EMERALD SABBATH – Ninth Star (2019)

To be released tomorrow, “Ninth Star”, is the first album from the ambitious epic rock & classical music tribute to Black Sabbath baptized EMERALD SABBATH. Put together by a fan – Michael Suilleabhain, an Irish nuclear construction safety inspector – the recording features no less than 10 ex members of Black Sabbath.

Emerald Sabbath founder/producer, Michael Suilleabhain, talks about ‘Ninth Star’:
“I have been a Black Sabbath fan since 1983, when I heard them for first time. Like a lot of fans it was Black Sabbath’s debut album I heard first, and as they say, the rest is history. Over the years, I have since seen Black Sabbath a total of 82 times with every line-up [except with Ray Gillen].
I also have a great passion for classical music, and in May 2015 I decided to mix both of them.
Adam Wakeman was the first to contribute to the project, with keyboards on ‘Changes’, and then it snowballed into this final product”

“I decided to re-record Black Sabbath tracks and instrumentals with as many as ex-members of Black Sabbath as possible. A lot of the artists also played on the originals (such as Vinny Appice, who joined Sabbath on drums for the Heaven And Hell tour, and The English Chamber Choir on ‘Supertzar’). I then brought in a string quartet along with various classical players.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be able to do this, but my persistence paid off. I would like to thank all the ex-Black Sabbath guys for helping me with this, as well as the former Black Sabbath graphic designers, string arrangers and producers. I hope that everyone will enjoy this album.
The ‘Ninth Star’ album is dedicated to Black Sabbath and their Fans Worldwide.”

‘Ninth Star’ by Emerald Sabbath features 10 former members of Black Sabbath and much more, including: Adam Wakeman (Black Sabbath / Ozzy Osbourne), Bev Bevan (Black Sabbath / ELO), Neil Murray (Black Sabbath / Whitesnake), Terry Chimes (Black Sabbath / The Clash), Laurence Cottle (Black Sabbath / The Alan Parsons Project), Ron Keel (Black Sabbath / Ron Keel Band), Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath / Heaven & Hell), Dave Walker (Black Sabbath / Fleetwood Mac), Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath / Rainbow), Tony Martin (Black Sabbath / Headless Cross), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne / Whitesnake) and The English Chamber Choir.

Other Emerald Sabbath contributors include Will Malone and Mike Lewis (Sabotage / Technical Ecstasy) Mike Exeter (Black Sabbath / Judas Priest), Jeremy J. Lewis (Headless Cross), Mike Lewis (She’s Gone) Skaila Kanja (Royal Academy Of Music)
Additionally, Black Sabbath album graphic designers Richard Manning and Colin Elgie (Technical Ecstasy) and Hugh Gilmour (Born Again) created the artwork.

The result is a little hit and miss. While turning Black Sabbath songs into a ‘classical’, string arrangements feels a bit weird (Apocalyptica did it with Metallica and it worked), what I enjoyed most is the rock / full band versions.

It’s a pleasure to listening to Ron Keel singing again, and he performs on 3 tracks. The great Tony Martin delivers a pretty killer version of ‘In For The Kill’ (sung by Glenn Hughes on ‘Seventh Star’ album) and where Bobby Rondinelli shows his skills.
However, Dave Walker does not feel comfortable singing ‘She’s Gone’.

Tribute albums sometimes works great, sometines not. “Ninth Star” sails in the middle. The full band rock versions are good, production is fine, and overall it’s a respectful homage to one of the greatest Rock bands in history.

1. EMBYRO
Adam Wakeman: Keyboards
Bev Bevan: Percussion
Laurence Cottle: Bass
Anneka Sutcliffe: Violin
Sarah Tobias: Flute/Clarinet

2. DIE YOUNG
Ron Keel: Vocals
Vinny Appice: Drums
Rudy Sarzo: Bass
DC Cothern: Guitar
Pete Rinaldi: Guitar
Ellen Morgan: Keyboards

3. FLUFF
Sarah Tobias: Flute/Clarinet
Ardeton String Quartet
Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

4. TRASHED
Ron Keel: Vocals
Vinny Appice: Drums
Bev Bevan: Percussion
Laurence Cottle: Bass
Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

5. STONEHENGE
Adam Wakeman: Keyboards
Laurence Cottle: Bass
Pete Rinaldi: Guitar
Sarah Tobias: Flute

6. SHE’S GONE
Dave Walker: Vocals
Neill Murray: Bass
Bill Dwyer: Drums
Ardeton String Quartet
Lisa Ljungberg: Backing Vocals

7. IN FOR THE KILL
Tony Martin: Vocals
Laurence Cottle: Bass
Bobby Rondinelli: Drums
Pete Rinaldi: Guitars
Adam Wakeman: Keyboards

8. ORCHID
Neil Murray: Bass
Sarah Tobias: Flute/Clarinet
Ardeton String Quartet
Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

9. HOLE IN THE SKY
Ron Keel: Vocals
Bobby Rondinelli: Drums
Laurence Cottle: Bass
Pete Rinaldi: Guitar

10. CHANGES
Michael Suilleabhain: Vocals
Adam Wakeman: Keyboards
Laurence Cottle: Bass
Bev Bevan: Percussion
Queenie May: Backing Vocals
Annela Sutcliffe: Violin
Sarah Tobias: Flute/Clarinet

11. SUPERTZAR
English Chamber Choir
Adam Wakeman: Keyboards
Terry Chimes: Drums
Laurence Cottle: Bass
Pete Rinaldi: Guitar
Skaila Kanja: Harp
Elen Morgan: Glockenspiel

Pre Order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Ninth-Star-Emerald-Sabbath/dp/B07KLPTX1N
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