Born Again (Black Sabbath album)
| Born Again | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Black Sabbath | ||||
| Released | 7 August 1983 | |||
| Recorded | May 1983 | |||
| Studio | The Manor Studio, Shipton on Cherwell, Oxfordshire, England | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal | |||
| Length | 41:04 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label |
Vertigo Warner Bros. (US/Canada) |
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| Producer | Black Sabbath, Robin Black | |||
| Black Sabbath chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    |
| Blender | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Metal Forces | (8/10) |
| Martin Popoff |  |
Born Again is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Black Sabbath, released in August 1983. It is the only album the group recorded with lead vocalist Ian Gillan, best known for his work with Deep Purple. In addition, it was also the last Black Sabbath album in nine years to feature original bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward, until he played the studio tracks on their 1998 live album Reunion. The album has received mixed to negative reviews from critics, but it was a commercial success upon its 1983 release, reaching No. 4 in the UK charts. The album as well hit the top 40 in the United States.
Following the departure of vocalist Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinny Appice in 1982, Black Sabbath's future was very much in doubt. The band switched management to Don Arden (Sharon Osbourne's father) and it was he who suggested Ian Gillan as the band's new vocalist. "That band was put together on paper," guitarist Tony Iommi revealed in the 1992 documentary Black Sabbath: 1978–1992. "We'd never rehearsed." Initially, the project which became Born Again was intended to be a new supergroup; they did not intend to bill themselves as Black Sabbath but Arden insisted on the group using the recognisable Black Sabbath name. The band considered many possible vocalists such as Robert Plant and David Coverdale before settling on Gillan. The band even received an audition tape from a then-unknown Michael Bolton. Iommi told Hit Parader magazine in 1983 that Gillan was the best available candidate, saying "His shriek is legendary." Gillan was at first reluctant to work on the project, but his manager later convinced him to meet with Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler at The Bear public house in Oxford and, after a night of heavy drinking, Gillan officially committed to the project in February 1983.Born Again also featured the return of founding member Bill Ward on drums, who had left the band in 1980 and was now newly sober. Ward has said that he enjoyed making the album.
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