considering his age. If you know the artist I don't need to explain to you how Thorns sounds: exactly what we expect and maybe we are looking for. Classic heavy metal, with a lot of Black Sabbath influences. Classic heavy metal is for sure the opener As the World Burns, while the riffs of Black widow angel will surely remind you of Tony Iommi. Oh, what a great bass solo in the middle of the song. Obscure is, as the title suggests, Book of Shadows (no Zakk Wylde here) with a great vocal performance and another great bass line.

Crying Wolf is a very different tune, almost folk, with almost no distortions, but with the Metal spirit, along with This Is Your Damnation, in the second part of the album. Still Folk in some way but with hi gain, is the following Damned By You, another great track with a great guitar solo. I'm not a fan of the second part of the album but the last part really satisfies me with Run like the devil (one of my favourites) and the title track, as the very last one, with an important presence: Pamela Moore, that you will surely remember for being Sister Mary in one of the greatest metal albums all time: Operation: Mindcrime by Queensryche. 

Another amazing vocal performance by Tony Martin in this Thorns, full of good songs. Nothing that will mark history but a good record for this promising 2022. Also, apparently, all the Black Sabbath albums of his era will be reprinted and available again, during the year. A good reason to rediscover Tony Martin, if you are young.

Rating 70/100
Top tracks: As the World Burns, Book of Shadows, Run Like the Devil.

Tracklist:
1. As the World Burns
2. Black Widow Angel
3. Book of Shadows
4. Crying Wolf
5. Damned By You
6. No Shame at All
7. Nowhere to Fly
8. Passion Killer
9. Run Like the Devil
10. This Is Your Damnation
11. Thorns

Giovanni Gagliano

Passionate about music I wrote my first article for "Given To Rock" in 2012, reaching now 30K global followers. I am also a musician, gigging around London.

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