Black Sabbath - Headless In Osaka (2023)

Headless Cross was released in April 1989, but was all but ignored by contemporary reviewers, although AllMusic contributor Eduardo. Rivadavia gave the album four stars and called it "the finest non-Ozzy or Dio Black Sabbath album". Following the release, the band added touring bassist Neil Murray, formerly of Colosseum II, National Health and Whitesnake. The Headless Cross U.S. tour began in May ‘89 with openers Kingdom Come and Silent Rage, but because of poor ticket sales, the tour was cancelled after just eight shows. The European leg began in September, where the band were enjoying chart success. After a string of Japanese shows the band embarked on a 23 date Russian tour with Girlschool. Black Sabbath was one of the first bands to tour Russia, after Mikhail Gorbachev opened the country to western acts for the first time in 1989. Of the Japanese shows, by far the finest was Sabbath’s 19th October ‘89 gig in Osaka, an event recorded in its entirety for live FM radio broadcast across the country. Previously unreleased, this stunning concert is now available in full on this new CD.