Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath

Track Listings

1. Black Sabbath

2. Wizard

3. Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B.

4. Wicked World

5. Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning

Black Sabbath,Black Sabbath,Warner Bros / Wea,70's Rock,Album Rock,British Metal,England,Hard Rock,Heavy Metal,Rock

Black Rain
Average customer rating:

Dearly departing Ozman

Five out of Ten songs = 5 stars

Ozzy's Back

Very good album, very consistent.

Ozzy rocks

Black Rain
Ozzy Osbourne
Manufacturer: Epic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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United Abominations

Libertad

Snakes & Arrows

The Dio Years

Minutes to Midnight

ASIN: B000PAAIXY
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

Not Going Away
I Don't Wanna Stop
Black Rain
Lay Your World On Me
God Bless The Almighty Dollar
Silver
Civilize The Universe
Here For You
Countdown's Begun
Trap Door

Amazon.com

Ozzy returns with a startlingly heavy ninth studio album, a record filled with vows to continue his rock 'n' roll ways ("Not Going Away," "I Don't Wanna Stop"), meditations on the state of a world that has changed surprisingly little since Black Sabbath's early days ("Black Rain," "God Bless the Almighty Dollar") and the obligatory ballad ("Here for You," which can be read either as a letter to a lover or a love letter to his fans). With longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde providing plenty of brutal, soul-searing riffs and solos, there's no shortage of reasons to throw the horns, raise your fist, and yell. The rhythm section of Mike Bordin (drums) and Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (drums) is simply the best since Randy Castillo and Phil Soussan joined up for 1986's The Ultimate Sin and fires most accurately on the title cut, "Lay Your World On Me" and "Countdown's Begun." There's no "Crazy Train" or "Mama I'm Coming Home" here but Black Rain is a more convincing statement for it. The promises Ozzy makes here are sincere, he's not going away anytime soon--and he's still got plenty of game. --Jedd Beaudoin

Customer Reviews:

Dearly departing Ozman.......2007-07-31

You MUST buy this if only for collections sake. Since this will be his last album (or so says he) you Must savor it!!
Mr. Ozman Sir, you are a master artist of your genre, your contributions to R & R will be grieviously missed.
Even though I love only 2 of the songs, I will listen to this and cherish the music and your voice and lyrics.
You are a delicious little addiction of mine.

Five out of Ten songs = 5 stars.......2007-07-24

When I first listened to this CD, I was blown away because the first three tracks were all songs that I liked and I began thinking that this could become the best Ozzy album EVER! Those thoughts quickly evaporated as I listened to tracks 4-7 and found myself wondering how things went so wrong in the middle of the album. Tracks 8-10 restored my excitement and left me with mixed feelings after my first listen.

Since then, I have found that I absolutely love the songs "Black Rain" and "Countdown's Begun". I have played those over and over and I feel they really carry this album. "I Don't Wanna Stop" is probably my third favorite and then "Not Going Away" would be next. For the fifth best track, I would have to decide between the ballad "Here For You" or "Trap Door".

I know a lot of people have complained about the packaging for the CD, but I would like to remind everyone that Ozzy was giving away FREE concert tickets in those early release CDs. I am sure the thin packaging and cardboard slip cover helped cut down on the CD processing costs. This may have helped Ozzy to be able to give away an entire tour for free. I would also appreciate liner notes and better packaging, but if you had to choose between that and free concert tickets, I think the tickets provide a lot better value so I find it hard to complain.

When I think about this CD overall, I find that I really enjoy about half of the ten songs and find the others somewhat forgettable. For this reason, I decided to give it five stars, even though I don't truly feel it is worthy of that high of a rating (maybe 4.5 stars??). I suppose my logic is anytime you find an album that has five out of ten good songs that you like, I think that qualifies as an excellent album.

Ozzy's Back.......2007-07-18

Finally!!! A new Ozzy album. Good album; although a bit on the soft side (similar to Down to Earth). This album is filled with thick Zakk riffs and licks, which was worth the purchase. If you're an Ozzy fan, it's worth the purchase, if only to add to the collection.

Very good album, very consistent........2007-07-17

At first, I was not blown away by this. But after a few more spins, I really started to like it. It is not as heavy as some of his earlier stuff, but it is better than most of his later work. I like most of the songs. There are no big standouts, but not any really low points either. The album is pretty even and if you like any other work from Ozzy, you probably will enjoy this.

My favorite track is "Lay Your World On Me" and my least favorite is "Trap Door".

My favorite Ozzy album is "No More Tears" followed by "No Rest For The Wicked" which were the first 2 albums Ozzy used Zakk Wylde. I do also really like "Diary Of A Madman", but only for the few standouts it has. I did not care much for "Down To Earth" which was the last album Zakk was on.

Along with this album, I am currently listening to Megadeth-United Abominations, Dream Theater-Systematic Chaos, and Kamalot-Ghost Opera.

