Headless Cross (album): Difference between revisions

Headless Cross
Headless Cross
Studio album by Black Sabbath
Released	17 April 1989
Recorded	August–November 1988
Studio	The Soundmill, Leeds,; West Yorkshire, England; Woodcray Studios,; Berkshire, England; Amazon Studios, Liverpool, Merseyside, England;
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	40:13
Label	I.R.S.
Producer	Tony Iommi, Cozy Powell
Black Sabbath chronology
Singles from Headless Cross
	"Headless Cross"; Released: 3 April 1989; "Devil and Daughter"; Released: 26 June 1989 (UK); "Call of the Wild"; Released: 1989 (EU);
Alternative cover
	Black and White album cover, released in the UK

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Headless Cross is the fourteenth studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Released in April 1989,^[4] it was the group's second album to feature singer Tony Martin, the first to feature drummer Cozy Powell, and the only album with session bassist Laurence Cottle.

In 2024, a remaster of the album was announced as part of the box set Anno Domini 1989–1995, marking the first time the album has been officially reissued. The CD edition of the album contains the picture disc bonus track "Cloak and Dagger"^[5], both in the box set and the stand alone remastered CD released November 15th, 2024^[6].

Recording and production

According to Tony Iommi's autobiography, Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath, the band were dropped from Warner Bros. Records in 1988 after an eighteen-year deal and after Vertigo Records had also dropped them. He met Miles Copeland, who owned I.R.S. Records at the time. Copeland told him: "You know how to write albums, you know what people want. You do it and I'm fine with it." This persuaded Iommi to sign to I.R.S.^[7]

Iommi asked British drummer Cozy Powell – who had played with Jeff Beck, Rainbow, MSG and Whitesnake, among others – if he wanted to join Sabbath. Iommi and Powell began writing songs at the former's home, with Tony Martin joining for rehearsals. Iommi got a call from Gloria Butler, wife and manager of Geezer Butler, who said the bassist wanted to rejoin Sabbath. However, Butler instead joined Ozzy Osbourne's No Rest for the Wicked tour lineup.^[7] Iommi and Nicholls had originally thought to bring Ronnie James Dio back or again ask David Coverdale to join the band, but Powell convinced him to keep Martin on. Powell and Iommi produced the album themselves.

Due to Jo Burt's exit early in the sessions, Laurence Cottle played bass as a session musician rather than an official member.^[7] He appeared in the video for the title track, but was not featured in promotional photos. For the tour, the lineup was completed by Whitesnake and Gary Moore bassist Neil Murray.

Conceptually, the lyrics have predominantly occult and Satanic elements; arguably the only time in the band's career where an entire album is based on such ideas rather than select songs.

"When Death Calls" has a guitar solo by Queen guitarist Brian May.

Two songs had their titles changed due to Ozzy Osbourne releasing songs with the same titles on his album No Rest for the Wicked. "Call of the Wild" was originally titled "Hero", and "Devil & Daughter" was originally titled "Devil's Daughter".

"Call of the Wild" and "Devil & Daughter" are also the only songs that do not end with a slow fade out with vocal ad libs by Tony Martin; while "Nightwing" does have a fade out, it does not feature any vocal ad libs. According to Martin, the vocals on "Nightwing" were the original guide vocals, because Iommi thought they sounded better than later recordings.^[7]

"'Black Moon' was written with Tony Iommi, Geoff Nicholls, Eric Singer and Dave Spitz," noted Martin. "They were left with one track that had no voice on it, and Tony asked me if I could sing something on it. I wrote and sang the lyrics in one day! We never played it [live] because there are too many Sabbath favourites."^[8]

According to the sleeve notes, the cover image was designed by Kevin Wimlett. The sleeve was designed by The Leisure Process at their offices in Little Portland Street London. The UK sleeve was in black-and-white, while the German release added colour.

