Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Paranoid
Master Of Reality
Vol. 4
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Sabotage
Technical Ecstasy
Never Say Die
Heaven And Hell
The Mob Rules
Live Evil
Black Sabbath (Warner Brothers ‘70) Rating: A-
Coming from a cold hearted Birmingham U.K. factory town, these hippy hating crazies “just wanted to be heavier than everybody else,” according to lead singer Ozzy Osbourne. And they were, inventing heavy metal in the process (sorry, but I consider the likes of Cream, Hendrix, The Who, and even Led Zeppelin to be hard rock rather than heavy metal) and influencing virtually every heavy metal band that has arisen since. Recorded and mixed in a mere two days, the band’s debut album is (like Zep’s) their rawest on record. Ozzy Osbourne sings in a deeper, different voice than he would display on later albums (perhaps he hadn’t really found his true voice yet), and their heavily amped, blues-based sound is in turns amazingly forceful and ponderously plodding. The title track is an absolute classic, whose sophomoric Satanic lyrics are matched to a truly harrowing musical vision; listen to this at full blast with the lights out and see if you can last the whole song without turning them back on! Go ahead, I dare you! I think it was Ozzy who described the opening riffs as “like the gates of Hell opening up,” and the bluesy jam-based ending - highlighted by soloing guitarist Tony Iommi (the band’s leader, whose uniquely heavy style improbably resulted from modifications caused when he lost the tips of his middle and ring fingers in a factory mishap), bassist Geezer Butler (also the band’s primary lyricist, unbeknownst to many), and cymbal happy drum hitter Bill Ward - sounds like a herd of elephants stampeding through my head. Of course, getting scared out of ones wits isn’t the type of entertainment that’s for everyone, but they do feature a kindly wizard getting rid of assorted baddies on, appropriately enough, “The Wizard.” This song (which prominently features harmonica, a rarity for this band) and parts of others, notably “N.I.B” (a tongue in cheek number about Lucifer falling in love!) and “Warning” (a classic mid-tempo chugger on which Ozzy and Ward especially shine), are actually quite catchy and enjoyable, proving that the band were developing their songcraft. However, the album could use some serious editing and less aimless guitar soloing; they didn’t really have a full album’s worth of material and it seems to me that they padded it out, which resulted in some plodding, overly long performances. The album’s weak links are the boogie-based first half of song 3 and most of the meandering song 5 (both 10+ minute medleys, with the latter swelling past the 14 minute mark), while lyrics like “take a body to a corpse if you want all remorse” are hilariously bad, if in an amusing Spinal Tap-ish way. Fortunately, overall it’s still a wickedly cool debut, and the band would better focus their musical vision (which on the early albums amounted to “keep it simple, stupid”) and learn from their mistakes, ultimately going onto a legendary career as the epitome of all things metal.
Paranoid (Warner Brothers ‘70) Rating: A
The band's most famous album was a U.K. #1 hit and went to #8 in the U.S., largely on the strength of three of their greatest songs. In Martin Popoff's book The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs Of All Time, which was based on a poll of 18,000 people, "Iron Man," "War Pigs," and "Paranoid" came in tenth, eighth, and first, respectively, while "Fairies Wear Boots" came in at 241. "War Pigs" begins the album with an anti-war song featuring all of Sabbath’s trademarks: Ozzy’s eerie wail of a voice, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward’s thundering (and at times lumbering) rhythm section, and Tony Iommi’s low-pitched, evil sounding guitar riffs. Simply put, Iommi is the absolute master of the heavy metal riff, creating the blackest doom riffs in rock history, malevolent moments that explode through scorched