Seventh Star

Album information

Seventh Star was never meant to be a Black Sabbath album, just like the one before it, Born Again. At the last minute, Warner Brothers pushed to release it under the Sabbath name because they thought a solo record from Tony Iommi would sell less. The album deliberately and sharply breaks away from the band’s usual sound, leaning into hard rock with a few bluesy touches, especially on "Heart Like a Wheel." It also marked the first time longtime keyboardist Geoff Nicholls was listed as an official member.

Former drummer Bill Ward later said he felt the band was fading and his heart went out to Iommi. The promotional single and video for "No Stranger to Love" had extra harmony vocals from Glenn Hughes to make it more radio-friendly, and actress Denise Crosby appeared in the video. Hughes only sang at the first few shows of the tour. He was fired after five dates and replaced by Ray Gillen, who finished the North American and European legs, though several US shows were canceled.

W.A.S.P. and Anthrax opened on the North American tour. Hughes has since performed "No Stranger to Love," "Seventh Star," and "Heart Like a Wheel" in his own concerts. Tony Martin later said he liked the album mainly because he admired Hughes’ voice. Seventh Star was reissued in Europe on November 1, 2010, as a two-disc special edition.

The second disc contains a 1986 concert with Gillen on vocals, and the single version of "No Stranger to Love" appears as a bonus track on the first disc.

Reviews and reception

Seventh Star reached number 78 on the Billboard 200. While some later critics have been harsh—The New Rolling Stone Album Guide gave it just two stars—others have been more favorable. AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia offered a mixed but positive take, highlighting the "fiery tunefulness" of tracks like "In for the Kill," "Turn to Stone," and "Danger Zone," though he felt the songwriting and vocals fell short on the title track, calling the album often misunderstood and underrated. Contemporary reviews were stronger; Kerrang! magazine awarded it a perfect five-star rating.