Black Sabbath Project

Like the levels of heaven or hell, music fans battle who’s the bigger fan, the guy with the band logo tattooed on his forearm, the one who bought each album the week it hit the streets, the fan with the most torn ticket stubs, the one with the most band merch or the one who makes mixes and mashups of the band’s songs. The debate is endless. There isn’t a band I can claim to be the “ultimate fan”. There will always be someone out there who will be first in line, know more trivia or wants to be super fan number one.

There are a “handful” of bands I treasure. When one of their songs plays, I will pause and acknowledge the song, like some stop to smell the roses. A band with that kind of sway, is a band I have listened to one or more of their albums front-to-back seemingly 1,000s of times. Songs invoking a flail of air guitar and a tone deaf vocal. A band who penned (give or take) ten songs like this, I would consider myself a genuine “big fan”.

Interestingly no matter how many times I hear certain songs it doesn’t always equal being that super fan who buys every album let alone give a listen. Some bands, like past friendships are just fine the way they were, no need to complicate things with songs I don’t know. Right? The thought crossed my mind enough times to re-think my position. Any band with a bigger catalogue, than I’m warm and fuzzy about earns the right to be heard, thoroughly. At best we will discover a deeper appreciation for a favored band, at worst we confirm the albums we consider classic, remain so.

The first band in the series: Black Sabbath

A band I am warm and fuzzy about (in a gloomy, tough guy kinda way) is an undisputed champion of rock n roll; a Cronos to heavy metal’s Zeus. Black Sabbath is one of the few bands I can think of with a song, an album name and the band’s name all the same (on one record) making a trilogy. The group’s name wasn’t originally, Black Sabbath, supposedly named after a “B” movie released in the late ’60s starring Boris Karlov — the original “Dracula” on film.

The band’s original name was Earth. It’s a tough one, Black Sabbath is such a great name for a heavy, sinister sounding rock outfit. Earth is a great name too, decades later another band snatched the name, unsurprisingly they are also a heavy rock group.

The following is a brief review of each studio album released by Black Sabbath, some are a first listen, some the first in many years and some very familiar, making this whole experience a lot of fun. The music Sabbath released in their early years, some refer to as the “Ozzy” years goes last. The most recent album is the first, their debut the last.

“13” (2013)

Released in 2013, the album included a deluxe version with three bonus tracks, highlighted by, “Pariah” a signature Sabbath song, kicks off with a one-minute instrumental intro. A band with a genre-defining past reclaims their place as modern masters of hard rock. The album peaked at number one on nine nation’s music charts, including the U.S., the group’s home U.K. chart and a clean sweep of the Scandinavian countries. Not bad for a Geezer and a couple other rock gods, Ozzy and Tony if you aren’t familiar. The song Zeitgeist is a familiar tempo change Sabbath threw at us, think “Planet Caravan” on the “Paranoid” album. Rock n Roll lives!

“Reunion” (1998)

A live double album, a reunion of the original line up. There are two additional studio tracks to whet the appetite of the legions of Sabbath fans around the world. The live set is a “greatest hits” of the Ozzy studio album days. A fan of the 70s era, original line up, hearing Ozzy sing “Mob Rules” or “Sign of the Southern Cross” is wishful thinking. “Psycho Man” and “Selling My Soul”, the two new studio tracks fall flat. Hearing the original line up put out fresh tracks demonstrates the lads did it the right way. Instead of cashing in on a re-tread of the rock n roll hall of fame inductees’ legendary hits, they gave the fans more.

“Forbidden” (1995)

One of the Sabbath albums I neglected until now. The album on the surface sounded like it might be promising. The producer, Ernie C from Body Count and a guest vocal on the opening track by Ice-T was a welcome surprise. The album as a whole just doesn’t live up to the legend. The songs are good enough if it were a new band trying to break into the metal scene, not good enough for the legacy of Black Sabbath.

“Cross Purposes” (1994)

Another album not getting any attention until now. Two in a row. Like most Black Sabbath fans, I was only a fan of the classic original line up and to a degree the RJD (Ronnie James Dio on vocals) years. The only album with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Tony Martin on vocals. “Dying For Love”, the song intro was a moment my ears perked up, the first five tracks were OK. Ballads were a staple of many hair bands in the 80s and early 90s until grunge killed metal. Sabbath rocks a cool tempo change even after the hair metal days were gone. The final track “Evil Eye” is the best on the record, the guitar solos make the rock gods smile from above.

