Eternal Idol - Song By Song

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

The first of the Tony Martin Albums is Eternal Idol, originally recorded by Ray Gillen, and subsequently re-recorded by Tony in just a few days after Ray Gillen departed. Whilst Tony's vocals are fine I feel its not really his album as he's singing someone elses vocal melodies. It's a minor issue but I felt it worth mentioning.

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The first track on the album is The Shining. A homage to the Stephen King Book/Film of the same name. I like this track, nice guitars from Tony, the bass is good too. It might have been better elsewhere on the album rather than the opener, but not a biggie.

[Zzzptm]

I remember back in 1987, I was living in Austin, TX, and going through the vinyl at my local indie record store. They had a really good metal section and, even better, it was between the campus bus stop and where I usually parked my car. Waterloo Records, that's the name of the place. Good times.

Anyway, I see this album in there. I had no idea who Tony Martin was, but I recognized Tony Iommi and Bob Daisley, so I figured I'd give it a go. After letdowns from Live Evil, Born Again, and Seventh Star, I was considering this to be the last chance for the band.

This track, while it didn't blow me away, did convince me to give the whole album a fair listen with an open mind. I liked Martin's style of singing and thought he was a better fit as a metal singer than Hughes. The bass sound was great and resonant, it really came together well.

[Jack the Stripper]

It’s a good point you raise about being Ray Gillens melodies Kilo, probably explains why I can tolerate this album much more than the two that followed. In saying that I do think Martins vocals are better suited than Gillen’s but neither were suited to Tonys doomier side.

The Shining kicks things off in classic Iommi style, softening the listener up with some softer melodic playing before launching into a pulverising heavy hit of doom. The verse melody/singing is a little predictable & cheesy but the chorus is strong and uplifting. The mid section melodic breakdown is very Ozzy-esque so I wonder if Bob Daisley came up with that arrangement?

I think it’s a solid song with a nice blend of heavy & melodic playing from Tony and a strong catchy chorus but nothing all that great by Sabbath’s classic standards.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

(I hoped Charger might have joined us )

 
The second track is Ancient Warrior. I always felt it had a similar vibe to the first track. It's an okay song nothing wrong with it... but it just doesn't seem to go anywhere. Solid but nothing exceptional.

[Charger]

Oh cock. You finished with the seventh star already...okay.

Well the Eternal Idol is my least favourite of the Martin-era albums mainly cause it didn't really feature that much of a band setting either and it tends to feel bit of a mishmash really...that being said it does have some good tracks.
Reportedly Bob Daisley wrote most of the lyrics because Ray Gillen wasn't really up to the task. Tony himself was never much of a lyricist either and Bob again was well known for his lyrical work with Ozzy.
Ray had a good enough voice but wasn't really a good fit for Sabbath sounding stuff anyways so his departure was a good choice for all, especially since it opened the door Tony Martin who was not only a great singer but a fantastic lyricist as well. But ofcourse not on this album as it was completed before he joined. So he was just pretty much forced to sing over Ray's vocals which was a real shame too as Tony had he had the time probably would have come up with much better and less 80s sounding melodies.

The Shining is the crown jewel of the album for sure. A brilliant track that echoes back to the old Sabbath days with it's tempo changes and captures some of the mystique of the Dio-era.

In fact I'd go as far as say that along with Headless Cross, I Witness and Anno Mundi this is the best track that came outside of the Ozzy or Ronnie albums...heck and better than some tracks on those albums too.

There's a lot going on in the song and honestly it could have been a bit longer even with a bigger middle section and a longer solo. But as it is it still stands head and shoulder over anything else on this album and classic in it's own right.

If there is one negative thing about the song it is that it's the opener...a faster song like Glory Ride or Born To Lose might have been a better choice.

[Jack the Stripper]

Ancient Warrior is just an ok song. Cool opening but then becomes a little pedestrian and plods along after that. The chorus is a bit cheesy as well not helped by Martin’s singing, he actually doesn’t sound to dissimilar to Gillen on this track. Lots a good little ideas on this track that don’t amount to much when thrown together. Nice solo from Tony.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Track 3 is Hard Life to Love. An uptempo rocker with a catchy riff, again vocals are solid but not quite on it 100%, another where given more time Martin might have been able to perfect. Overall it's a good effort.

[Jack the Stripper]

Don’t have a lot to add about Hard Life To Love. Just a solid straight ahead rocker with a catchy riff and melody. This along with many songs from the Martin era wouldn’t sound out of place on Seventh Star. Good solo again from Tony.

[Charger]

Ancient Warrior is a song that has potential in that rather different yet good main riff, but it just lacks punch. Had the riff been somewhat heavier ie lower tuning and the bass been bit more prominent along with a heavier drum sound it could have been a great mini epic.

Now it sounds maybe bit too thin and bit too dare I say it...80s sounding.

The middle section saves a lot though with that eastern mystical vibe in solo, which is again very un-Iommi like.

The vocal melody is bit bland too...don't know how much of the melodies were written by Gillen or Daisley but this is a weak one regardless and again makes me wish Tony would have had enough time to re-work it as he had much much better melody sense anyways as clearly proven on the later albums.


Since I'm one behind I'll do Hard Life To Love as well here.

The song starts off with a great groovy riff but again suffers a bit from being too thin. In this case though that's more of a production issue rather than tuning issue I think.

There are some nice tempo changes going on and this also features a bit better vocal melody as well.

But for a faster song to clock in at 5 minutes is maybe a tad bit too long...and the solo sounds really odd. The tuning on that is way off I think..sounds so thin and metallic. Again very un-Iommi-like.

It's bit all over the place this song...but still a decent one...

[Zzzptm]

Ancient Warrior for me is perhaps too slow as the follow-up for The Shining, but it's still an all right enough track to keep me around. There's a nice solo in the middle that adds a dash of flavor, but overall this isn't my main bag.

Hard Life to Love, however, is where I really sit up and take notice. I like the fast stuff, and this certainly delivers in that category. The galloping guitar in the middle wins me over, every time. The solo makes me fire up my air guitar to jam along with. It definitely has more cowbell, this song! I have memories associated with the tune, as well, from a trip I took to San Antonio with my wife a few months after we got married in early 1988, so it's got a special place in my heart. Not as special as Lost Forever, but still special.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Side One concludes with Glory Ride. This has always been one of the better tracks on the album, but its never quite gelled with me, there's something which doesn't quite work and I have to say it may be the vocal melody, but there's nothing obviously wrong with them. A good riff though, and overall well performed.

[Zzzptm]

Glory Ride is a close second to Hard Life to Love for my fave track on side 1. I especially love the acoustic guitar touches in the bridge part.

[Charger]

Glory Ride has a nice groovy riff, but it again lacks punch and heaviness.

I'd disagree with KDC though about the vocal melody, I think it's among the better ones on the album. Yes it's bit simple but not overly so.

The tempo change on the middle section doesn't really work with the vocals...had it just been an instrumental bit it might have worked better.

Drumming is waaay to basic on this one as well.

[Jack the Stripper]

Solid riff to open Glory Ride. The vocal melody is decent as well with a nice chorus but I do prefer Ray Gillen singing this one. Solo absolutely rips on this track. Good song.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Opening Side 2 is Born To Lose. One of my (if not my) favourite tracks on the album. A nice short-ish uptemp rocker, I like the riff and the solo. The vocals are good (but I could do without the "er-er, er-er" bits!). I really like this song in the same way I liked Turn to Stone on 7th Star they have a similar vibe.