speakers. "War Pigs" is an epic that has it all, including a cappela vocals from Ozzy, dynamic drum fills, those RIFFS from Iommi and Butler, and a great solo from Iommi. Still, "Paranoid" will always be the Black Sabbath song, this one a straight, to-the-point and well, paranoid little piece that lurches to and fro with a froth-like, frenetic intensity, with Ozzy's on-the-verge-of-madness vocals being especially memorable. Oddly enough, the song was spontaneously put together at the last minute because the record company wanted the band to fill up more space; there's a lesson to be learned there for all you bands out there who fuss over ever little minutiae and take years between albums. Anyway, "Planet Caravan" then provides a break in the action with a slow, spacey, extremely evocative track notable for Ward's tom tom drums and Ozzy's echoey, drugged out vocals; Pantera would respectfully cover the song 24 years later. Then comes another all time riff on "Iron Man," a futuristic tale about a killing machine that's famous for its cartoonish intro and features another blitzkrieg of a jam ending. After that fantastic first side, needless to say side two fails to keep pace, but the aforementioned "Fairies Wear Boots" is another all-time classic (great groove and chorus on that one), and the dark, thudding "Electric Funeral" likewise has terrific twisting riffs. "Hand Of Doom" and "Rat Salad" are less impressive, but at least the former has vivid anti-drug lyrics ("push the needle in, face death's sickly grin") and the latter is merely a short instrumental showcase for Ward and Iommi. Overall, Paranoid is less blues-influenced and jam-based than the debut, but the songwriting is more focused, as the band solidifies and perfects the "Sabbath sound." More than any Sabbath album, this is the one most responsible for spawning their legions of inferior imitators, and it’s probably not a gross overstatement to say that every metal band that has arisen since first learned to ply their trade by playing along to this album. Note: The album was originally supposed to be called War Pigs, the theme of which was reflected on the album cover. However, the band's record company insisted on calling it Paranoid instead, alas too late to change the war-themed cover art.
Master Of Reality (Warner Brothers ‘71) Rating: A
Many bands have been faster, but nobody has ever been HEAVIER than Black Sabbath, and Black Sabbath were never heavier than on Master Of Reality. Ditching their psychedelic jam inclinations, Tony Iommi’s deafening riffs and solos hit like sledgehammers, while Geezer Butler and Bill Ward once again supply massive exclamation points as Ozzy bellows warnings against impending damnation. Indeed, this is the band’s “Christian album,” most overtly so on “After Forever,” which Iommi wrote as a repudiation of their "Satanic" rep, but that’s not one of the album’s better songs, anyway. It is good, musically speaking, but much better are “Sweet Leaf” (Butler’s ode to marijuana; Bob Marley would be proud), “Lord Of The World” (the "Lord" being good 'ol Lucifer), and “Into The Void” (a futuristic tale of space travel), all of which sport the colossal Sabbath chug, while “Children Of The Grave” has galloping grooves that are sure to get your blood pumping into overdrive. On the lighter side, “Embryo” and “Orchid” are short (:30 and 2:00, respectively) and ultimately inconsequential instrumental interludes that bridge the gap between the surrounding doom, while “Solitude” is another “Planet Caravan”-type change of pace only not as good (I guess 'cause this one was recorded above water). Still, in retrospect this admittedly pretty, flute-infested track provided a blueprint for future classics such as “Remember Tomorrow” (Iron Maiden) and “Fade To Black” (Metallica). Anyway, this album is too short, with only six real songs, but better too short than too long in my opinion. Besides, four of the six songs are absolute classics, as Black Sabbath stick to their headbanging strengths in creating a monolithic monument to heaviosity.
