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Celebrity Review
We have something quite different
here, a song by song review of this cover album by none other than
former Black Sabbath singer Tony Martin. Without further ado,
let's hear what Tony has to say..
 Hi
guys,
Here’s my opinion of the Sabbath Crosses album.
1 War pigs,
I like the sound of this track it sounds very modern and still pays
attention to the original. Technically, the players have done well to
capture the feel and sound of the Song, the accents in the song are
slightly different but as an interpretation of the song I think Nativo
did good. Vocally, It’s weird to hear somebody of a different country
sing an English song when the language isn’t quite comfortable. The
words don’t come across quite right. Overall, I’d score it a 9 out of 10
2 Heaven and Hell
This is a very famous Dio song, and I’ve sung it hundreds of times but I
hardly recognise this version! Technically, the players seem VERY good,
although I don’t think the hi tech guitar playing suits the song, It’s a
singers song not a guitarists song. I don’t like the keyboard solo
stuff. Vocally, I like that Barilari have sung it in their native
tongue, even though I can’t understand it! Obviously I would prefer to
hear a tribute to Sabbath done in the original language because the
songs are partly arranged around the rhythm of English words. Overall
I’d score this a 7 out of 10.
3 TV Crimes
WOW! I don’t recognise this track at all!! I only sung it about 30 times
but it’s enough to have a certain affection for it. This sounds weird
but I actually like it a lot! Very powerful and if you’re gonna make a
cover of a song then it’s certainly worth trying it a different way. And
this is a very different interpretation of TV Crimes. Technically, It’s
played very well. If I heard it on the radio I would have never thought
it was TV crimes though unless someone told me, and you need SOME
familiarity to the song for fans to connect with it. Overall I’d score
it 9 out of 10.
4 Anno Mundi
What can I say! I know this song intimately, and it was always a
difficult song to perform live. I think Magika have done extremely well
to cover the song. They have paid a great deal of attention to detail
and that’s cool. Technically, I miss some bass in this track, it sounds
a little thin, again I’m not a big fan of the hi tech guitar playin in
Sabbath songs. The drums sound electronic, not sure about that either.
Vocally, they did well to reproduce what I did in the original and their
grip of English is good. Harmonies are great. It sounds like they
sampled my voice at the intro and used their own in the middle break.
They got VERY close to the original in some places and that is very
impressive. As a cover song I don’t think it quite moves on from the
original too much and that can be good AND bad. Overall I’d score it 8
out of 10. Well done guys.
5 No Stranger to love
Oh dear!!!! Never heard my hero song out of tune before! Glenn what are
you doin man?!!! I love this guy, I always wished I could’ve had his
voice, and I love the stuff he did with Sabbs. He is a great guy and
been places!!!!!!! But ….. I think he hasn’t captured the best out of
his own song on this version. I REALLY don’t think Glynn needs to do all
that girly screaming thing because he can sing like a demon doesn’t need
to do it. Technically, the players seem quite good, but the blues (which
this is supposed to be) is hard to get a grip of, not many non English
bands get the feel right, and Rata Bianca sound like they are just
rehearsing. I have no idea if they just met or what the situation at the
venue was so I might sound a little unfair, but just listening to this
track I’m not over impressed. I’d score this 7 out of 10.…sorry buddy.
6 Zero the hero
This is one Sabbath song I never sang. I have no affection for the track
personally however, Sauron do seem to be havin a great time playin this.
It is very energetic and sounds real hard. Technically it’s not a very
complicated song to play but that gives space to apply power as apposed
to Anno Mundi for example where it’s quite intricate with harmonies etc
and doesn’t have space for the power thing. This is done well and
although it sounds a LITTLE thin on the production I like it.
Vocally?..... how do you guys sing like that!!!! Not my kind of thing
but I like listening to it. I’d score this 8 out of 10.
7 Children of the grave
Very heavy sound, Very famous song, very weird version! Technically, the
guys have obviously tuned down to achieve the sound they got. Trouble is
they run out of fretboard when it comes to some of the chord structures
and they have to play higher to get the notes part way through. …..
sounds wrong! Also the chords they play are wrong, in that middle
sequence in the key they play in the sequence should be D, F# D A Ab, Ab
A B C, D F# D C B, B C. then repeat. The snare drum is a bit loud in the
mix at places and could have done with the ring taking off it. But hey
sometimes that sound works if the rest of the kit has similar rings. I
have to say if you’re gonna do a cover you need to make sure that you
did your homework. If you picked the chords out of a book, the book is
wrong. Sorry guys. I’m gonna score this 6 out of 10 just for getting the
chords wrong in a VERY famous song.
 8
Supernaut
Another Sabbath song I never sang. O’connor did this good. Love the
drive, Technically, not a difficult song to play but effective.
Obviously a crowd pleaser. Players sound good, apart from the guitar
solo which don’t quite make it. I’d score this 7 out of 10.
9 Die Young
Interesting intro! I’m afraid I don’t like this version of Die Young.
Technically this song is quite a hard song to get right, there are a lot
of tempo things goin on and you have to be very attentive to get it
right. I don’t think Beto Vazquez Infinity did this justice. Sorry guys.
As a singer I’m afraid to say it’s the vocals that let this down the
most. Come on singers!!!! Get in time and tune or don’t do it! I suppose
the next show I sing out of tune these words will haunt me but there’s
NO excuse when recording in a studio, was this recorded live? I’d score
this 6 out of 10.
10 Paranoid
Oh no!! No No NO!!! The most famous Sabbath song of all time should
NEVER sound like this. This is the most simple song to play and yet the
feel of it is lost here. Again I might be a little unfair because I know
nothing of the band and the rest of their stuff but as a member of Black
Sabbath I’m afraid this don’t make me wanna listen to it. I’d probably
stop the CD when I get to this song. I will give credit to Los Natas for
giving this a shot because this is a very famous song and everybodys
eyes are upon you when you take on such songs, and I would say the
effort they put in to the tribute album deserves thanks. I’m gonna score
this a 5 out of 10.
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