There must be times when being Tony Iommi must be a right pain in the arse. All the man wants to do is play enormous riffs, but finding a singer to sing his songs without causing lots of drama has never been a strong point. In the mid-90s, the Black Sabbath legend had been lightly singed by stern criticism of the band's Forbidden album, and was seeking a new outlet for the aforementioned enormous riffs.
Enter vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes, a man who seems to be permanently busy and yet also always available. Diehard fans might have baulked slightly at lommi's choice of new partner, if only due to the pair's previous collaboration, the underwhelming Seventh Star, which was released as a Black Sabbath record in 1986 but never really convinced as one.
Looking back at The 1996 Dep Sessions, as it makes its long-awaited debut on vinyl, Hughes might just have saved Iommi from terminal creative frustration. Recorded as a demo but subsequently polished to a fitting sheen, its eight tracks are diverse, free-spirited and reassuringly heavy, with a stripped-down but dynamic sound that still sounds formidable today.
Hughes is at his absolute, priapic best on the fiery, Deep Purple-like I'm Not The Same Man, while the hazy desert blues of Don't Drag The River reveals a previously unheard side of lommi's exalted songwriting. With hindsight, The 1996 Dep Sessions should probably have been released with greater fanfare when it finally emerged in 2004. It really is very good.
Fortunately, Iommi and Hughes were smart enough to recognise its value, and they reconvened their arrangement for Fused, which was originally released in 2005 and again makes its vinyl debut with these new reissues. Heavier, tighter and more pointedly modern than its predecessor, it may have been a veteran rock legend's astute attempt to blend in with the post-grunge surroundings, but it worked. Hughes, who is presumably always in demand because he never fails to deliver, is on supreme form, and with noticeably more grit and attitude in his voice.
Songs like Dopamine and Wasted Again stick to a straightforward, post-grunge hard rock blueprint, but with frequent nods towards the contemporary metal scene (and Pantera in particular). Hearing Iommi get stuck in again was a thrill (nearly) 20 years ago, and the likes of Resolution Song and merciless epic I Go Insane still hit the mark. The only mystery is why the old buggers haven't made more records together.