Touring

The Headless Cross tour started in the summer of 1989 with a brief run of 10 shows in North America with Kingdom Come and Silent Rage opening. Further planned dates ended up being cancelled.^[9] In September the band played 10 more dates in the UK and continued to mainland Europe ending in Germany in early October. Ian Gillan joined the band for encores at two shows including Copenhagen. The same month they played six shows in Japan and finished the tour in the USSR in November - December.^[10] December dates in Poland, Czechoslovakia and East Germany were tentatively scheduled but did not materialize due to political unrest in the then-Communist states.

For the live show in support of this album, "Ave Satani", the main theme from Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-winning soundtrack for The Omen, was used as the intro tape, beginning as the house lights went down. This would then segue into a taped recording of "The Gates of Hell" before the band would begin the show with "Headless Cross". The intro-tape of "Ave Satani/The Gates of Hell" was used many times, during various tours over the years, up until the Reunion shows. "Headless Cross" would be played on all subsequent tours when Tony Martin was in the band but the only other track from the "Headless Cross" album to last beyond that tour was "When Death Calls".

Black Sabbath were one of the first bands to tour Russia, in 1989, after Mikhail Gorbachev opened the country to western acts. Black Sabbath played a total of 25 shows, 13 at Moscow's Olympic Hall and 12 at EKS Hall in Leningrad. The two (afternoon/evening) 25 November shows were professionally filmed and eventually released on DVD in some territories in 2008. Two songs from the Moscow shows were also released as b-sides to the "Feels Good to Me" single in 1990.

Tony Martin currently^[when?] tours with a live band named after the album, going by the name of "Tony Martin's Headless Cross". They included another former Black Sabbath member, Geoff Nicholls,^[11] until his death in 2017.

Singles

"Headless Cross" yielded two radio singles, an edit of the title track and "Devil & Daughter". The former was available as a 7", personally signed by Iommi, and a 12" poster-sleeve, this latter being limited to 2,500 copies.
"Devil & Daughter" was released as a 7" picture disc, a 12 picture-sleeve, and a 7" box-set, containing the single, some postcards and a stencil of the band's logo.
"Black Moon" was originally a B-side on "The Shining" single, re-recorded for Headless Cross and released to radio to promote the US tour.^[12]

The bonus track "Cloak and Dagger" was the B-side to the "Headless Cross" single, and was later on the vinyl picture disc edition. At the time of the album's release, the only CD versions of the "Headless Cross" edit and of "Cloak and Dagger" were on separate promotional CDs.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[13]
Martin Popoff	7/10^[14]
Rock Hard	8/10^[15]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[16]

Headless Cross was praised by critics and fans as the best Sabbath album in years. Said AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia: "Arguably the finest Black Sabbath album since Ozzy or Dio, Headless Cross also featured one of Black Sabbath's most formidable lineups... In short, for those wise enough to appreciate Black Sabbath's discography beyond the Osbourne and Dio essentials, there can be no better place to start than Headless Cross or its worthy predecessor, The Eternal Idol".

The album spent eight weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 115. Sales in the US were low, leading to the curtailment of the tour. Iommi told Sabbath fanzine Southern Cross: "When we had the first record out with I.R.S., Cozy and myself went into record stores in Toronto, Canada, where we are pretty big. Nobody could get the record, it wasn't in the shops... unbelievable. We had such a fight with the local rep. I really came close to chinning him – it really was that bad. At the end of the day, it's us that suffer. They say, 'Oh, it didn't sell.' How can it sell if you haven't got the record in the shops?"^[17]

In 2005, the album was ranked number 403 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.^[18]

In 2021, Kerrang! ranked Headless Cross as the seventh-best Black Sabbath album in a best-to-worst ranking of the band's discography.^[19]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tony Iommi, Tony Martin, Cozy Powell and Geoff Nicholls, except where noted

