Forbidden (2024 Tony Iommi Remix)

It's funny but even though I am not the biggest fan of the Tony Martin Black Sabbath albums, I have always liked Forbidden. I find it one of the better Tony Martin albums. This remix, which I would love to have on CD and not as part of a boxed set, has made a good album sound even better. I'm still giving it just three stars, because I don't think it's one of Black Sabbath's greatest albums. Still, maybe this remix will make people like the album more.

Unless a remixed album is included in a deluxe set of an album which contains a remastered original mix, or unless an album is crying out to be remixed, I am against revising history. In fact, "Vapor Trails" by Rush and "Resurrection" by Halford are the only two albums which I regard the remix as sufficient to replace the original mix. I was always happy with the original mix of "Forbidden", probably because the quality of the songs made the mix inconsequential. But then Tony Iommi remixed "Forbidden" and my perspective changed. The original mix now sounds muddy and at best, a rough mix. This 2024 remix does not sound like a modern mix at all, but faithful to the quality of the "Forbidden" album. It sounds as if it is a 1995 mix and fits in nicely with the remasters of the other 3 Tony Martin-era albums. And yes, "Forbidden" 2024 remix is absolutely a case in which history was sufficiently revised, as "Vapor Trails" and "Resurrection" mentioned earlier. The original 1995 mixes of these songs are available out there for your hearing pleasure should you not own the "Forbidden" Japan CD and I do recommend you compare to hear the differences. Maybe Metallica should hire Tony Iommi to remix "…And Justice for All"? Ok, just kidding, but the 2024 remix of "Forbidden" is a job well done.

I was never too familiar with the Tony Martin era of sabbath, but man this album is heavy . I looked at reception when it first came out and man..idk why people hated it so much. Maybe the original mix? This remaster is heavy and has some great riffs .

Sounds so much better. I'm glad they fixed the mix.