Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Black Sabbath-Sabbath, bloody sabbath, 1973

Everyone has their favorite album by an artist. As far as Sabbath goes, I have switched favorites over the years, but ultimately I think my favorite is this one although the debut and Volume 4 come very close. I think this disc is a combination of aspects of the band's previous outings. I think it has some of the eeriness of the debut, the memorable riffs of Paranoid, the fuzzy distortion of Masters of reality and the heaviness of Volume four. Yet it also sees the band being able to make very smooth pace changes and Ozzy may have been at his peak. My feeling is that this is the original line-up at their tightest. The title track comes on like a steamroller with it's heavy yet fairly simple riff and the song builds and Ozzy gets his voice going to a level he has only rarely achieved. "National Acrobat" begins with all the gloom of a week full of rainy days. On this album the band doesn't just play, but rather they seem in total control of really putting emotion to every single part of this album. My favorite track is "Spiral Architect". I realize it's not a typical track for the band. It's a little less heavy and less of the gloom and doom yet it also very much brings across the offbeat approach that was so much a part of this band's appeal to me. I also think the band sounded extremely confident and excited on this album. Unfortunately it would be one more good album in Sabotage and then things would start to turn sour for the original line-up. Still this is to me one of the best heavy metal albums of all time and very much required listening for any fan of heavy music.

***Black Sabbath week continues on Thursday with "Black Sabbath after Ozzy".

4 Comments:

Blogger David Amulet said...

I totally agree. As I mentioned earlier, "Spiral Architect" is one of my Sabbath favorites. Actually, based on your review, I'm putting this in my new round of six car CDs!

-- david

10:44 AM  
Blogger Will said...

I can't argue with your pick Mark. I think I've mentioned to you before that my favourite is Volume 4 but to be honest their first five albums are all top notch.

2:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with Ben, Volume 4 was always my favorite of the Ozzy years...Wheels of Confusion was one of the songs that got me through High School...I would crank it out every morning before leaving the house, which put me in the proper frame of mind to deal... that and listening to Diary of a Madman in the parking lot before class :)

Having said that, you made me pull Sabbath Bloody Sabbath out and listen to it yesterday...I forgot how good it is!!! Thanks!

5:28 AM  
Blogger Metal Mark said...

David-hope you enjoy it.

Sgt. Fluffy-Check it out.

Ben-Volume 4 is a killer too.

anony-You are welcome.

8:46 AM  

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