Forbidden

Official music video:
- Get a Grip

All music by Black Sabbath (Martin, Iommi, Murray, Nichols, Powell), all lyrics by T. Martin (except track 1 by T. Martin & Ice-T).

According to Tony Iommi in his book "Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath" (2011), Black Sabbath's agency at the time suggested a more fashionable producer, arguing that they would have more "street credibility". This is why they convinced Iommi to bring in producer Ernie C from the band Body Count, and in turn he brought in his bandmate Ice-T to collaborate on the album.

In an interview with Tony Martin for Gibson.com in 2011, he said that the agency's intention for this album wanted it to be more of a "Rap Sabbath" style. In that same interview, he also mentions that Cozy Powell was forced to play a more hip-hop drum beat, but he didn't like the idea and would get even angrier if he kept playing it that way.

It has long been speculated that the writing and production of "Forbidden" was rushed to get the band out of their contract with I.R.S Records prior to the first proper reunion of the band's classic first lineup, thus the poor sound quality.

The original working name for this album was "The Illusion of Power", but it ended up being the title of the opening track (although Neil Murray claims this is not true).

The original name of the song "Get a Grip" was "Black Ice", but it was renamed after a suggestion from Ernie C. The main riff of this song was made during the sessions for the album "Dehumanizer" (1992).

A bootleg called "Forbidden Rough Mix" was distributed by a British record label in 2002, which includes the album's rough mixes and demos without vocal lines.

Recording information:

Recorded at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool.

Identifiers:

Barcode: 724383062027
Matrix: 830620 1 EMI SWINDON
No Mastering SID Code
Mould SID Code: ifpi 14**
Label-Code (disc only): LC 7283