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Gates of Hell" (instrumental)		1:06
2.	"Headless Cross"	Iommi, Martin, Powell	6:28
3.	"Devil & Daughter"		4:39
4.	"When Death Calls"		6:56
5.	"Kill in the Spirit World"		5:09
6.	"Call of the Wild"		5:18
7.	"Black Moon"		4:05
8.	"Nightwing"	Iommi, Martin, Powell	6:32
Total length:			40:13

Picture disc bonus track / 2024 CD and Streaming track
No.	Title	Length
9.	"Cloak and Dagger"	4:37
Total length:		44:50

Personnel

Black Sabbath

Tony Iommi – guitars, production
Cozy Powell – drums, production
Tony Martin – vocals
Geoff Nicholls − keyboards
Laurence Cottle – bass

Additional musician

Brian May – first guitar solo on "When Death Calls"

Technical personnel

Sean Lynch – engineer, mixing
Jeremy Lewis – post-production equalisation and remixing on "Nightwing"

Charts

Chart (1989)	Peak position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[20]	71
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)^[21]	28
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[22]	18
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[23]	66
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[24]	22
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[25]	23
UK Albums (OCC)^[26]	31
US Billboard 200^[27]	115

References

^ "45cat - Black Sabbath - Headless Cross / Cloak And Dagger - I.R.S. - UK - EIRS 107".
^ "New singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1 April 1989. p. 35. Retrieved 30 September 2024 – via World Radio History.
^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 39.
^ Strong, Martin Charles (3 March 1995). Great Rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.
^ Blabbermouth (21 March 2024). "BLACK SABBATH: Box Set Of TONY MARTIN-Era Recordings, 'Anno Domini 1989-1995', To Arrive In May". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Blabbermouth. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
^ wookubus (25 October 2024). "Black Sabbath's Tony Martin Albums Set For Remastered/Re-Mixed Vinyl & CD Reissues". Theprp.com. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Iommi, Tony; Lammers, T. J. (11 December 2012). "Headless but happy". Iron Man: My Journey through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0306821455.
^ Bauwens, Thierry (February 1993). "Interview: Tony Martin". Thank God It's Sabbath (French Sabbath fanzine).
^ "CANCELLED GIGS - HEADLESS CROSS". web.archive.org. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
^ "Black Sabbath Concert Map by tour: Headless Cross | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
^ Warrell, Richard (27 July 2012). "Tony Martin's Headless Cross concert review". Born Music Online. Retrieved 9 August 2012.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Black Sabbath – Black Moon (1989, CD) - Discogs". Discogs.
^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Headless Cross – Black Sabbath". Allmusic. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
^ Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.
^ Stratmann, Holger. "Rock Hard review". issue 32. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
^ "Black Sabbath: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 6 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
^ Southern Cross No.19, March 1997
^ Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten (in German). Rock Hard. 2005. p. 48. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.
^ "Black Sabbath: Every album ranked from worst to best". Kerrang!. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Black Sabbath – Headless Cross" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Black Sabbath – Headless Cross" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Black Sabbath – Headless Cross". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Swisscharts.com – Black Sabbath – Headless Cross". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Black Sabbath Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

External links

Headless Cross at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] "45cat - Black Sabbath - Headless Cross / Cloak And Dagger - I.R.S. - UK - EIRS 107".

[2] "New singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1 April 1989. p. 35. Retrieved 30 September 2024 – via World Radio History.

[3] "Music Week" (PDF). p. 39.

[4] Strong, Martin Charles (3 March 1995). Great Rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.

[5] Blabbermouth (21 March 2024). "BLACK SABBATH: Box Set Of TONY MARTIN-Era Recordings, 'Anno Domini 1989-1995', To Arrive In May". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Blabbermouth. Retrieved 22 March 2024.

[6] wookubus (25 October 2024). "Black Sabbath's Tony Martin Albums Set For Remastered/Re-Mixed Vinyl & CD Reissues". Theprp.com. Retrieved 26 November 2024.

[bio-7] Iommi, Tony; Lammers, T. J. (11 December 2012). "Headless but happy". Iron Man: My Journey through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0306821455.