“Dehumanizer” (1992)

All who play RPGs and prefer heavy metal music equals an RJD disciple (RPG + HMM = RJDd). The album is a third attempt at the Iommi/Butler songwriting duo with Ronnie James Dio as vocalist. By the early 90s heavy metal was dying a slow death. Hair metal was the most noticeable and visible (MTVs Headbanger’s Ball and a hand full of radio stations in major cities) for the heavy metal set. The grunge sound was already making some music fans listen up.

The lead track, “Computer God” is a foreshadowing of the digital age, well before it’s time. In the early 90s home PCs and Apple computers were clunky, boxy and very expensive. The lyrics capture a dismal post techno-apocalyptic world.

“Letters From Earth” took about 90 seconds to grab my ear. Nice slow, clean guitar licks. Tony plays with the best of the metal guitar riff-masters and makes it sound effortless.

Dehumanizer demonstrates although the Sabs were aged compared to the young, hair teased, spandex wearing poster boys for early 90s metal, Tony and Geezer are always one step ahead of the rest when it comes to writing a heavy metal song, and being true to the heavy metal dress code, black, and more black.

“Tyr” (1990)

An album admittedly I don’t believe I’ve heard before. The years without Ozzy or RJD, haven’t (until now) stirred much interest. Tony Martin is a totally different vocal, matches more of the vocal styles of popular metal acts around the same time (think, Skid Row, Love/Hate and Kingdom Come).

The first track “Anno Mundi” translates to “year of the world”. It’s vocal forward, the musicianship is outstanding, just not the heights of Sabbath’s songwriting. They did set a pretty high standard throughout the 70s and early 80s.

The “Sabbath Stones” is a stand out track. Melodic, reminds of Iron Maiden. Martin’s vocals shine on this song. The bridge toward the end of the song is heavy metal excellence, and the outro vocal fireworks is a certain contender to win any of the major television network singing competition shows on today.

“Feels Good to Me” is an interesting song. It is a real departure from the classic Sabbath riffing. It sounds really bluesy and a little jazz fusion. The vocals are strong, a quality track indeed.

“Headless Cross” (1989)

The instrumental intro, “Gates of Hell” is tired, sort of spooky sounding with effects and voices to give it some dimension. The title track is reminiscent of a song that would fit well on “Mob Rules” or “Born Again”. I can hear Ian Gillian or RJD singing this song.

“When Death Calls” is a standout track. The song is six plus minutes. In the middle of the song the guitar work is outstanding. I was mentally tuning out, when the chorus shook me back to reality. I would like to hear this song on the radio today, it would assuredly get cranked up. Interesting liner note (from Wikipedia), Brian May of Queen fame is a guest solo guitarist on the song.

The last two songs are well crafted, “Black Moon” and “Nightwing” an homage to the James Bond type character. If the record were an EP with the last two tracks and “When Death Calls”, it would have been a much more appealing Sabbath effort. The majority of the album is average.

“The Eternal Idol” (1987)

The first Sabbath recording with their fifth lead vocalist, Tony Martin. The album cover is quite provocative, a photo of two nude models posed as one sculpture.

The guitar intro lead into “Hard Life to Love” jolted me out of my multitasking. Third track on the album is a stand out. Martin’s low raspy vibrato is a natural tone for the song.

“Born to Lose” sounds like a fusion between an 80’s hair band and Led Zeppelin. Martin’s vocals are reminiscent of Robert Plant’s. Emulating a fellow Brit hard rock outfit is a pleasant surprise. I can envision hearing this track strolling down Sunset Blvd on a hot summer L.A. night.

A 2010 version of the album included a bonus track, “Some Kind a Woman”. It is a rollicking track rooted in the early rock songs of the late 50s and sounds like it belongs on the “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” soundtrack. Why this song didn’t appear on the original release is a mystery. It is easily the most approachable song on the “deluxe” edition. More investigation into why this track didn’t make the cut is in order!