Ozzy rocks.......2007-07-13

Ozzy rocks with this one. I would highly recommend it. Many of the songs are on current topics, war, global warming, but with the Ozzy and Zakk Wylde sound we've loved throughout the years. His voice has never been better.

Average customer rating:

Missing a Digit
There are no flowers in Birmingham
Sabbath finds their groove
The founders of a genre
No Explanation or Introduction Needed for This Masterpiece

Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Black Sabbath
Master of Reality
Black Sabbath, Vol.4
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Sabotage

ASIN: B000002KHH
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

War Pigs/Luke's Wall
Paranoid
Planet Caravan
Iron Man
Electric Funeral
Hand Of Doom
Rat Salad
Jack The Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots

Amazon.com essential recording

Though most of Black Sabbath's classic material from this album ("War Pigs," "Iron Man," "Fairies Wear Boots," and the title track) can also be found on the collection We Sold Our Soul for Rock & Roll, Paranoid is essential for the completist. One of the best albums from one of the bands to define heavy metal, this album is chock-full of the best stuff from Sabbath's Osbourne years. (Where else will you be able to hear "Rat Salad?") The music isn't exactly complex, but it doesn't need to be; its importance lies in its evocative power, with which any teenager will be able to identify. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

Missing a Digit.......2007-07-19

I believe it was Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath fame who played his guitar with the use of only three fingers. Fact or fiction?

There are no flowers in Birmingham.......2007-07-15

It's amazing that this band existed during the era of "flower power" and peace and love. On the other hand, maybe that IS the reason they existed. In any event, you should have this record, if only as a reference point for "heavy metal". I like it, even though I'm more of a jazz/blues cat.

Sabbath finds their groove.......2007-07-11

Many would argue that this is the best Sabbath collection ever created. I would agree in that this is the Black Sabbath showcase, the mold, the direction for which all later releases would follow. Where the superb debut album lacked direction, "Paranoid" picks up the slack: Ozzy found his vocal style niche, and the album's production and sound were now nailed down; we now hear well structured, polished songs rather than extended, sometimes aimless jams. It is hard not to compare this to the debut album since they were released within such a short period of time. To be fair, "Paranoid" almost sounds like a different band. That's not to say the first album was poorly made, just different, perhaps even a bit more creative....Sabbath finding their way. Some may actually prefer the more raw debut effort, with it's "dirty" loose jam feel. With Paranoid, it's almost as if Sabbath were brought in off the street and given a shower, fresh new clothing, haircuts and a shave; the band was now flying in formation, and as a result, the songs as a whole are just a bit more listenable than the prior effort. Although most have heard this album countless times since its release, to this day it is hard to deny the magnitude of the triple punch of War Pigs, Paranoid, Iron Man and then Fairies Wear Boots on side two when first heard. Side one of the vinyl, with the exception of "Planet Caravan" goes down as downright brilliant, albeit some may say musically overly simplistic. The lesser known songs are also a treat, such as "Electric Funeral". All in all, no hard rock record/cd collection should be without "Paranoid".

The founders of a genre.......2007-06-24

There is absolutely no reason this album should not be rated 5 stars. It should be 6 stars, probably 7. Its Sgt Pepper for metal.

Tony Iommi lost the ends of his fingertips, he shouldn't even be able to play the guitar. I imagine they'll make a movie out of this fact someday. For those of you who wonder how someone with prosthetics plays, he downtuned his guitar (the 'heavy' sound) and played riffs. These two things established the sound of an entire genre that the world now labels as 'metal'. Can anyone other band lay claim to something like that?

Ozzy gets extremely lucky, first with Iommi, then Rhoads, now Wylde.

Anyway, even if you don't dig metal as much as me or anyone else, you might still enjoy this. War Pigs, Paranoid, and Iron Man. The most famous Sabbath songs, all on one little disc thats so old you can get it dirt cheap now.

War Pigs also showcases on of the best guitar solos ever.

No Explanation or Introduction Needed for This Masterpiece.......2007-06-21

If every single C.D. in the world was to be wiped off the earth, but I was allowed to keep just one album, "Paranoid" would be that album. That's how strongly I feel about this album, and that's how utterly vital I believe this band is and how much I respect Black Sabbath. Ozzy, Tony, Geezer, and Bill were (and still are) four hard-working, blue-collar gentlemen, who appreciated a good tune and a stiff drink as much as you or I. They respected the `peace and happiness' thing that all the other bands were singing about, but they wanted the other side of life (the dark and depressing side) to make an appearance as well. Their environment and lives were shown through the music that they created (which was very misunderstood), and it definitely worked for A LOT of people. Say what you want about the band, whether you praise and exalt them or ridicule their guts out, because not one solitary person can deny Sabbath's contributions to the metal genre and their influence on every single metal band in the business...PERIOD! Since their inception, Sabbath have been creating historical and monumental work, significantly making their mark on the music industry in more ways than one could ever imagine. And what makes me sick is the so-called metal fans saying stuff like "oh yeah, Paranoid's an okay album, but it's just so overrated" or "sure the songs on there are {hip} enough, but they get overplayed so much it's repulsive". Hell, if anything, Paranoid doesn't get ENOUGH credit in our society, and about the songs being overplayed, chew on this thought. Those of you who agree with this reviewer, remember the very first time you heard Paranoid. Whether that golden year was in 1970, '80, '90, 2007, or whatever, just close your eyes and think back to the feelings you felt when this inexplicable album was spinning. The throbbing your neck endured after head banging to the title track, the raspy and sore feeling in your throat after singing along to "War Pigs", the chills and goose bumps you got when the main riff for "Electric Funeral" was underway, or how about the disappointment of having to buy new speakers after "Iron Man" blew out your old ones. Yes, all of those feelings (and many more) are why you immediately adored this album and in turn treasured it in your hearts forever. I'm here, not to urge everyone to buy this album (because if you truly love metal, then you already own this), but to restore the admiration that one should feel about this incredible album, and to reinstate the motto that Sabbath started so long ago: "We sold our souls for rock n roll"!

