Fused

by Greg PratoTony Iommi and Glenn Hughes have quite a storied history together. Both hail from the same area in England. Iommi and Hughes first collaborated together on the 1986 Black Sabbath album, Seventh Star, before reuniting in 1996 to work on some new tunes Iommi had penned. The project was ultimately shelved when Iommi reunited with his Sabbath pals, but it finally saw an official release in 2004, as DEP Sessions: 1996. During the album's resurgence, the duo decided to work on a proper album together, which resulted in Fused a year later. Joined by ace session drummer Kenny Aronoff, Iommi and Hughes made a conscious decision to come up with a heavier, more riff-based album than DEP (which Iommi felt was more melody based). Well, the trio definitely accomplished their desired goal, as evidenced by such riff mongers as "Dopamine," "Wasted Again," and "Face Your Fear." But surprisingly, the best tracks are the ones where a bit of melody slips in, especially "Grace" and "Deep Inside His Shell." And like Sabbath's classic early albums, Fused ends on a truly epic note, with the near-ten-minute long "Insane." Soulful vocals, heavy riffs, and mighty drumming -- is Fused a sign that a new powerhouse trio had been born?