The album as a whole is average late 80s era metal, nothing groundbreaking. Iommi doesn’t need to prove his guitar genius to anyone. The fact the contemporary music of the time was so similar, the Sabbath mystique didn’t have the same allure as it did in the 70’s. The legend of Black Sabbath may have suffered as result their sound was too similar to the popular hard rock on the radio and MTV at the same time, thus “drowned out” by all the hair metal and thrash metal bands. It is pleasing Tony and company never subjected themselves to the outrageous costumes of the 80s metal scene. His black on black outfits were and still are just right.

“Seventh Star” (1986)

My first listen to Seventh Star comes 30 plus years on. The mid 80s metal scene gave up on Black Sabbath or so it seemed at the time. Glenn Hughes is the vocalist on the record, his first and only. It is possible the Black Sabbath fan base carried out a revolt against the idea of a “last man” standing record. In fact, the album cover at its release included the sub text, “featuring Tony Iommi”. Sensibility says it’s almost political, the disregard to this album in Sabbath’s official catalog. In effect the album was a Tony Iommi solo project. The near future with Tony Martin on vocals and Geezer in the mix, it felt more legit Sabbath music.

The opening track, “In For the Kill” is a love child spawned by Iron Maiden and the vastly under-rated pre-NWOBH invasion, Budgie. Solid first track, doesn’t sound much like the Sabs.

The title track “Seventh Star” is a sleepy, slow riff-packed guitar driven song. It makes me think a man in black, evil-twin to Don Henley. Tony’s guitar playing on this track is a far departure from his classic genre defining guitar wizardry. The outro of the song sounds Dio inspired, eeire sounding wind closes out the track.

“Danger Zone” is the next song. Sounds just as good as any filler song on “Ultimate Sin”, Ozzy’s album at the time. The thought of these two icons apart for about 20 years, and their anchor Geezer casted a shadow over the entire metal scene. No disrespect to Mr. Bill Ward, any true Black Sabbath fan wants the four to stick together.

“Born Again” (1983)

Born Again is the first Ozzy-less Sabbath record I heard. Headbangers Ball played the “Trashed” video, the lead track a few times. Ian Gillian had the British metal scene street cred, former lead singer of Deep Purple, a rock band most any metal fan cranks up. The demon baby record cover is true pop art.

Bill Ward returns to the band, with his signature heavy beat. Hearing Ozzy sing this song live with Geezer and Tony would make my day. The Sabbath sound is alive and well with “Trashed”, excellent lead track.

“Stonehenge/Disturbing the Priest” intro is a sci-fi fantasy film score piece, and sound effects remind me of the instrumental leading into “Mob Rules”. Gillian’s vocal attack at the transition into “Disturbing the Priest” is pure rock n roll.

“The Dark” is a less than one-minute instrumental transition to arguably the best track on the record, “Zero the Hero”, I can hear Slayer sounding guitar at the beginning. It proves Tony and Geezer’s excellent ear for young talented bands and the next wave of heavy rock music.

“Zero the Hero” is the best single, standout radio friendly song on the album. It’s a great song to add to a party play list, add it in there with AC/DC, Def Leppard and Van Halen, you’ll thank me later when you get credit for enlightening more people to Black Sabbath.

A tale of two record sides. Side two is a let-down, it sounds like the creativity was all used up. The album might have more success if it were an EP.

“Mob Rules” (1981)

Too young to appreciate the RJD Sabbath years in real time, this album didn’t enter my “musical radar” until I had already heard all the Ozzy helmed albums. Without question, Mob Rules is my favorite Sabbath record without Ozzy on vocals and is possibly in my top three in their discography.

The lead track “Turn Up the Night” displays Geezer’s brilliance. Next time you put Mob Rules on the stereo (phone, tablet, whatever), EQ the bass up a few notches. The fading guitar solo at the end of the song is brilliant.

“Sign of the Southern Cross”, the title track, “Mob Rules” (a feature track on the cult classic animated film, “Heavy Metal” soundtrack) and “Country Girl” are all songs I would add to a playlist.