Average customer rating:

The Dio Years, not something that should be overlooked!
... Don't Own "The Dio Years" But This is What I Think it Could've Been ...
It's about time
New Dio-Sabbath songs
\m/

The Dio Years
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Snakes & Arrows
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Black Rain
HELLYEAH
Black Rain (Includes Bonus Ozzfest Ticket Offer)

ASIN: B000NA77YO
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

Neon Knights
Lady Evil
Heaven & Hell
Die Young
Lonely Is The Word
The Mob Rules
Turn Up The Night
Voodoo
Falling Off The Edge Of The World
After All (The Dead)
TV Crimes
I
Children Of The Sea (Live)
The Devil Cried
Shadow Of the Wind
Ear In The Wall

Amazon.com

The idea of Black Sabbath without Ozzy Osbourne was a form of metal sacrilege in 1980, at least until people heard Ronnie James Dio belt out "Oh no, here it comes again..." to open the reformed band's Heaven and Hell. Dio's low-growl had a yowl, squaring frightfully with Tony Iommi's more reined-in crunch. And Sabbath was reborn, playing faster than they had with Ozzy and drawing crowds. Five tracks from Heaven make it to this set, where four from successor, Mob Rules, show up. The winners from each: "Neon Nights" and "Turn Up the Night," both quick, hefty wailers, steamrolling on sheer riffing tonnage. Dehumanizer rekindled the Sabbath/Dio marriage in 1992, showing speed metal's intervening influence--and the band holds up well, racing atop Vinnie Appice's iron-armed drums and Iommi's relentless, intentionally range-limited riffs. Then there are the three new tracks, all benefiting from 2006's richer low-end production and metal's return to a slower grind--where Iommi is more thrilling doling out sludge, as on "Shadow of the Wind," where chords sound slo-mo and blessedly narrow in range. Yes, "Ear on the Wall" closes the set in a hurried, fast- (not speed-) metal vibe, but at best the band is deliberately mid-tempo, making a raucous noise you're happy for after all these years. --Andrew Bartlett

Album Description

Honoring the time Ronnie Dio spent with the band, Black Sabbath's hits "Neon Knights," "Lady Evil," and "Die Young" are featured on this compilation spanning 1980-2006. David Ling contributes liner notes and live versions of "Children of the Sea" and "Country Girl" are showcased.

Customer Reviews:

The Dio Years, not something that should be overlooked!.......2007-07-31

The Mob rules, Lady Evil and TV crimes are just some of the many diamonds that shine and sparkle from the Dio years. Always in the shadow of Ozzy, particularly when Ozzy Osbourne's solo career got off to a great start, Dio was never quite able to establish himself as the "next great singer" of Black Sabbath, but regardless of people's feelings of loyalty towards Oz, Ronnie James Dio still has to be recognized for his own style and signature voice during his tenure with Black Sabbath. I am glad that this CD has been released and have been enjoying it a lot since purchasing it. The quality is top notch and this really is, in my mind a great collection of the best Dio material that comes from the Black Sabbath sessions.

... Don't Own "The Dio Years" But This is What I Think it Could've Been ..........2007-07-27

"The Dio Years" was released this past (April) to promote the up-coming reunion with Dio and the other members of Black Sabbath, who are simply calling themselves "Heaven & Hell" these days. Well, since I don't own
this CD, I can't really tell you about it that much, but I do have most
of the tracks on this set minus the three new ones.

Here is a list of tracks which should've been included, but were excluded
due to time constraints, and the fact that this sampling of the Dio era
of Sabbath is presented on only a single disc:

Children of the sea (studio version from HEAVEN & HELL)
Wishing Well
Sign of the southern cross
Country Girl (MOB RULES)

Computer God
Time Machine
Too Late
Master of Insanity
Letters From Earth (alternate mix) (DEHUMANIZER)

Neon Knights (LIVE)
Heaven and Hell (LIVE VERSION WITH DIO's RANT)
Slipping Away (LIVE W. DRUM SOLO)(LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH ODEON)

I don't think I'm gonna get this one, even if I can find it used.
However, I own the Re-mastered Editions of the three Sabbath/Dio albums
from the 1980's, as well as DEHUMANIZER (1992). ... And I'm
waiting for the new Live album "Live from Radio City Music Hall" by
the Heaven & Hell Project (Iommi + Dio + Butler + Appice), which will hit the shelves on August 28th, 2007.