[8] Bauwens, Thierry (February 1993). "Interview: Tony Martin". Thank God It's Sabbath (French Sabbath fanzine).

[9] "CANCELLED GIGS - HEADLESS CROSS". web.archive.org. Retrieved 6 January 2024.

[10] "Black Sabbath Concert Map by tour: Headless Cross | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 6 January 2024.

[Born_Music_Online-11] Warrell, Richard (27 July 2012). "Tony Martin's Headless Cross concert review". Born Music Online. Retrieved 9 August 2012.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[12] "Black Sabbath – Black Moon (1989, CD) - Discogs". Discogs.

[13] Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Headless Cross – Black Sabbath". Allmusic. Retrieved 2 August 2011.

[14] Popoff, Martin (1 November 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894959-31-5.

[15] Stratmann, Holger. "Rock Hard review". issue 32. Retrieved 23 May 2013.

[16] "Black Sabbath: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 6 March 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2012.

[17] Southern Cross No.19, March 1997

[18] Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten (in German). Rock Hard. 2005. p. 48. ISBN 3-89880-517-4.

[19] "Black Sabbath: Every album ranked from worst to best". Kerrang!. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.

[ac_Netherlands_Black_Sabbath-20] "Dutchcharts.nl – Black Sabbath – Headless Cross" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[FINI-21] Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.

[ac_Germany4_Black_Sabbath-22] "Offiziellecharts.de – Black Sabbath – Headless Cross" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[JPN-23] Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.

[ac_Sweden_Black_Sabbath-24] "Swedishcharts.com – Black Sabbath – Headless Cross". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_Switzerland_Black_Sabbath-25] "Swisscharts.com – Black Sabbath – Headless Cross". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_UK2_-26] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

