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Iommi

The 1996 DEP Sessions

Review by Greg Olma

I can just picture it now. Tony Iommi and a friend are going through a studio to do some "Spring cleaning". They come across a tape labeled "With Glenn Hughes 1996 DEP Sessions". His friend, upon hearing it, urges Tony to release the music. Tony is reluctant because the music is already 8 years old. Well thank God his friend was persistent because this album is great. The music is definitely Tony Iommi solo material with only 2 songs that would fit on any Black Sabbath records. Glenn Hughes is a force to recon with. His performance is strong throughout. The original drummer on this project was Dave Holland (Judas Priest) but after being convicted of a sex crime he was replaced by Jimmy Copley from Tears for Fears. The length of the CD, not quite 38 minutes, is also a strong point. By today's standards, it is a short release, but I think it is the perfect length. Sometimes less is more. I would recommend this disc to Black Sabbath and Glenn Hughes fans alike.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2006 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Gone
This track could have easily come off of one of the early Black Sabbath albums. It has that heavy doom sound that would fit comfortably on either Vol. 4 or Master of Reality. Glenn Hughes puts in a more "metal" vocal performance. This is the most Sabbath sounding track on the CD.
From Another World
After the heaviness of "Gone," this cut starts off as an acoustic ballad. This is not the type of music that you would expect Tony Iommi to be playing. It builds into a bit of a rocker towards the end with some very good soloing from Tony. Glenn Hughes really had his hand in writing this one because it sounds like something off of Feel (one of his solo albums).
Don't You Tell Me
This is another Glenn Hughes sounding track. It also contains the catchiest chorus of all the songs.
Don't Drag The River
More acoustic guitars start this one. Glenn Hughes puts in another great vocal performance. The chorus is catchy but this is by far the weakest track on this CD. That doesn't mean that it's bad, it is just that there are so many great tunes offered here.
Fine
This cut contains one of those riffs that you swear you heard before. The vocals are very subdued and you can almost picture Jeff Scott Soto signing this song.
Time Is the Healer
This is the other song that is heavily Sabbath influenced. Along with "Gone," these two tracks contain that early doom sound. Glenn also reprises his "metal" vocals for this performance. If you took the vocal track out, Black Sabbath fans could be fooled into thinking this is a lost number from the early days.
I'm Not the Same Man
This is the fastest cut on the disc with the guitar work sounding very much like Judas Priest. Throughout the whole CD, including this track, Tony Iommi shows us that he is a versatile player and not just a one trick pony that plays three chord riffs.
It Falls Through Me
This has the same feel as "Lonely is the Word" off of Heaven and Hell even though the intro reminds me of "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" by Def Leppard. This and "Gone" are the two best songs on this disc. Tony puts in his more emotional soloing in this track. This is exactly what I mean when I say that this CD is the perfect length. You get to this song after only 33 minutes and it ends here on a high note.
  
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