It's about time.......2007-07-26

To me Ozzy era Sabbath was the greatest band EVER ! Dio era Sabbath was (and currently as Heaven And Hell) is an awesome band . This compilation is great "greatest hits" of the Dio years. The Dio Sabbath albums were all very good . Heaven and Hell , Mob Rules and the very under rated Dehumanizer are all first rate classic metal . This Rhino cd , "The Dio Years" does a great job of representing those 3 albums . The only bad choice of songs on this cd (in my opinion) is the Live Evil version of Children Of The Sea. I think they should have put the studio version on here instead. There was no need to represent Live Evil , yes it was a decent album , but the studio version is much much stronger. The 3 new songs are all classic Dio era Sabbath songs . Get this cd !

New Dio-Sabbath songs.......2007-07-25

Basically this is very good selection from the four Dio sung Sabbath albums, however, some of my favorites are missing. But the major advantage is the three new songs, which are just fabulous. Classic Sabbath tones, dark, mystical but also feels like the last Dio album called Dehumanizer.

\m/.......2007-07-24

If you like the classic Sabbath with Dio then this is a no brainer to purchase. You get the remastered classics plus 3 new songs. I would have paid the 10.99 just for the new songs. They are very good. I wish Sign of the Southern Cross and Country Girl had been included on the CD.

Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978)

Average customer rating:

THE GREATEST BAND EVER
the ozzy years
Black Box!
nice box!
The greatest black box ever

Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978)
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Heaven And Hell
Complete Studio Recordings
Metalogy
The Mob Rules
Dehumanizer

ASIN: B0000DII8S
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Tracks:

Black Sabbath
The Wizard
Wasp/Behind The Wall Of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B.
Wicked World
A Bit Of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning
Evil

Tracks:

War Pigs/Luke's Wall
Paranoid
Planet Caravan
Iron Man
Electric Funeral
Hand Of Doom
Rat Salad
Jack The Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots

Tracks:

Sweet Leaf
After Forever
Embryo
Children of The Grave
Orchid
Lord Of This World
Solitude
Into The Void

Tracks:

Wheels Of Confusion/The Straightener
Tomorrow's Dream
Changes
FX
Supernaut
Snowblind
Cornucopia
Laguna Sunrise
St. Vitus' Dance
Under The Sun/Every Day Comes And Goes

Tracks:

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
A National Acrobat
Fluff
Sabbra Cadabra
Killing Yourself To Live
Who Are you?
Looking For Today
Spiral Architect

Tracks:

Hole In The Sky
Don't Start (Too Late)
Symptom Of The Universe
Magalomania
The Thrill Of It All
Supertzar
Am I Going Insane (Radio)
The Writ

Tracks:

Back Street Kids
You Won't Change Me
It's Alright
Gypsy
All Moving Parts (Stand Still)
Rock 'N' Roll Doctor
She's Gone
Dirty Women

Tracks:

Never Say Die
Johnny Blade
Junior's Eyes
A Hard Road
Shock Wave
Air Dance
Over To You
Breakout
Swinging The Chain

Tracks:

Black Sabbath (Promo Clip)
Paranoid (Live At The Beat Club)
Iron Man (Live At The Beat Club)
Blue Suede Shoes (Live)

Amazon.com

One can make the case that the Beatles, while the most important band of all time, wasn't the most influential. Decades after Black Sabbath laid down the commandments of heavy metal--lyrically, not for the squeamish; musically, dynamic and resolutely heavy--their impact remains improbably undiminished. One needed only to hear the first notes of the eponymous track on their eponymous 1970 debut to know that a new régime had arrived. And while one could (and should!) have mocked them, they would not be stopped. Black Box includes the eight albums recorded between 1970 and 1978 by the founding lineup--Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, and Geezer Butler--in one suitably weighty package. Forgoing bonus tracks (aside from an entertaining but brief four-track DVD extra), the box is rounded off with an impressive 80-page booklet. While the foursome was considerably less fearsome by the time they checked out with Never Say Die, more than half of this collection represents heavy metal with a lasting impact. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

