About a year ago, I revisited Black Sabbath’s Seventh Star and told the full story of my relationship with this fascinating and sometimes misunderstood album. Now, with newly remastered editions available on both CD and vinyl, there is another question to answer:
Is this the best-sounding version of Seventh Star yet?
When I reviewed the recent remasters of The Eternal Idol, my answer was emphatically yes. The improvements to the guitars, drums and overall power of the album were dramatic. That release took The Eternal Idol to another level, so I approached these new versions of Seventh Star with equally high expectations.
This time, however, the answer isn’t quite so clear-cut.
A Black Sabbath album—or a Tony Iommi solo album?
When Seventh Star appeared in 1986, I knew nothing about the record originally being conceived as a Tony Iommi solo project. All I knew was that a new Black Sabbath album had appeared almost from nowhere, with the words “featuring Tony Iommi” on the cover.
At the time, I remember thinking: who else was it going to feature? Tony was the man keeping the Black Sabbath flame alive.
Of course, we now know that Iommi had intended to explore a few musical ideas that might not ordinarily have appeared on a Sabbath album. Glenn Hughes was brought in as the singer for what was initially planned as a solo record, before it was ultimately released under the Black Sabbath name.
That history has always created some confusion around Seventh Star, but I have never had a problem accepting it as a Black Sabbath album. I’m one of those people who believes you can trust every Sabbath album. They all have something to offer, and this one contains some of Tony Iommi’s finest guitar playing.
The packaging
The new CD follows the same design approach as the remastered edition of The Eternal Idol. That continuity is welcome, especially for collectors who want these releases to sit together neatly on the shelf.
It comes in a triple fold-out package with a booklet containing the lyrics and the original visual elements, although there is no new essay telling the story of the album.
The vinyl edition closely replicates the original 1986 Vertigo release. The main difference is the label design, which now features the Black Sabbath name in black print rather than recreating the familiar orange Vertigo label.
It is a nicely presented release, but the most important question is how it sounds.
The new vinyl compared with my 1986 pressing
I bought my original vinyl copy of Seventh Star in 1986, so that is the sound I have lived with for four decades.
After the revelation of The Eternal Idol remaster, I expected the new Seventh Star vinyl to produce a similarly dramatic reaction. It didn’t.
The new vinyl is a very quiet pressing in terms of surface noise, but the actual music is also cut at a lower level. I kept the settings on my Technics system exactly the same for a direct comparison and found that I needed to turn the new edition up considerably.
The guitars still have power, but to my ears the drums have slightly less impact and there is less bass response than on my original pressing. This album was never particularly famous for its enormous bass sound, but the original has a sense of weight and familiarity that I felt was slightly reduced on the new version.
That doesn’t make this a bad pressing. Far from it. If you don’t already own a clean original—and finding a mint 1986 copy may not be easy—this remains an attractive way of adding Seventh Star to your vinyl collection.
However, unlike The Eternal Idol, it hasn’t made me feel that I will never need to play my original again. At the moment, I still prefer the 1986 vinyl.
The remastered CD is a different story
The CD produced a much more immediate response.
The packaging credits Barry Grint with the remastering, and this version gives the album the lift I had hoped to hear. It isn’t simply louder, nor does it sound like a victim of the loudness wars. The guitars are more immediate, while the drums and bass have greater presence and impact.
The whole album feels more dynamic and alive.
For me, this is where the new remaster really succeeds. The guitars come forward, the rhythm section feels more powerful and the overall presentation suits the muscular character of the music.
If you love Seventh Star, the new CD is absolutely worth hearing. Of the two new editions, the CD has the edge.
An album packed with great Tony Iommi moments
The remaster also provides another opportunity to appreciate just how strong this album is.
“In for the Kill” opens the record with real intent, while “No Stranger to Love” is a monumental track. It may be a ballad, but the dark guitar figure sitting behind it carries an unmistakable Tony Iommi atmosphere. There are moments when its character reminds me of “A National Acrobat” from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
The bonus version of “No Stranger to Love” is labelled as a remix, but this does not mean that it has been newly remixed for this reissue. It is the extended remix originally issued on the 12-inch single. It is also included on the vinyl edition, so vinyl buyers do not miss out.
There are faster, more direct songs such as “Turn to Stone,” but for me the second side is where every Sabbath fan should really pay attention.
“Danger Zone” remains one of my favourite Black Sabbath songs. Its riff sounds deceptively simple and obvious, yet it is incredibly powerful. It hangs in the air in that unmistakable Iommi way.
“Heart Like a Wheel” takes us into a slow blues shuffle that reaches back towards the atmosphere of the first Black Sabbath album, but Tony’s lead playing reflects everything he had developed through albums such as Technical Ecstasyand Heaven and Hell. His phrasing is extraordinary: those bursts of notes, the way he pulls back and allows one note to hang, and how every phrase reconnects with the emotion of the song.
“Angry Heart” brings back a heavy, sludgy Sabbath feel before moving into “In Memory…,” featuring one of Glenn Hughes’ finest vocal performances.
This is why Seventh Star matters. Whatever its complicated origins, it contains some of Tony Iommi’s most expressive guitar playing and some of his finest soloing.
The final verdict
If you already own an original vinyl copy in excellent condition, I wouldn’t say that the new pressing is an essential replacement. It is beautifully quiet and well presented, but I still prefer the greater weight of my 1986 copy.
If you don’t have an original—or simply want a clean, readily available edition—the new vinyl remains worth considering. Just be prepared to turn it up.
The remastered CD is the more convincing upgrade. It brings the guitars, bass and drums forward without sounding artificially loud, and it is the version I would recommend to anyone who already loves this album.
I’m not here to persuade you to empty your bank account. If you haven’t played Seventh Star for 30 years and are unlikely to play it more than once, think carefully before buying it again. But if this is an album you regularly return to, and you appreciate it as a showcase for some of Tony Iommi’s finest playing, the new CD deserves a place in your collection.
For me, Seventh Star remains an important and thoroughly worthwhile part of the Black Sabbath story.
ORDER BLACK SABBATH SEVENTH STAR ON VINYL HERE
ORDER BLACK SABBATH SEVENTH STAR ON CD HERE
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