[ac_Billboard200_Black_Sabbath-27] "Black Sabbath Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description|1989 album by Black Sabbath}}
-{{Other uses|Headless Cross (disambiguation)}}
 {{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
 {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
@@ Line 7: / Line 6: @@
 | type       = studio
 | artist     = [[Black Sabbath]]
-| cover      = Black-Sabbath-Headless-Cross.jpg
+| cover      = Headless cross alternate cover.jpeg
 | alt        =
-| released   = April 1989<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/68/mode/2up|page=68|title=Great Rock discography}}</ref>
+| released   = 17 April 1989<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.45cat.com/record/eirs107|title=45cat - Black Sabbath - Headless Cross / Cloak And Dagger - I.R.S. - UK - EIRS 107}}</ref>
 | recorded   = August–November 1988
 | studio     =
-*The Soundmill, [[Leeds]], West Yorkshire, England
+*The Soundmill, [[Leeds]],<br>West Yorkshire, England
-*Woodcray Studios, [[Berkshire]], England
+*Woodcray Studios,<br>[[Berkshire]], England
 *Amazon Studios, [[Liverpool]], Merseyside, England
 | genre      = [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]]
@@ Line 27: / Line 26: @@
  | type        = studio
  | single1     = Headless Cross
- | single1date = 3 April 1989<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Black_Sabbath/Headless_Cross/5800|title=Black Sabbath discography}}</ref>
+ | single1date = 3 April 1989<ref>{{cite magazine |title=New singles |magazine=[[Music Week]] |date=1 April 1989 |page=35 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1989/MW-1989-04-01.pdf|via=World Radio History |access-date=30 September 2024}}</ref>
  | single2     = Devil and Daughter
- | single2date = June 1989 (UK)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/68/mode/2up|page=69|title=Great Rock discography}}</ref>
+ | single2date = 26 June 1989 (UK)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1989/MW-1989-06-24.pdf|title=Music Week|page=39}}</ref>
  | single3     = Call of the Wild
  | single3date = 1989 (EU)
+}} {{Extra album cover
-}}
+ | header  = Alternative cover
-}}
+ | type    = studio
+ | cover   = Black-Sabbath-Headless-Cross.jpg
+ | border  =
+ | alt     =
+ | caption = Black and White album cover, released in the UK}}}}
+'''''Headless Cross''''' is the fourteenth studio album by English [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band [[Black Sabbath]]. Released in April 1989,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/68/mode/2up|page=68|title=Great Rock discography|date=3 March 1995 |isbn=978-0-86241-541-9 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles |publisher=Canongate Press }}</ref> it was the group's second album to feature singer [[Tony Martin (British singer)|Tony Martin]], the first to feature drummer [[Cozy Powell]], and the only album with session bassist [[Laurence Cottle]].
+In 2024, a remaster of the album was announced as part of the box set ''[[Anno Domini 1989–1995]]'', marking the first time the album has been officially reissued. The CD edition of the album contains the picture disc bonus track "Cloak and Dagger"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blabbermouth |title=BLACK SABBATH: Box Set Of TONY MARTIN-Era Recordings, 'Anno Domini 1989-1995', To Arrive In May |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/black-sabbath-box-set-of-tony-martin-era-recordings-anno-domini-1989-1995-to-arrive-in-may |website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET |publisher=Blabbermouth |access-date=22 March 2024 |language=en |date=21 March 2024}}</ref>, both in the box set and the stand alone remastered CD released November 15th, 2024<ref>{{Cite web |last=wookubus |date=2024-10-25 |title=Black Sabbath's Tony Martin Albums Set For Remastered/Re-Mixed Vinyl & CD Reissues |url=https://www.theprp.com/2024/10/25/news/black-sabbaths-tony-martin-albums-set-for-remastered-re-mixed-vinyl-cd-reissues/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=Theprp.com |language=en-US}}</ref>.
-'''''Headless Cross''''' is the fourteenth studio album by English [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band [[Black Sabbath]]. Released in April 1989, it was the group's second album to feature singer [[Tony Martin (British singer)|Tony Martin]], the first to feature drummer [[Cozy Powell]], and the only album with bassist [[Laurence Cottle]].
 ==Recording and production==
@@ Line 57: / Line 63: @@
 ==Touring==
+The Headless Cross tour started in the summer of 1989 with a brief run of 10 shows in [[North America]] with [[Kingdom Come (German band)|Kingdom Come]] and [[Silent Rage (band)|Silent Rage]] opening. Further planned dates ended up being cancelled.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CANCELLED GIGS - HEADLESS CROSS |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229233904fw_/http://www.sabbathlive.com/lists/CG89HC.html |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref> In September the band played 10 more dates in the UK and continued to mainland [[Europe]] ending in [[Germany]] in early October. Ian Gillan joined the band for encores at two shows including [[Copenhagen]]. The same month they played six shows in [[Japan]] and finished the tour in the [[USSR]] in November - December.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Black Sabbath Concert Map by tour: Headless Cross {{!}} setlist.fm |url=https://www.setlist.fm/stats/concert-map/black-sabbath-33d6806d.html?tour=6bd64a0e |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=www.setlist.fm}}</ref> December dates in [[Poland]], [[Czechoslovakia]] and [[East Germany]] were tentatively scheduled but did not materialize due to [[Revolutions of 1989|political unrest]] in the then-Communist states.