THE GREATEST BAND EVER.......2007-07-26

This is the band that is responsible for heavy metal as we know it . This is the GREATEST band to ever record ! This 8 cd box set is all you will ever need . I have been a huge Sabbath fan since first hearing Master Of Reality back in about 1973 . Here you get 8 amazing cd's with remarkable remastered sound that will blow you away. Since there is really no need to discuss Black Sabbath , Paranoid , Master Of Reality , Volume 4 , Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage , every metal fan knows these cd's as the classic's that they are. There is still 2 more very under rated cd's here . Technical Ecstacy and Never Say Die. Not enough people recognize these cd's , but I truly like both of them . True they are not the classic type Sabbath that the other 6 are . They are still excellent , heavy , hard rockin' albums . Technical Ecstacy has the great Back Street Kids , You Won't Change Me , Gypsy and All Moving Parts . Never Say Die has the great title track along with Shockwave , Juniors Eyes , Hard Road and Over To You . These are 2 cd's that should not be pushed to the side . If you own this box set or plan on buying it , check out these 2 forgotten Sabbath cd's . As usual , with all Rhino box sets this is a first rate effort . The box is beautiful , the book is amazing ,it contains all the lyrics , a great memo and some excellent photos. This is worthy of 10 stars .

the ozzy years .......2007-07-20

wow the box set is the best ever if u dont own any black sabbath cds with ozzy and not sure were to start id say by this althouth this is not all of ozzys work wheres past lives i mean this is all the studio stuff but all in all this is an amazing box the book has a little histiroy photos and a bouns dvd the dvd has four songs on it by this if u are an black sabbath fan u wont regret it

Black Box!.......2007-07-19

Black Sabbath's gotta be one of my favorite bands now. I wanted to get some of their records and the "Black Box" seemed like a good starting point.

Black Sabbath, in my opinion created some of the most brilliant songs, ever! True music enthusiast should at least own their first 4 albums.

For the people thinking the "Black Box" is a rip off, think about it. You get the first 8 Black Sabbath CDs, that's $80+ if you get them individually, (and the ones in the box set are remastered too), and a sexy velvet hardcovered biography of the history of Black Sabbath, all inside a blackend box that could of been crafted by Satan himself, all for around $60. I don't see how this is a rip off...

nice box!.......2007-07-14

here we have it all 8 sabbath records with ozzy fronting, nothing new whats so ever we have all heard these songs before but let me tell you it sounds fresh, remastered you hear little things in the songs you may have missed before. one thing that i would like to clear up is upon purchasing this box set i was reading other reviews and noticed someone stated that the medley tracks mainly on the selt titled album had been seperated into individual tracks, this is not the case they are still medleys. maybe they changed it for different pressings of the box set (highly unlikey) but it matters not this is black sabbath how it was intended.

The greatest black box ever.......2007-06-16

The reason I bought this is because if I ever wanted to experience Black Sabbath then I should just get this and listen to all the albums that Ozzy was on. Boy was I in for a ride! I have listened to the albums from beginning to end and there are key tracks that I had loved on each album but then hearing them along side with the other tracks makes them even more attractive. Like the segue of "Am I Going Insane" with "The Writ" and many others. I absolutely LOVE this box set. The SUEDE book goes through each album and track explaining them which is cool and i watched the dvd and it's very good just makes you wanna trip out and watch.

So if your thinking of getting this then DISH out the money and get it. It's totally worth the price!

Average customer rating:

Heavy, brutal, rock.
An otherwise perfect album marred by one basic flaw.
Way before its time
Ozzy-era Sabbath's Best!
The Birth Of Heavy Metal?

Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Paranoid
Master of Reality
Black Sabbath, Vol.4
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Sabotage

ASIN: B000002KB8
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Black Sabbath
The Wizard
Wasp / Behind The Wall Of Sleep / Bassically / N.I.B.
Wicked World
A Bit Of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning

Amazon.com essential recording

Some might claim that this 1970 debut is the definitive Black Sabbath record. While the gothic overtones of the opening track, "Black Sabbath" (thunderstorms and foreboding church bells introduce Ozzy Osbourne's howl and Tony Iommi's sludgy guitar), and the raucous defiling of Cream on "N.I.B." were thrilling then (and remain so now), there is too much wanking here to really qualify the collection as the must-have Black Sabbath record. (That prize would have to go to Paranoid.) But the blues-heavy riffs of "The Wizard," the soon-to-be-famous chord-progression stylings on "Wasp," and the grunge-boogie of "Wicked World" allow it to stand as a solid testament to the deep and lasting influence the band has had over the years. --Lorry Fleming

Customer Reviews:

Heavy, brutal, rock........2007-07-18

From the very beginning, Black Sabbath were loud, dark, powerful, and heavy as hell. Released in 1969, their self-titled debut is, for all practical purposes, the first true heavy metal album, combining the hard rockin' sounds of groups like Cream, Vanilla Fudge, and Blue Cheer with Ozzy Osbourne's demonic moan to form one eardrum-shredding package. Tony Iommi's corrosive guitar riffs form the heart of the band's sound, fusing hot-wired blues with sludgy rock 'n' roll and weird alternate tunings to form a doom-laden musical atmosphere. Terrence "Geezer" Butler's chugging bass playing and Bill Ward's lopsided, storming drums seal the deal, and the result is an absolute monster of a rock act.

