You know, I am tired of mainstream bands that are terrible or mediocre.  It is kind of nice to hear one that is rock solid, and joyfully, that's exactly what you get from Tony Iommi and Glenn Hughes' second collaborative effort.
Iommi is one of the fathers of Metal - he helped form Black Sabbath and mold it into the Heavy Metal powerhouse that it has been over the years. Albums like Paranoid, Heaven and Hell and Tyr are classics. Iommi has set the bar extremely high, and still somehow manages to hurdle it every time.
First off, this is a very different beast than Black Sabbath. The doominess of the guitar work is toned down a bit and the mainstream sound is much more dominant. I hear a Zakk Wylde and the Black Label Society influence here, or perhaps both are listening to lots of Southern Rock lately. The guitar work is excellent, moodier than it is aggressive but not skimping on the dirty anger. The music has a great groove to it and Glenn Hughe's soulful voice compliments it perfectly. When the first song began and I heard the more mainstream sound I nearly panicked, fearing that this was a sign that no guitar solos would be forthcoming. That fear was assuaged by many outstanding solos. There really isn't anything here not to like.
My favorite songs on Fused are also the ones with darkest sound. Resolution Song is my favorite, with that fast tempo, that urgent feel like a threat is lurking nearby. The Spell is the most dramatic tune on this record and at times is even doomier than Resolution Song. What You Are Living For is dynamic and very catchy.
I love it when an album like this comes along. Fused has just enough of the old to mix with the new and reminds you what being Heavy Metal is all about.