 For the live show in support of this album, "Ave Satani", the main theme from [[Jerry Goldsmith]]'s [[Academy Award|Oscar]]-winning soundtrack for ''[[The Omen]]'', was used as the intro tape, beginning as the house lights went down. This would then segue into a taped recording of "The Gates of Hell" before the band would begin the show with "Headless Cross". The intro-tape of "Ave Satani/The Gates of Hell" was used many times, during various tours over the years, up until the ''[[Reunion (Black Sabbath album)|Reunion]]'' shows. "Headless Cross" would be played on all subsequent tours when Tony Martin was in the band but the only other track from the "Headless Cross" album to last beyond that tour was "When Death Calls".
-Black Sabbath were one of the first bands to tour Russia, in 1989, after [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] opened the country to western acts. Black Sabbath played a total of 25 shows, 13 at Moscow's Olympic Hall and 12 at EKS Hall in [[Saint Petersburg|Leningrad]]. The two (afternoon/evening) 19 November shows were professionally filmed and eventually released on DVD in some territories in 2008.
+Black Sabbath were one of the first bands to tour Russia, in 1989, after [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] opened the country to western acts. Black Sabbath played a total of 25 shows, 13 at Moscow's Olympic Hall and 12 at EKS Hall in [[Saint Petersburg|Leningrad]]. The two (afternoon/evening) 25 November shows were professionally filmed and eventually released on DVD in some territories in 2008. Two songs from the Moscow shows were also released as b-sides to the "Feels Good to Me" single in 1990.
 Tony Martin currently{{when|date=April 2020}} tours with a live band named after the album, going by the name of "Tony Martin's Headless Cross". They included another former Black Sabbath member, Geoff Nicholls,<ref name="Born Music Online">{{cite web | url=http://www.bornmusiconline.com/tony-martins-headless-cross-the-asylum-birmingham-27072012/ | title=Tony Martin's Headless Cross concert review | author=Warrell, Richard | publisher=Born Music Online | date=27 July 2012 | access-date=9 August 2012 }}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> until his death in 2017.
@@ Line 66: / Line 74: @@
 *"Headless Cross" yielded two radio singles, an edit of the title track and "Devil & Daughter". The former was available as a 7", personally signed by Iommi, and a 12" poster-sleeve, this latter being limited to 2,500 copies.
 *"Devil & Daughter" was released as a 7" picture disc, a 12 picture-sleeve, and a 7" box-set, containing the single, some postcards and a stencil of the band's logo.
-* "Black Moon" was originally a B-side on "[[The Eternal Idol|The Shining]]" single, re-recorded for ''Headless Cross''.
+* "Black Moon" was originally a B-side on "[[The Eternal Idol|The Shining]]" single, re-recorded for ''Headless Cross'' and released to radio to promote the US tour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/4876376-Black-Sabbath-Black-Moon|title=Black Sabbath – Black Moon (1989, CD) - Discogs|website=[[Discogs]] }}</ref>
 The bonus track "Cloak and Dagger" was the B-side to the "Headless Cross" single, and was later on the vinyl [[picture disc]] edition. At the time of the album's release, the only CD versions of the "Headless Cross" edit and of "Cloak and Dagger" were on separate promotional CDs.
@@ Line 74: / Line 82: @@
 | rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
 | rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Rivadavia |first=Eduardo |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r2011 |pure_url=yes}} |title=Headless Cross – Black Sabbath |website=Allmusic |access-date=2 August 2011}}</ref>
-| rev4 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
-| rev4Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/black-sabbath/albumguide |title=Black Sabbath: Album Guide |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=5 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306133206/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/black-sabbath/albumguide |archive-date=6 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
-| rev3      = ''[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]''
-| rev3score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Stratmann|first=Holger|title=Rock Hard review|url=http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=6308|work=issue 32|access-date=23 May 2013}}</ref>
 | rev2 = [[Martin Popoff]]
 | rev2Score = 7/10<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Popoff | first1 = Martin | author-link1 = Martin Popoff | title = The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties | publisher = [[Collector's Guide Publishing]] | date = 1 November 2005 | isbn = 978-1-894959-31-5}}</ref>
+| rev3 = ''[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]''