As a statement of purpose, this album hits the nail on the head. The title track features a spine-crushing riff and a dense, murky rhythm, all of which underpins Ozzy's dark, apocalyptic vocal performance. "The Wizard" is lighter on its feet, but the tune still packs a heck of a punch: It's a rollicking blues-rocker with a great harmonica solo and some flailing rhythms. "A Bit of Finger/ Sleeping Village/ Warning" is a gigantic chunk of smoldering blues-metal, with a stomach-churning bass line and some of Osbourne's most deliciously paranoid lyrics. The other extended medley, "Wasp/ Behind The Wall Of Slip/ Bassically/ N.I.B." is a brutal showcase of the band's sound at its most extreme. The track boasts some violently distorted guitars, stomping rhythms, and lyrics that sow the seeds for heavy metal's fascination with Satanism and the occult. The "N.I.B." section is particularly nasty, thanks to its strutting, Zeppelin-esque guitar riff.

Still, the album isn't exactly perfect. "Wicked World" is particularly weak- it's a boring, repetative number with some really lame guitars (except for the somewhat jazzy intro) and Ozzy trying a bit too hard to be socially concious. Iommi's soling during "Warning" overstays its welcome by about four minutes, as the guitarist noodles around aimlessly without actually building towards anything.

Still, those are small complaints- Black Sabbath's debut is a really freaking good rock album, and an important part of any complete heavy metal collection. Crank it, baby!

An otherwise perfect album marred by one basic flaw........2007-06-20

Musically this is a 5-star album and I agree with most of the glowing reviews, with one caveat. The people who mastered this onto CD made one glaring and idiotic mistake- they burned 7 songs onto 5 tracks. I do not consider "Wasp", "Bassically" or "A Bit of Finger" to be separate songs- they are intros but "Behind the Wall of Sleep" and "NIB" ARE two separate songs. Ditto for "Sleeping Village" and "Warning". There is no reason or excuse for the two separate songs to be glued together onto single tracks. If you want to hear "Warning" (my favorite Sabbath song) or "NIB" by itself you have to pretend you are listening to a tape and fast-forward through several minutes,which would not have been necessary had the execs paid attention to what they were doing.

To fix the problem, you would have to rip the album to the computer and edit the sound files-I did. Because this fix is possible I would still recommend this album to someone reading the reviews, but the way it had been mastered- with separate songs glued together onto single tracks, was annoying and stupid. When CDs came out the same people who mastered this album mastered the 2-record "We Sold Our Soul" anthology onto 1 CD by cutting out "Warning" A decision which gave my favorite Sabbath song the shaft.

Way before its time.......2007-06-08

The eponymous "Black Sabbath" debut is the gothic grandaddy of them all. This release gets 5 stars not only for the music, but also for it's influence on so many other bands over the years. There is a refreshing simplicity to the production of this album, as evident in the absence of keyboards or extensive multitracking. What we are treated to are almost "live" in the studio recordings, created by 4 hungry musicians who probably had no idea what they were on to. The idea of making this record as dark and gothic as it is was a brilliant and original idea for the time, although it has been duplicated so many times that later generations of listeners may take the ingenuity for granted. For example, the opening track, "Black Sabbath" is so rich in gothic heaviness that even King Diamond would flee with devil's tail between legs. Even Ozzy's voice sounds much deeper, earthy, and sinister than later releases. Other songs, such as the classic "Wizard", complete with Ozzman's harmonica, capture an uncommon groove that is tough to come by with Sabbath. The classic "NIB" is a perfect closer to side one of the vinyl. The album cover art is especially creepy,mysterious, and very appropriate. Overall, this album sowed the seeds of what would later become heavy metal.

Ozzy-era Sabbath's Best!.......2007-04-27

From the opening of the title track to the final track, this CD is the blueprint for all heavy metal bands. The guitar of Tony Iommi and the bass stylings of Geezer Butler and the vocals of Ozzy himself, this is one CD all metal fans should be acquainted with. If you are young and looking to start a band, get familiar with this CD. You will get a history lesson here.

By trhe way, I did not forget the great drumming by Bill Ward. This disc is Sabbath's finest hour with Ozzy!

The Birth Of Heavy Metal?.......2007-04-15

Most people would herald Black Sabbth's self-titled debut as the true birth of the Heavy Metal genre and they're probably right. Here were are treated to some of the heaviest, most darkly-clad hard rock of all time. Recorded in 1969 in a little back-street studio in Birmingham in a 24-hour period, the newly dubbed Black Sabbath (formerly called Earth)took their year of pub-playing and tedious practicing and transfered it to vinyl. This is near perfection.

Black Sabbath - One of the all-time classic heavy tunes. Their signature song (along with Paranoid). Thunder and rain. Churchbells ringing. They set the tone for destruction, doom & devil-tinged macabre.

