#70 - Black Sabbath - Headless Cross
Black Sabbath's "Headless Cross" comeback story - how Tony Martin and Cozy Powell created the band's finest post-Dio album amid label troubles and Soviet Union tours in 1989.
Story Behind "Headless Cross"
The Comeback Album That Almost Never Happened
"Headless Cross" emerged from Black Sabbath's darkest period, when the band was dropped by both Warner Bros. Records and their longtime label Vertigo Records in 1988 after an eighteen-year partnership. Tony Iommi found himself essentially running a solo project under the Sabbath name, with constant lineup changes threatening the band's very existence. The breakthrough came when legendary drummer Cozy Powell, fresh from working with Whitesnake and Rainbow, convinced Iommi to keep vocalist Tony Martin instead of pursuing Ronnie James Dio or David Coverdale for a return.
From Plague History to Heavy Metal Mythology
The song's concept originated from Martin's fascination with local history near Birmingham. "The actual name Headless Cross comes from a place near Birmingham," Martin explained, referring to the district in Redditch. However, the lyrics delved deeper into the Black Death plague that devastated the area during 1349-50, specifically focusing on the borough of Alvechurch. Martin tied together the ominous-sounding location name with the historical tragedy of entire villages being wiped out by plague, creating quintessentially dark Sabbath imagery that critics would later praise as a return to the band's occult roots.
"Headless Cross" Recording and Production Details
Midnight Filming at Historic Battle Abbey
The iconic music video was filmed at Battle Abbey in Sussex, the exact location where William the Conqueror defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings nearly a thousand years earlier. Filming began at midnight, giving the ancient ruins an appropriately gothic atmosphere that perfectly matched the song's dark themes. The band performed on the historically significant grounds, creating one of their most atmospheric visual presentations during the Tony Martin era.
Powell and Iommi's Production Partnership
Cozy Powell and Tony Iommi co-produced the album themselves, marking a return to collaborative creativity after years of uncertainty. The production process was complicated by bassist Jo Burt's early departure from sessions, leading to session musician Laurence Cottle filling the role. Despite appearing in the title track's video, Cottle wasn't featured in promotional photos as he remained a hired musician rather than an official member. The album was recorded across multiple studios including Amazon Studios, Soundmill, and Woodcray Studios between August and November 1988.
Notes About "Headless Cross" by Black Sabbath
Release Date: April 24, 1989 (on Headless Cross)
Duration: 6:07
Genre: Heavy Metal / Hard Rock
Chart Peaks: #62 UK Singles Chart
Album Chart Performance: #31 UK, #115 US Billboard 200
Label: I.R.S. Records
Producer: Tony Iommi & Cozy Powell
Music Video Location: Battle Abbey, Sussex, England
Black Sabbath "Headless Cross" Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: Headless Cross
Release Date: April 24, 1989
Label: I.R.S. Records
Recording Period: August-November 1988
Recording Studios: Amazon Studios, Soundmill, Woodcray Studios
Producer: Tony Iommi & Cozy Powell
Band Members/Personnel
Tony Martin - Vocals
Tony Iommi - Guitar, Producer
Cozy Powell - Drums, Producer
Laurence Cottle - Bass (session musician)
Geoff Nicholls - Keyboards
Brian May - Guest guitar solo on "When Death Calls"
Album Production Notes
Fourteenth studio album by Black Sabbath and second with Tony Martin
First album to feature legendary drummer Cozy Powell
Created after band was dropped by both Warner Bros. and Vertigo Records
Praised as "arguably the finest Black Sabbath album since Ozzy or Dio"
Featured the band's most formidable lineup of the late 1980s era
Album spent eight weeks on Billboard 200 despite limited US distribution
Interesting Facts About "Headless Cross"
First Western Band to Tour Soviet Russia
Black Sabbath made history as one of the first Western rock bands to tour the Soviet Union after Mikhail Gorbachev opened the country to Western acts in 1989. They played 25 shows total: 13 at Moscow's Olympic Hall and 12 at EKS Hall in Leningrad. The November 25 Moscow shows were professionally filmed and later released on DVD, marking a pivotal moment in rock history as the Iron Curtain began to fall. For live performances, the band used "Ave Satani" from The Omen soundtrack as intro music, segueing into "The Gates of Hell" before launching into "Headless Cross."
The Album That Restored Sabbath's Credibility
Despite poor US distribution that led to tour cancellations, "Headless Cross" became a critical and commercial success in Europe, with AllMusic later calling it "the finest non-Ozzy or Dio Black Sabbath album." The album's success vindicated Tony Martin's role as vocalist and established the Martin-Powell-Iommi partnership as a legitimate creative force. Critics praised the album's return to classic Sabbath darkness and occult themes, with the title track becoming a setlist staple for all subsequent Tony Martin tours. The album's impact was so significant that Tony Martin still tours today under the name "Tony Martin's Headless Cross."