The Eternal Idol

Editors' Notes On 1987’s The Eternal Idol, Sabbath ditch their menacing crunch for metal rich in sinewy melodies and ornately landscaped arrangements. It’s a great fit for singer Tony Martin, whose sparkling tenor ascends snowcapped mountains on the rousing fantasy tale “Ancient Warrior” and leads soldiers into battle on the proggy, synth-washed “Glory Ride.” Throughout the album, Tony Iommi lays down his trademark doom riffs the way a painter uses texture and shading, particularly on the creeping, mist-shrouded title track.