+| rev3score = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Stratmann|first=Holger|title=Rock Hard review|url=http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=6308|work=issue 32|access-date=23 May 2013}}</ref>
+| rev4 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
+| rev4Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/black-sabbath/albumguide |title=Black Sabbath: Album Guide |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=5 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306133206/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/black-sabbath/albumguide |archive-date=6 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 }}
 ''Headless Cross'' was praised by critics and fans as the best Sabbath album in years. Said AllMusic's Eduardo Rivadavia: "Arguably the finest Black Sabbath album since Ozzy or Dio, ''Headless Cross'' also featured one of Black Sabbath's most formidable lineups... In short, for those wise enough to appreciate Black Sabbath's discography beyond the Osbourne and Dio essentials, there can be no better place to start than ''Headless Cross'' or its worthy predecessor, ''[[The Eternal Idol]]''".
@@ Line 91: / Line 99: @@
 ==Track listing==
 {{Track listing
+|all_writing = [[Tony Iommi]], [[Tony Martin (British singer)|Tony Martin]], [[Cozy Powell]] and [[Geoff Nicholls]], except where noted
-| headline = ''Headless Cross'' track listing
 | title1   = The Gates of Hell
 | note1    = [[instrumental]]
-| writer1  = [[Tony Iommi]], [[Cozy Powell]], [[Geoff Nicholls]]
 | length1  = 1:06
 | title2   = Headless Cross
-| writer2  = [[Tony Martin (British singer)|Tony Martin]], Iommi, Powell
+| writer2  = Iommi, Martin, Powell
 | length2  = 6:28
 | title3   = Devil & Daughter
-| writer3  = Martin, Iommi, Powell
 | length3  = 4:39
 | title4   = When Death Calls
-| writer4  = Martin, Iommi, Powell, Nicholls
-| note4    = guitar solo by Brian May
 | length4  = 6:56
 | title5   = Kill in the Spirit World
-| writer5  = Iommi, Powell, Martin
 | length5  = 5:09
 | title6   = Call of the Wild
-| writer6  = Iommi, Powell, Martin
 | length6  = 5:18
 | title7   = Black Moon
-| writer7  = Martin, Iommi, Powell, Nicholls
-| note7    = new version
 | length7  = 4:05
 | title8   = Nightwing
-| writer8  = Martin, Iommi, Powell<ref>Black Sabbath - Headless Cross picture disc LP EIRSAPD 1002</ref>
+| writer8  = Iommi, Martin, Powell
 | length8  = 6:32
+|total_length = 40:13
+}}
+{{tracklist
+| headline = Picture disc bonus track / 2024 CD and Streaming track
+| total_length = 44:50
 | title9   = Cloak and Dagger
-| writer9  = Martin, Iommi, Powell
-| note9    = picture disc bonus track
 | length9  = 4:37
 }}
 ==Personnel==
+;Black Sabbath
-*[[Tony Martin (British singer)|Tony Martin]] – vocals
 *[[Tony Iommi]] – guitars, production
-*[[Geoff Nicholls]] − keyboards
 *[[Cozy Powell]] – drums, production
+*[[Tony Martin (British singer)|Tony Martin]] – vocals
+*[[Geoff Nicholls]] − keyboards
 *[[Laurence Cottle]] – bass
-;Additional personnel
+;Additional musician
 *[[Brian May]] – first [[guitar solo]] on "When Death Calls"
@@ Line 145: / Line 149: @@
 ! Peak<br/>position
 |-
-{{Album chart|Netherlands|71|artist=Black Sabbath|album=Headless Cross|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 April 2018}}
+{{Album chart|Netherlands|71|artist=Black Sabbath|album=Headless Cross|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 30, 2023}}
 |-
 ! scope="row"| Finnish Albums ([[The Official Finnish Charts]])<ref name=FINI>{{cite book|last=Pennanen|first=Timo|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972|edition=1st|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|year=2006|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5 | language= fi}}</ref>
 | align="center"| 28
 |-
-{{Album chart|Germany4|18|artist=Black Sabbath|album= Headless Cross|id=876|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 April 2018}}
+{{Album chart|Germany4|18|artist=Black Sabbath|album= Headless Cross|id=876|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 30, 2023}}
 |-
 !scope="row"|Japanese Albums ([[Oricon]])<ref name="JPN">{{cite book|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005|publisher=[[Oricon|Oricon Entertainment]]|location=Roppongi, Tokyo|year=2006|isbn=4-87131-077-9|language=ja}}</ref>
 | align="center"| 66
 |-
-{{Album chart|Sweden|22|artist=Black Sabbath|album= Headless Cross|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 April 2018}}
+{{Album chart|Sweden|22|artist=Black Sabbath|album= Headless Cross|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 30, 2023}}
 |-
-{{Album chart|Switzerland|23|artist=Black Sabbath|album= Headless Cross|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 April 2018}}
+{{Album chart|Switzerland|23|artist=Black Sabbath|album= Headless Cross|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 30, 2023}}
 |-
-{{Album chart|UK|31|artist=Black Sabbath|album= Headless Cross|refname=UK albums|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 April 2018}}
+{{Album chart|UK2|31|date=19890423|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 30, 2023}}
 |-
-{{Album chart|Billboard200|115|artist=Black Sabbath|refname=Billboard 200|rowheader=true|accessdate=22 April 2018}}
+{{Album chart|Billboard200|115|artist=Black Sabbath|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 30, 2023}}
 |}

