Forbidden (Black Sabbath album)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:59:53 PM Wikipedia source
Forbidden is the eighteenth studio album by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released on 5 June 1995, through I.R.S. Records. This recording saw the reunion of Black Sabbath's Tyr-era line-up from 1990, with the return of Neil Murray and Cozy Powell. It was the last album to feature Tony Martin on vocals and Geoff Nicholls on keyboards, and the last by the band until 2013 when Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler returned for the album 13. The album sold 21,000 copies in the US in its first week and as of 2013, Forbidden has sold 191,000 copies in the US. Part way into the Forbidden tour, Cozy Powell left the band for the last time and was replaced by Bobby Rondinelli, who played drums on Cross Purposes. The album received a generally negative response from critics and fans alike. After its release, the band underwent several line-up changes and found itself at a career crossroads. However, original Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne reconciled with guitarist Tony Iommi not long afterwards. It was re-released with a new remix in 2024 as part of the Anno Domini 1989–1995 box set, and then later on as an individual release.
Infobox
Released
5 June 1995 (1995-06-05)
Recorded
4 December 1994 – March 1995
Studio
Parr Street (Liverpool, England)Devonshire Sound (Los Angeles, California)
Genre
Heavy metal
Length
44:10
Label
I.R.S.
Producer
Ernie C
Tables
Professional ratings · Reception and legacy
Source
Source
Review scores
Source
Review scores
Rating
AllMusic
AllMusic
Review scores
AllMusic
Review scores
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Review scores
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Review scores
Blender
Blender
Review scores
Blender
Review scores
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Review scores
Sputnikmusic
Review scores
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Blender | |
| Sputnikmusic | |
· Charts
Australian Albums (ARIA)
Australian Albums (ARIA)
Chart (1995)
Australian Albums (ARIA)
Peakposition
154
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)
Chart (1995)
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)
Peakposition
40
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Chart (1995)
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
Peakposition
86
European Albums Chart
European Albums Chart
Chart (1995)
European Albums Chart
Peakposition
62
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)
Chart (1995)
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)
Peakposition
12
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
Chart (1995)
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
Peakposition
35
Japanese Albums (Oricon)
Japanese Albums (Oricon)
Chart (1995)
Japanese Albums (Oricon)
Peakposition
45
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Chart (1995)
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Peakposition
19
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
Chart (1995)
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
Peakposition
48
UK Albums (OCC)
UK Albums (OCC)
Chart (1995)
UK Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
71
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Chart (1995)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
6
| Chart (1995) | Peakposition |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) | 154 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) | 40 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) | 86 |
| European Albums Chart | 62 |
| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) | 12 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) | 35 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) | 45 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) | 19 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) | 48 |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 71 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) | 6 |
· Charts
Greek Albums (IFPI)
Greek Albums (IFPI)
Chart (2025)
Greek Albums (IFPI)
Peakposition
77
| Chart (2025) | Peakposition |
| Greek Albums (IFPI) | 77 |
References
- Music Weekhttps://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-06-03.pdf
- Forbiddenhttps://archive.today/20231105154513/https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pbkAAOSwQnFlA-X3/s-l1600.jpg
- Black-sabbath.comhttps://www.black-sabbath.com/2020/06/forbidden-at-25/
- "Black Sabbath set for major US debut"http://www.music-news.com/shownews.asp?H=Black-Sabbath-set-for-major-US-debut&nItemID=67226
- AllMusichttps://www.allmusic.com/album/forbidden-mw0000172344
- Black-sabbath.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20200511095028/https://www.black-sabbath.com/2015/06/happy-birthday-forbidden/
- Classic Rock
- Rolling Stonehttps://web.archive.org/web/20120427215415/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/black-sabbath/albumguide
- Forbiddenhttps://web.archive.org/web/20061019162815/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2230
- Forbiddenhttps://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/37649/Black-Sabbath-Forbidden/
- "Blender Forbidden review"https://web.archive.org/web/20061019162815/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2230
- Gibson.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20110804231547/http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Lifestyle/Features/tony%2Dmartin%2D0729%2D2011/
- "Tony Martin.net Q&A"https://web.archive.org/web/20071221032549/http://www.tonymartin.net/qanda.html
- Southern Cross No.19, March 1997
- Readability.comhttps://www.readability.com/index.html
- Blabbermouthhttps://blabbermouth.net/news/ernie-c-defends-his-production-on-black-sabbaths-forbidden-album-i-wanted-to-dry-the-sound-up-a-little-bit
- Loudwire.comhttp://loudwire.com/tony-iommi-hopes-write-tony-martin-black-sabbath-album-reissues/?trackback=tsmclip
- Blabbermouth.nethttps://www.blabbermouth.net/news/tony-iommi-says-remixing-forbidden-is-opportunity-to-make-it-more-what-people-would-expect-black-sabbath-to-sound-like/
- YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_gocQD1ZbI
- Blabbermouth.nethttps://blabbermouth.net/news/tony-iommi-says-that-box-set-of-tony-martin-era-black-sabbath-albums-will-finally-arrive-in-may
- Blabbermouth.nethttps://blabbermouth.net/news/black-sabbath-box-set-of-tony-martin-era-recordings-anno-domini-1989-1995-to-arrive-in-may
- Theprp.comhttps://www.theprp.com/2024/10/25/news/black-sabbaths-tony-martin-albums-set-for-remastered-re-mixed-vinyl-cd-reissues/
- "Black Sabbath ARIA chart history 1988 to July 2025"https://imgur.com/a/xm45btR
- "Austriancharts.at – Black Sabbath – Forbidden" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=Forbidden&cat=a
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Black Sabbath – Forbidden" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=Forbidden&cat=a
- Music & Mediahttps://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-07-01.pdf
- Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Black Sabbath – Forbidden" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.offiziellecharts.de/album-details-2105
- Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005
- "Swedishcharts.com – Black Sabbath – Forbidden". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=Forbidden&cat=a
- "Swisscharts.com – Black Sabbath – Forbidden". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=Forbidden&cat=a
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/19950611/7502/
- "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/rock-and-metal-albums-chart/19950611/112/
- "Official IFPI Charts Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) – Εβδομάδα: 07/2025"https://web.archive.org/web/20250219090918/https://www.ifpi.gr/charts_el.html