Wasp/Behind The Wall Of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B. - The better of the two song suites that grace Black Sabbath. Filled with great, memorable riffs. Ozzy belts through the mixed lyrics while Iommi shreds. May have been more coherent as individual songs. Bassically is Geezer showing off. The best part of this is N.I.B. Many think that this stands for Nativity In Black, but Ozzy said it was actually a nickname for Sabbah drummer Bill Ward. Nib, because his beard looked like the nib of a fountain pen. Someone added the periods to make it look like an acronym and bingo, a rock myth is born. The riff is heavy and hooking. This is shades of Sabbath to come. Iommi is one of the great riff-writers of all time. My name is Lucifer...please take my hand.

The Wizard - Ozzy on harmoica A playful, rocking sorcery tune. This was a long-time Sabbath staple. Another driving riff by Iommi. Classic.

Wicked World - One of my personal favorites. Iommi kicks out the jams and the steamroller that was Sabbath takes over. Heavy, dark, and shredding. This is a great song!

A Bit Of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning - The other song suite on Black Sabbath. At over 14 minutes, this was is lttle too ponderous. The accoustic into to Sleeping Village with Ozzy's haunting singing is eerie but to light. Into A Bit Of Finger (don't ask me why they labeled Sleeping Village second when it's the first part of the song????) which is just Iommi jamming along with the band. It rocks but for a little too long. Seems like an impromptu jam session recorded for posterity. Shrouded in pounding riffs with inteludes of creepiness. Back to lyrics. Then back to jamming. The problem with this song suite is that it's very hard to ascertain what is what. It's one very long mixed song and that's hard to digest. Where the previous suite was broken down into distinct sections, this is garbled.

Overall, one of the greatest Heavy Metal albums of all time, and perhaps it's starting point. But it's not perfect simply because the last 14+ minutes is too dreary. Paranoid would refine the Sabbath sound to perfection sans the expanded jam sessions. Dark, creepy, filled with every killer, pounding riff you could ask for. Black Sabbath sounded like a band that worked very hard at crafting their material well and built up a tightness with tons of constant practice. They honed their music playing live in the pubs of Birmingham and then recorded it for all the world to hear. Classic!

Dig it!!!

Average customer rating:

Best lyrics ever written???
Black Sabbath Inspired.
genius
The best of the rest....4.5 stars
Black Sabbath is reborn; 4.5 stars

Heaven And Hell
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Mob Rules

ASIN: B000002KKS
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Neon Knights
Children Of The Sea
Lady Evil
Heaven And Hell
Wishing Well
Die Young
Walk Away
Lonely Is The Word

Amazon.com

After kicking vocalist Ozzy Osbourne out of the band in 1978, Black Sabbath knew they would have to strike back with a powerful record if they were to retain their credibility. They recruited Elf vocalist Ronnie James Dio, whose melodramatic vibrato shuddered with menace, and in 1980, they released Heaven and Hell, their most potent offering since Master of Reality. Faster and more theatrical than Sabbath's earlier oeuvre, Heaven and Hell features the dynamic seven-minute title track, which builds from a lazy throb to a high-octane roar, and the dynamic "Die Young," which segues from an uptempo saunter to a flamboyant midsection strangely reminiscent of Queen. Although the album helped build Sabbath a younger, more enthusiastic fan base, Dio only remained with the band for one more studio album, after which Sabbath's star slowly began to fade. --Jon Wiederhorn

Album Description

1996 reissue on Castle of their top 30 1980 album for WarnerBrothers, remastered from the original master tapes and withfaithfully restored artwork. Eight tracks, including 'Neon Knights', 'Lady Evil' and 'Heaven And Hell'.

Album Details

Black Sabbath's 1980 Album Highlighting Rainbow's Ronnie James Dio on Vocals. Digitally Remastered and Reissued in 1996. Includes Original Art, Liner Notes and Track Sequence. Is Home to the Standout Tracks "Neon Knights", "Children of the Sea" plus Six More. Also Includes an Essay by Hugh Gilmour.

Customer Reviews:

Best lyrics ever written???.......2007-07-24

Ozzy's gone, replaced by Ronnie James Dio from Rainbow, resulting in an ambitious theme with some of the very best song lyrics in tmy extensive Rock collection, with music to match.

Underappreciated by a market that was hoping for more of the same, maybe they should have changed their name? You know, people feel very stongly about religion, even if it's apathy, so this was about as much risk-taking as any group will EVER take.

Obviously, I think it worked out - it's nearly 30 years later and I'm still quite taken with the lyrics. At least try "Children of the Sea", where the symbol-laden lyrics aren't merely the best in my entire collection, but may be deemed of historical significance in future religious history. It's not merely an important album, but great Rock! The finest piece of art I'll ever own.

Black Sabbath Inspired........2007-05-23

Tony Iommi plays great on this album. It was the last album before he changed his tone & style to now using a wah wah on every solo... to bad.
Drummer Bill Ward finally has a big bass drum sound & Geezer Butler plays bass excellent as always.
Thanks to Martin Birch for his excellent production in capturing this inspired band. Ronnie James Dio sings excellent as well.

genius.......2007-05-18

This album is pure genius, and, despite its age (it's now 27 years old!) it hasn't dated at all, which is unusual for a heavy rock album. If the album was released today, it couldn't sound any fresher.