“Slipping Away” is a vastly underrated song in the pantheon of heavy metal rock songs. The track is a perfect fusion between a Sabbath classic and a Led Zeppelin anthem. Don’t take my word for it, relax, put on some earphones and listen.

“Falling off the Edge of the World” is a song I defy any upstart hard rock act to cover this song and play it with precision. A band that can do this song justice is a seriously talented group of musicians.

The final song, “Over and Over” is a nice filler track, the only track not mentioned, so I’m mentioning it.

“Heaven and Hell” (1980)

I’m in the minority with most Black Sabbath fans (with the exception of the Ozzy era purists), I’m not a huge fan of this album. The lead track “Neon Knights” is a solid fast paced rock song, there are just too many good Sabbath tracks. My version of a greatest hits Sabbath album would be on the fence about this song. It’s a crowd pleaser for many heavy metal fans.

The first studio record without Ozzy on lead vocals. It to this day divides music fans. Some say it’s not the same band and there are those who appreciate the totally different vocal approach. It adds a dimension to the Butler/Iommi song writing duo not present with Ozzy.

The cover art is brilliant, angels playing cards and smoking cigarettes. This experiment is increasing my appreciation for RJDs contribution to the legacy of the Black Sabbath legend.

“Never Say Die!” (1978)

The consensus is, the last studio album with the original line up until the “13” record released thirty plus years later, is a dud. It is understood any rock n roll hall of fame group like Black Sabbath won’t put out a gem every time. It is likely by the time the foursome entered the recording studio, there were too many specters haunting the band to make another sonic masterpiece.

This record I’ve heard a few dozen times. Two studio (Ozzy fronted) albums in a row lacking that signature Sabbath musical genius. The one track that is a stand out is “Hard Road”.

There are some beautiful musical moments on this record, the guitar intro to “Shockwave” stands out. In all, this record just doesn’t live in the pantheon of metal classics. It’s still a Sabbath record, any fan of the group would still spin on occasion.

“Technical Ecstasy” (1976)

An album forgotten by most Sabbath fans, it’s a decent rock n roll record. The lead track “Back Street Kids” is a different tempo, solo structure. It’s an album I listened to a dozen times. It is nice to hear it again. It makes this project a lot of fun.

The album art is a cool early 1920s artist meets contemporary graffiti artist style. An album cover put in front of 100 self-professed rock n roll “experts” most wouldn’t guess it’s a Black Sabbath album artwork.

“You Won’t Change Me” is the second track. The intro is very reminiscent to a Led Zeppelin song. A slow, heavy rock song written and released in the disco and upstart punk rock era. Hard rock was in a vice grip, squeezed by lighter, dance friendly tracks and the audible sneer of punk. This song is what rock fans were meant to hear on the radio. A six plus minute track, it is not radio friendly, unfortunately. It is very similar to Queen’s songwriting (see “Headless Cross” album — Brian May is referenced), Tony and Geezer still wrote good rock songs.

“It’s Alright” is a song I remember on this album. The lead vocals, Bill Ward. See the video, he is legit singing, a nice tone. It’s familiar like the Eagles songwriting. It’s a departure from their signature heavy grooves. The song features acoustic guitar.

“Rock n Roll Doctor” is the other song I remember. Ozzy’s vocals are perfect for this song. It’s a piano forward song, perhaps an experimental song, or their intention was to write something contemporary to the radio friendly rock band, think: ELO, Grand Funk, two groups evoking this song.

Interesting fact learned today, the album was recorded in Miami, FL (source: Wikipedia). It makes sense considering their studio’s surroundings influencing the song writing change of pace. The album feels like an American rock band, learning it was recorded stateside, makes a lot of sense when hearing the songs.

“Sabotage” (1975)

An album I owned in my record collection at least once, maybe twice. Conservatively this album spun at least a hundred times. Most Sabbath fans I know will consider this the final “great” Black Sabbath album. Some don’t like this one at all.

The lead track “Hole in the Sky” is spot on Sabbath riffing, heavy battery, and Ozzy’s signature vocal, makes for a nice jump off for the record.

“Don’t Start (Too Late)” is less than a one-minute acoustic guitar interlude, reminiscent of a classical string arrangement in a fancy concert hall.