Vol. 4 (Warner Brothers ‘72) Rating: A
Perhaps it was due to the constant hammering from the critics (most of who now praise the band) for their basic style, maybe it was their move to L.A. and working with a new producer (Patrick Meehan instead of Rodger Bain), or maybe it was simply the drugs (the band infamously thanks "the great COKE-Cola company of Los Angeles" in the liner notes), but Vol. 4 was a more musically ambitious and experimental album. And though perhaps this patchier album doesn't hold together as a cohesive whole as well as, say, Master Of Reality, this album does contain some of their best songs and is another classic effort. Certainly the awesome "Wheels Of Confusion/The Straightener" gets the album off to a rousing start, beginning with a bluesy intro followed by Iommi's massive riff and a classic Ozzy vocal ("long ago I wandered through my mind"). Yet this is really two songs in one, as a jazzy, moody instrumental passage with a great Iommi guitar solo closes things out and leads into "Tomorrow's Dream." The band's first single since "Paranoid" is a straightforward chugger that also has its more melodic moments, ultimately falling into the "very solid if not quite classic" category. Trouble then emerges on "Changes," a droopy piano ballad (that's Rick Wakeman on piano, a la David Bowie's "Changes," a much better song) that set a bad precedent for future metal bands (I'd call it one of the first power ballads if it had any power at all), while "F/X" is an echoey, experimental oddity that merely takes up space (1:42, to be exact). Fortunately, "Supernaut" sets things right with a fast-paced, utterly monumental exercise in pure power (aside from that funky little drum interlude, that is), while "Snowblind" is the most obvious drug song of the bunch (subtle these guys 'aint), being a bluesy, bruising dirge with unexpected orchestrations that work surprisingly well on what amounts to another winner. Seemingly lumbering on the surface, "Cornucopia" is actually much more complex than your standard riff rocker, particularly Ward's drum parts, which he had considerable trouble nailing (though nail them the underrated drummer eventually did), while "Laguna Sunrise" is an acoustic, almost ambient performance that provides some light amid the darkness. Still, this pretty instrumental piece doesn't really fit, unlike "St. Vitus' Dance," which slams money hungry groupies and is almost danceable (a heavy metal band later named themselves after this song, spelling out the Saint). Finally, the multi-sectioned "Under The Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes" begins with a malevolent march before moving onto a faster, poppier section before returning to a doom-laden signoff. So there you have it, a song-by-song breakdown of what is actually a pretty terrific album, as beyond their customary earth rattling riffs there's far more here than initially meets the eye. I would think that this would be the Sabbath album that most appeals to prog lovers (until Sabotage, anyway), what with its multi-sectioned opuses, more complex arrangements, and an all around increased "far out" factor. These songs follow no set patterns, are governed by no set rules and are all the better for it, as at its best Vol. 4 rewards with a far-reaching excellence.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Warner Brothers ‘73) Rating: A-
Less great and more difficult to grasp than the last few, what with most of the songs veering off into all kinds of different directions, this transitional offering still shows off all of this great band’s strengths. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is difficult to describe other than to say that it’s their mellowest and most adventurous outing yet, as the band tries an acoustic guitar/piano instrumental on the appropriately titled “Fluff” (which, pretty though it is at times, definitely doesn’t warrant its 4:10 running time), breaks out big synthesizer flourishes (a very bad idea, actually) on “Who Are You?,” flicks flute passages into “Looking For Today” (which also includes a good soaring chorus from seemingly out of nowhere), and introduces lush strings on “Spiral Architect,” a bright, melodic entry that every now and then sports the Sabbath chug marching on in full force (a very good idea). The title track is a classic by any definition, again packing two songs into one by shifting the focus halfway through from a rumbling, explosive groove onto Ozzy’s wailing vocals. The underrated “A National Acrobat” has both a funky interlude and a surprisingly melodic commercial part along with their customary cool riffs, while “Sabbra Cadabra” (later covered by Metallica) kicks ass with simple lyrics and some killer guitar, though it limps to the finish line a little bit. “Killing Yourself To Live” is more atmospheric but at least as good, with more pounding riffs/rhythms and a particularly effective vocal from Ozzy, who seems to be more front and center than usual (which isn’t always a good thing given how polarizing his voice can be). Anyway, Sabbath disciples likely didn’t know what to make of this fairly diverse collection, but it has mostly weathered time well (aside from the two filler tracks), standing as a consistent gathering of tunes that daringly tried to push the envelope in directions not tried before or since. It isn’t as successful as some of their other albums, reaching righteous but rarely rarefied levels and too often opting for mood over might (rarely a good strategy where Sabbath is concerned), yet it’s still a necessary item in appreciating the evolution of these metal titans, ambitious “almosts” often telling as much of the overall story as the magnificent triumphs.