v t e Black Sabbath
Tony Iommi Bill Ward Geezer Butler Ozzy Osbourne Dave Walker Ronnie James Dio Geoff Nicholls Craig Gruber Vinny Appice Ian Gillan Bev Bevan Ron Keel David Donato Eric Singer Dave Spitz Glenn Hughes Ray Gillen Tony Martin Cozy Powell Neil Murray Bobby Rondinelli
Studio albums	Black Sabbath Paranoid Master of Reality Vol. 4 Sabbath Bloody Sabbath Sabotage Technical Ecstasy Never Say Die! Heaven and Hell Mob Rules Born Again Seventh Star The Eternal Idol Headless Cross Tyr Dehumanizer Cross Purposes Forbidden 13
Extended plays	The End
Live albums	Live at Last Live Evil Cross Purposes Live Reunion Past Lives Live at Hammersmith Odeon Live... Gathered in Their Masses The End: Live in Birmingham
Compilations	We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll The Collection The Sabbath Stones Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978 Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978 Greatest Hits 1970–1978 The Dio Years The Rules of Hell Greatest Hits Iron Man: The Best of Black Sabbath The Ultimate Collection Anno Domini 1989–1995
Unofficial albums	The Sabbath Collection The Ozzy Osbourne Years Under Wheels of Confusion The Best of Black Sabbath Club Sonderauflage
Singles	"Evil Woman" "The Wizard" "Paranoid" "Iron Man" "Children of the Grave" "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" "Am I Going Insane (Radio)" "Neon Knights" "Trashed" "Psycho Man" "God Is Dead?" "End of the Beginning"
Other songs	"Black Sabbath" "N.I.B." "War Pigs" "Planet Caravan" "Hand of Doom" "Fairies Wear Boots" "Sweet Leaf" "After Forever" "Into the Void" "Changes" "Supernaut" "Hole in the Sky" "Symptom of the Universe" "Children of the Sea" "Heaven and Hell"
Videos	Never Say Die Black and Blue The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 1 The Black Sabbath Story, Vol. 2 Cross Purposes Live The Last Supper Inside Black Sabbath - 1970–1992 Hangin' with Heaven and Hell Live... Gathered in Their Masses Black Sabbath: The End of the End
Tours	Technical Ecstasy Tour Never Say Die! Tour Heaven & Hell Tour Mob Rules Tour Born Again Tour Ozzfest lineups Black Sabbath Reunion Tour The End Tour
Related	Discography Members List of cover versions of Black Sabbath songs In These Black Days Nativity in Black Heaven & Hell tour The Devil You Know Jeff Fenholt Bob Daisley Terry Chimes Jo Burt Laurence Cottle Mike Bordin Adam Wakeman Tommy Clufetos Brad Wilk Mythology Velvett Fogg GZR Rainbow Dio Deep Purple Electric Light Orchestra Kiss Badlands Whitesnake
Category