“Symptom of the Universe” is the stand out track on this record. Keep it short and sweet.

The second song standing out, “Thrill of it All”. I will add this song to a lot of playlists.

Listening to Sabotage again for the first time in several years reminds me how talented this group of musicians are and have been for so long. This album inspires me to dig deeper, listen to G/Z/R again, Geezer Butler’s side project. I recall liking a few songs on the album.

First to last track the record is an excellent hard rock album, four stars out of four stars. Where many Sabbath fans and casual rock n roll listeners (e.g. top 40, top of the pops, etc) the best songs on the album are all five plus minutes, making radio rotations tough. It makes me think the band wrote this album for their fans.

“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” (1973)

An album in my top ten all-time listened to albums. For six months the cassette deck in my Datsun 510 stuck. The “eject” button didn’t work. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was the soundtrack to everywhere I travelled in my car. There are two songs on this album that represent pillars in the canon of Sabbath songwriting, “A National Acrobat” and “Spiral Architect”.

The lead track and album namesake is a beast of a heavy rock song from the first note. In the first 60 seconds of the song, it starts with a hellish guitar riff and transitions to a subdued ballad. The song is a piece of heavy rock legend.

Second track on the album, “National Acrobat” is a Sabbath song most casual heavy metal fans will guess right yet won’t know the song title. The guitar and rhythm intro sounds like an influential riff to future heavy metal legends, Iron Maiden. Geezer and Steve Harris are without question two of the most talented rock songwriters and technically gifted players. For those funk and jazz fans out there, this song from about the second minute on is a hard rock song you will appreciate.

“Fluff” the third track is an instrumental composition, a 180° change from their signature metal sound. It sounds like background music to a slo-mo nature film. To many Sabbath fans, this song is an embarrassment. To others, it demonstrates their songwriting craft despite the genre the band defines.

The finale, “Spiral Architect” is an excellent rock song. Terrestrial rock radio stations read this, you are playing a lot of tired same ol’ same ol’ rock songs, be bold and play this song. Your listeners ears will be pleasantly surprised. What difference will it make, streaming music is eating your lunch anyway. Ask any modern rock star, he or she agrees with me.

“Vol. 4” (1972)

Vol. 4 is classic album art. The silhouette of Ozzy’s signature, hands over head peace signs. The album was recorded at the legendary, “Record Plant” studios in Los Angeles. Some Led Zeppelin fans think Sabbath copied Zeppelin’s fourth studio recording album name. Sabbath fans point out the “IV” album is an unofficial title at best.

The lead track “Wheels of Confusion” is a fuzzed out hard rocking eight-minute jam. This song was meant to be heard live.

“Supernaut” is a song every Sabbath fan can agree is on any heavy metal playlist or mixtape. Remember mix tapes, it’s kinda cute, like making a collage with magazine clippings. In the twentieth century we made do with what we had, cassettes.

“St Vitus Dance” is an under-appreciated Sabbath song. It rocks like any of their classics. Maybe it’s the song title that throws people off. It does sound like a sleepy, filler track on its surface. It’s a short, two-minute track worth giving a listen if you aren’t already in the know.

The final song, “Under the Sun/Everyday Comes and Goes” is a blueprint for so many rock splinter-genre; “stoner rock” bands. Supporting the theory, Bongzilla covers the song on their album, “Stash”. Enough said.

“Master of Reality” (1971)

Black Sabbath were ascending as a commercially accepted heavy rock band in the U.S. Their third studio album was the first and only top 10 charting record until their most recent outing, “13” some 40 years on. An album I’ve listened to 100s of plays. It may be the first Black Sabbath album I heard in its entirety.

The signature cough intro to the first track “Sweet Leaf” is an homage to cannabis. It’s a song most stoners will agree is an anthem to their lifestyle.

Their third album is a workman-like effort. A classic to any heavy metal fan. It is full of the signature heavy, heavy blues-y rock n roll noise. The record is bookended by the two stand out tracks, the aforementioned “Sweet Leaf” and “Into the Void”, a slice of classic heavy metal greatness from the Sabs. It’s another song missing from rotation on radio. No wonder rock n roll is losing its luster, songs like Into the Void aren’t being played enough for young music fans to hear the brilliance and inspire them to be the next gen rock n rollers.