Sabotage (Warner Brothers ‘75) Rating: A
The experimentation continues, but more successfully than on its predecessor, making Sabotage the last of the bands truly classic offerings with Ozzy. Fact is, Ozzy never sounded so awe inspiringly evil, while the ever-underrated Bill Ward pummels his poor kit, giving John Bonham a run for his money in terms of pure power. The long compositions themselves are too fucking weird for words, all over the place yet still unstoppable, including HUGE riff-fests “Hole In The Sky” (Martin Popoff: "possibly the most goddamn Black Sabbath song of the whole Black Sabbath catalogue") and “Symptom Of The Universe,” which, in addition to its great chugging riffs, contains creative, all-over-the-place drum fills from Ward and a powerful vocal from Ozzy. In typical atypical fashion, the song ends with a mellow acoustic bridge, while "Hole In The Sky" likewise ends uneasily, stopping suddenly before heading into "Don't Start (Too Late)," a 49 second acoustic interlude. “Megalomania” shows that Ozzy is still paranoid, and with deliberately ugly harmonies, weird vocals (including a laugh out loud funny “suck me” chant), moody atmospherics, periodic glimpses of the mighty Sabbath chug (Ted Nugent stole some key riffs for "Cat Scratch Fever"), and some synths come roll call (don't worry, they work much better than on “Who Are You?”), it’s a lumbering 11-minute mess that shouldn't work but boy does it ever. “The Thrill Of It All” is more standard (great) Sabbath, while the marching beats and gothic chants of “Supertzar” would've been a perfect fit for some horror movie score. “Am I Going Insane” I can live without, but at least it's melodic and catchy, and besides, and all is forgiven with “The Writ.” Like "Megalomania," this song deals with the band getting ripped off by record company executives and management, and indeed Sabotage is the band's most personal statement to date. Sure, sometimes the lyrics and even the at-times clumsy music are as ridiculous as the red tights Bill Ward is wearing on the (hilariously awful) album cover, but the album has an abundance of character and is perhaps the single best example of the band's unique chemistry and ability to make wrong ideas absolutely right. As alluded to before, Sabotage ends on a high with "The Writ," which is simply eight plus minutes of headbanging heaven, with a show stopping Ozzy vocal that closes out a dominating outing.
Technical Ecstasy (Warner Brothers ’76) Rating: B+
After an unimaginative hits package, We Sold Our Souls For Rock ‘n’ Roll (for non-fans only), Black Sabbath returned with Technical Ecstasy, a much-maligned album that’s a far cry from previous classics but which is still worthwhile for Sabbath fanatics. Still, after years of constant touring, excessive drugs, and inter-band squabbling (mostly between Ozzy and Iommi), the strain started to show on this one. The Hipgnosis album cover illustrates the band’s increased use of studio technology, but the end result is slicker, not better, and any Sabbath fan will be struck by how little “heavy metal” exists on the album; even the best songs are more “hard rock” than anything else. That said, there are some good songs, beginning with the boogie disco metal groove of “Back Street Kids” and continuing with “You Won’t Change Me,” for my money the album’s only truly classic track. Man, that’s a great (overlooked) song, a tough blues-based epic with spooky organ parts and some incredibly powerful playing from Iommi. The Bill Ward sung “It’s Alright” is a pleasant enough Ringo-ish fluff piece, and the somewhat generic and cheesy “Gypsy” is ultimately elevated by more great Iommi guitar. “All Moving Parts (Stand Still”) is notable for its funk element (it features clavinet and Geezer plays bass like a funk band refugee), while the boogie-based “Rock ‘n’ Roll Doctor” (Sabbath does Foghat?) is also atypical, as is “She’s Gone,” a dreaded orchestral ballad but not bad as such. Fortunately, riff-based hard rock returns on the misogynist “Dirty Women” (remember, these guys weren’t exactly trying to be Bob Dylan), another inconsistent but ultimately impressive Iommi showcase, and another epic at 7:15. Anyway, there’s plenty of good (and not so good) stuff here, as rumors of the band’s drug induced decline were somewhat exaggerated (this album generally receives extremely poor reviews). Still, it’s safe to say that Sabotage marked the end of the band's peak era with Ozzy, and you should only get this one after fully ingesting the band’s first six studio albums.
