The long awaited third solo album from Tony Martin finally has some details.  It will be released around the end of 2020 (no formal date yet), but there is some more information available.  One of which is the title – “Thorns”.

It will be released on Battlegod Records in most places in the world, and Dark Star Records in North and South America.

Musicians on the album are Scott McClellan, Danny Needham (from Venom), Magnus Rosen (from Hammerfall), Greg Smith (from Alice Cooper, Rainbow), and Martin’s youngest son Joe.

Here’s a track listing:

1. As The World Burns
2. Black Widow Angel
3. Book Of Shadows
4. Crying Wolf
5. Damned By You
6. No Shame At All
7. No Where To Fly
8. Passion Killer
9. Run Like The Devil
10. This Is Your Damnation
11. Thorns

Press Release

CONCORD, CA (July 27, 2020) — Tony Martin, former Black Sabbath singer, signs with Battlegod Productions and Dark Star Records for the release of Tony Martin’s new solo album featuring Scott McClellan on guitar.

Talking about the new album Tony had this to say, “This new album is probably the most “Tony Martin” a Tony Martin album has ever sounded!! Its got several surprises that will lift people’s eyebrows I am sure. Largely but not entirely based around the riffs of Scott McClellan, new to the world scene he has proved to be a worthy partner in crime for this release… I was able to make some great songs out of the riffs he was coming up with which is very similar in the writing sense to that which I experienced with Tony Iommi. Different sound and style but the riffing talent that someone like Scott has is very cool.

It is diverse, melodic, powerful, thought provoking and of a standard high as ever i have worked on. I believe there are stories still to tell, songs still to be sung and with this album I feel its achieved everything i could have wished for.

Grateful to the people who have given their extra talents in appearances on this recording, its been a challenge in COVID lockdown, getting everyone’s performances from across the world, but in another way it was a perfect opportunity to get it done.”

“Tony Martin has one of the Best Metal Voices that I have ever Heard and his Words and Music are Timeless” ~ Jeffrey A. Swanson / President / Dark Star Records

Tony Martin, is an English heavy metal vocalist, best known for his time fronting Black Sabbath, initially from 1987 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 1996. Martin was the band’s second longest serving vocalist after Ozzy Osbourne. Headless Cross and Forbidden are among the best known Black Sabbath albums featuring Tony Martin as well as Scream his solo album from 2005.

The new album will feature Danny Needham (Venom), Magnus Rosen (HammerFall), Scott McClellan (who helped co-write the album) and Greg Smith who performed with Alice Cooper, Rainbow, Blue Öyster Cult, and many more!

Battlegod Productions will handle distribution in Australia, Asia, Europe and Japan, while Dark Star Records will handle distribution in all of North and South America including both physical and streaming.
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Look for the new album to be released toward the end of the year.

From Me

More details to come.  I know Tony was working on a version of his third solo album for some time, with a previous title of “Book of Shadows”.  I’m unclear whether any of this materials is from those sessions, I’ll have to look into that.