“Paranoid” (1970)

Their second album, and the second in one year. The Sabs legacy builds with their sophomore effort. A celebrated work in the minds of any heavy metal fan and an inspiration to legions of musicians. The opening track, “War Pigs” might be the first Black Sabbath song I heard. The lyrics tell the unfortunate truth about the modern relationship between average citizens and their political leaders. A music listener not so inclined to the symphonic sounds of heavy metal will be intrigued by the message.

The album is one classic track after the next, culminating in “Fairies Wear Boots”, my favorite song on the album. The subject matter is about drug consumption, maybe too many. In all, the album is best listened to straight through.

“Black Sabbath” (1970)

Their debut album, titled simply Black Sabbath. The first song is also titled Black Sabbath. A trio, raising the question when someone asks about the band, one may reply, the song, the band or the album?

The soundscape intro is ominous, pouring rain, church bells, then a mood appropriate musical intro as images of a dismal, eerie scene inhabits the mind. The title song is a perfect introduction to the legend of Black Sabbath. A curious sort is best to start at the beginning, the first song on their first album, sets the tone for the legendary music catalog that follows.

My favorite Sabbath song, without question is the second track, “The Wizard”. The song opens with a harmonica, then the thunderous heavy blues drenched guitars and drums in unison deliver a sonic punch to the face. I distinctly remember where I was the first time I heard the song. Although I’d listened to the Paranoid album and mostly likely a few additional songs, this one escaped me. I had no idea who it was. My Black Sabbath fandom was stamped, “official” after hearing this song.

The album as a whole is a heavy, bluesy in some ways a romantic record with respect to its commitment to a revolutionary new style of rock n roll. Before 1970, the landscape of “heavy rock” was littered with a few bands referred to as either “punk rock” or “garage rock”. The term, “heavy metal” may not have been a creation of Iommi, Butler, Osbourne and Ward, they became the personification of the genre.

SUMMARY

The project was a long time coming. Black Sabbath is a group with a wide fan base from the average looking Joe or Jane to tattooed bikers, clean cut preppy Wall Street types to cerebrally gifted/socially inept people, and so on. Despite a long history, the band’s accolades are few compared to the high rotation radio airplay, and awards of fellow Rock n Roll hall of fame inductees.

Although I was not yet of this world, the history and music nerd in me realizes the oddity Black Sabbath must have been in the age of Woodstock. It conjures an image of landing on an alien world and observing the lifeforms for the first time, exotic, requiring explanation to those yet to see for themselves.

Through this project, I learned any band producing a series of songs one’s ears and soul jives with, taking a deeper dive into the band’s catalog is well worth the experience. The majority of Sabbath fan’s voice without Ozzy or Ronnie James Dio, the remaining albums are dismissed or forgotten. I Learned the Tony Martin era albums deliver a different dynamic, and for the most part have reinforced my sincere appreciation for the music and artistry of Black Sabbath’s near 50-year career.

I learned with all the great music out there, it’s easy to think “there’s no good new music”. I’ve uttered those lazy words myself. The fact is, the landscape of music distribution is far different than it was when I was a teen. As a fan of music, the true joy is discovering a new artist, band, album, song, genre and so on. If we can’t get past the defeatist thoughts, finding new music is too time consuming or just not knowing where to begin, there is an abundance of creative soul enriching music to discover for the first time or reacquaint yourself. The old saying, “something old is new again” rings true. Unless you are a “super fan”, many bands have studio releases, “b sides” and, back catalogs to explore. Dive in…

EPILOGUE

A couple months on since completing the project, first in a series of artist catalog reviews, a few Sabbath songs now are in the “high rotation” club. A couple tracks from Technical Ecstasy, and a pleasant surprise, a few tracks from the Tony Martin era, namely “Sabbath Stones”, “Hard Life to Love” and “Some Kind of Woman”. My appreciation for the band is at an all-time high. My instinct to expand my musical horizons is validated by discovering tracks I dismissed in the past. A beautiful thing about music is, it is forgiving.

Next project: Miles Davis, stay tuned…