Never Say Die (Warner Brothers ’78) Rating: B+
The weakest Black Sabbath album with Ozzy along with Technical Ecstasy is still worth seeking out if you're a big fan of the band. In fact, that it was recorded under such difficult circumstances (Ozzy had briefly left the band in '77 and the recording sessions were contentious) and was still a very solid album is proof positive of the band’s unconquerable chemistry. Never Say Die has some of Sabbath’s most commercial material, and in many ways catchy, groove-based pop metal songs such as the title track, “A Hard Road” (the album's best song), and “Over To You” remind me more of Ozzy’s later solo work than anything usually associated with Black Sabbath. The band brings their heavy brand of boogie to “Swinging The Train” (a good song sung by Bill Ward when Ozzy was "unavailable"), while strange synths and a huge galloping beat propel “Johnny Blade,” though its updated technology seems slightly mismatched to Sabbath’s usual doom-laded appeal. Still, Iommi is in fine form (both here and elsewhere), while "Junior's Eyes" is a bleak but cool riff-based effort that's at times highly atmospheric. So is "Air Dance," or at least it attempts to be (it also almost rocks but decides to get all jazzy instead; bad idea), while the experimental sax wailings of “Breakout” (a short, horn-heavy instrumental) again takes the band away from what they do best. "Shock Wave" has some good sections but on the whole doesn't add up as well as it should, and I suppose the same could be said for this somewhat scattershot album on the whole. Still, its brighter, more contemporary sound is unique for Sabbath, and it has some really appealing songs as well. Alas, change was in the air, and getting blown off the stage on a nightly basis by an upstart opening act (Van Halen) only reinforced that stagnation was setting in. Ozzy was fired (later briefly reuniting with Black Sabbath for a much ballyhooed late ‘90s Reunion tour and album), and diminutive former Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio was hired, a move that ignited all involved, at least for a little while.
Heaven and Hell (Warner Brothers ’80) Rating: A
Although some dubious volumes of rock history will tell you that Black Sabbath recorded nothing worthwhile once Ozzy left, one listen to this album will convince you otherwise. New singer Ronnie James Dio has a pure, powerful set of pipes well suited to the trademark Sabbath sound, and while Ozzy’s loss has robbed Sabbath of a distinctive, eerie part of their sound, this album was still an excellent heavy metal statement. More straight ahead, eighties-styled metal than the highly experimental days of yore, sleeker and less pummeling (but also less plodding), songs such as “Neon Nights,” “Children Of The Sea,” and “Heaven And Hell” are certified heavy metal classics that any band would be proud of. And though Dio’s dungeons and dragons lyrical content takes some getting used, especially when compared to Geezer Butler’ malignant creations, his voice is undeniable, while Iommi repeatedly comes up with the goods on guitar, cooking up some tremendous solos throughout. The galloping grooves of “Neon Nights” (Butler’s only co-write as he left the band after Ozzy’s departure, returning to play on the album at the last minute) gets the ball rolling, and “Children Of The Sea” starts as an exotic acoustic ballad before evolving into a powerful mid-tempo rocker with gothic overtones (this "gothic/medieval" side was a new dimension to the band - kinda like Rainbow, actually - that they never would've explored with Ozzy). The title track is a 7-minute epic whose famous bass riff was actually written by unofficial new member Geoff Nicholls, who was drafted in to play bass during Geezer’s departure and then slid over to keyboards when Butler returned; he would be Iommi’s trusted right-hand man for years thereafter. Anyway, in addition to its classic mid-tempo chug, the song is notable for its catchy “on and on” chorus and its spectacular jam ending on which all band members shine, particularly Iommi and Dio. Far from a hits plus filler affair, Heaven and Hell also features terrific album tracks such as the explosive, hard charging “Wishing Well,” the alternately atmospheric and rocking “Die Young,” and finally the monolithic power ballad, “Lonely Is The Word.” Simply put, these songs should prove immensely enjoyable to both early Sabbath loyalists and fans of Dio’s other work. True, “Lady Evil” and “Walk Away” are rather generic (there's still some smokin’ guitar on the former, though), and the album's polished, commercial sound might be off putting to some long time fans, but this remains a thoroughly underrated release. Though not as groundbreaking (you can only invent something once) or earth rattling as Ozzy-era Sabbath, Heaven and Hell saw a transformed band belting out another classic.
The Mob Rules (Warner Brothers ’81) Rating: A-
Ward split for this one, not for the last time, but given that for all this talents he was always the band's most replaceable member, and given that he was replaced by the great Vinny Appice, the band soldiered on undaunted. As another side note, despite having succeeded without one another, the Ozzy vs Dio warfare was extraordinarily intense during this period. Some people claim that the words "Kill Ozzy" are subliminally written on The Mob Rules cover, while Ozzy had a midget on stage named "Ronnie" and called Sabbath "3 wops and a Geezer." Perhaps that's why Ronnie sounds like he has such a chip on his shoulder, and indeed he turns in a vicious performance throughout, and the album on the whole is heavier and darker than Heaven and Hell. It's not quite as consistent, however, as "Voodoo" is pretty pedestrian, "E5150" is merely a strange effects laden interlude, and "Falling Off The Edge Of The World" takes awhile to get going. Of course, once it does get going it's quite a treat, with twisting riffs and a killer solo from Iommi, and there are plenty of other highlights as well, though the highs don't rise quite as high as on the previous album. On the hard charging front, "Turn Up The Night" and "The Mob Rules" are difficult to deny, while the more mid-tempo "Country Girl" (with fantastic drum fills from Appice) and the dirge-like power ballad "Over and Over" are other obvious standouts. The more poppified "Slipping Away" is also good but less impressive, while the standout track is clearly "The Sign Of The Southern Cross," another gothic epic with ballady sections and explosive interjections featuring MASSIVE Iommi riffs. All in all, when taken together Heaven and Hell and The Mob Rules are certainly comparable in quality to Ozzy's far more ballyhooed first two solo albums, as well as Dio's Rainbow albums, as Sabbath once again simply got down to business, delivering more high quality heavy metal.
Live Evil (Warner Brothers ’82) Rating: B+
This album is more famous for its surrounding subplots than its actual music. First, when getting wind of this album, Ozzy decided to release his own live album, Speak Of The Devil, which contained only Black Sabbath songs and effectively stole this album's thunder when it was released soon afterwards. Secondly, there were the accusations that Dio snuck into the studio to increase the volume of the vocals in the mix, which led to much mudslinging (Dio insists he wasn't "sneaking around" but that Iommi and Butler simply weren't showing up to the studio to oversee the album) and Dio's ouster from the band (he grabbed Appice and started his own band, Dio). As for the actual contents of this album, it's a solid live showcase on which Dio predictably acquits himself surprisingly well on the Ozzy songs ("N.I.B.," "Black Sabbath," "War Pigs," "Iron Man," "Paranoid," "Children Of The Grave") but just as predictably only truly excels on his own stuff, particularly "Neon Nights" and "Heaven and Hell," the latter of which also reappears during "Sign Of The Southern Cross." Dio's choppy delivery is at times awkward on songs such as "War Pigs" and "Paranoid," and there are a few more solo sections than what you'll find on the studio renditions, most of which are clearly superior to these versions. Still, there's a reason that Dio is considered one of the all-time great heavy metal singers, and by and large he's in fine form while Appice is a total beast throughout. So, given that it's better than any Ozzy-era live Sabbath cd (the five I own are sketchy, inconsistent), I would definitely recommend this live Dio-era album, though not before checking out most of the other albums on this page. Afterwards, Black Sabbath continued onwards with a multitude of singers, Ian Gillan (Born Again) and Glenn Hughes (Seventh Star) dropping by for an album apiece and Tony Martin contributing to several. Really, the Black Sabbath name should've been retired with Dio if not Ozzy, but Iommi's tyrannical manager Don Arden insisted that every album he was involved with be called Black Sabbath whether that was what he wanted or not (often it wasn't). By my unofficial count, Sabbath has had at least 22 members since '77 (when Ozzy briefly quit), including four singers who never sang a note on record! (Ray Gillen, later of the woefully underrated Badlands with ex-Ozzy guitarist Jake E. Lee, sang literally one note on Eternal Idol, a demonic laugh that was accidentally left in the mix). Needless to say, the bands rotating membership has done little to help their overall legacy, and in truth some of the post Dio albums are better than you've probably been led to believe (maybe I'll eventually review some of them). Dio even returned for 1992's Dehumanizer and in 2007 the band undertook a successful world tour with Megadeth, albeit as Heaven and Hell due to legal complications, presumably with Sharon Osbourne. Fuck that, they're still Black Sabbath, and along with Megadeth they put on one hell of a show on May 19, 2007, that much I can assure you.
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