The introduction of RJ Dio took 'the worst band in the world' and made them tight, with actually 'catchy' songs that people could listen to, something Osbourne has yet to accomplish.

This album would be included in any 'Top 100 Albums of All Time' if it were done by Deep Purple, Queen, or Led Zeppelin. The fact that it's not means that it never will. This is a shame.

The best of the rest....4.5 stars .......2007-05-17

I usually don't bother with post-Ozzy Sabbath, but when the fans stopped giving Dio the finger long enough to listen to this in 1980, they realized they had a masterpeice on their hands. Unlike it's successor, the overblown "Mob Rules", Heaven and Hell still had a good amount of '70's hard rock style to keep it out of the '80's excess department. That's not to say the songs are just average. Indeed, these are classics in their own right and go down with the best Ozzy and company had to offer in the '70's. Dio is in top form, and provided a fresh new sound for the rest of the band to use as a springboard to launch these new songs. Later releases would build on and recycle "Heaven and Hell", but ultimately Sabbath would never be this good again.

Black Sabbath is reborn; 4.5 stars.......2007-05-12

This could easily have been the last gasp for Black Sabbath. Following the artistic and commercial failure of their previous two releases (both of which were abysmal) and the ousting of Ozzy Osbourne (the group's most identifiable member from a media perspective) it seemed that Sabbath was on the skids with no way out. Ronnie James Dio was chosen as Osbourne's successor, having recently parted company with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. The little man with the big voice almost single-handedly pulled Sabbath's career out of the gutter, and in 1980 the mighty Sabs released Heaven And Hell, one of the all-time heavy metal classics.

Anybody who expects this to sound like early Sabbath classics like Paranoid or Masters Of Reality might as well not spend their money. Certainly there are echoes of early Sabbath here, but the addition of RJD to the songwriting team gave the band a much-overdue makeover. There tend to be more up-tempo tunes on a Dio-era Sabbath album, and Dio's sword-and-sorcery lyrical approach is quite a change as well. Another major difference is that while Osbourne would usually follow Tony Iommi's guitar riffs and call them vocal melodies Dio prefers to sing a melody that counterpoints the riff rather than doubling it. The fresh approach seems to rejuvenate the band and Geezer butler (bass), Bill Ward (drums), and Tony Iommi (guitars) deliver performances that are head and shoulders above the tired-sounding musicmanship on the previous two releases. Dio also seems to take inspiration from his new compatriots, singing with an edginess that was never quite there in Rainbow and would be his trademark sound for years to come. Rainbow's old producer Martin Birch was called in to oversee the process, resulting in a crisp, vital sounding recording.

Many of the songs here are timeless classics that are still regular features of Dio's concert performances and were for Sabbath as well until the ill-advised reunion with Osbourne. Some high points include the fast-paced opener "Neon Knights", the light-yet-heavy "Children Of The Sea", the hard-rocking "Die Young", and the slow, mournful "Lonely Is The Word". Then there's the title track, which is one of those tunes that really has to be heard to be believed. An epic in the best sense of the word; when it's over you can't believe that seven minutes have passed. I subtracted half a star because there is a little bit of filler here. Lady Evil is interesting but in no way does it stand up to most of the other songs on the album, and Walk Away is just fluff. But the rest of the album is so unbelievably great that it's pretty easy to ignore.

If you're a metal fan and don't have this album you need to rectify the situation immediately. Add to cart NOW!

Average customer rating:

Hard To Beat
Next strike...Still deadly!!!!!
Mob Rules...five stars...a classic.
Masterful follow-up to a revolutionary album.
MOB RULES RULES!

The Mob Rules
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Heaven And Hell
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ASIN: B000002KMY
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Turn Up The Night
Voodoo
The Sign Of The Southern Cross
E5150
The Mob Rules
Country Girl
Slipping Away
Falling Off The Edge Of The World
Over And Over

Customer Reviews:

Hard To Beat.......2007-05-28

Certainly a staple in any metal/hard rock fan's catalog; A near perfect album on every front, from the powerful, legendary vocal style of Dio, the intricate basswork of Butler, the tasteful yet busy drumming of Appice, and some of the best guitarwork Iommi has done to date. 'Voodoo' has always been my personal favorite here, but every track is highly listenable, inspiring, and what Black Sabbath are all about. Who other than Dio can get away with singing "Bring me your children, they'll burn..." or "You were a fool, but that's cool, it's alright..." with such menace and emotion, as opposed to making those lyrics sound totally laughable? Classic stuff.

Next strike...Still deadly!!!!!.......2007-04-29

This was the album that attracted me to the Dio-fronted Sabbath. At first it seems to follow the blueprint set by Heaven and Hell, being a blend of fast tracks (Turn Up the Night, Mob Rules), ballads (Sign of the Southern Cross, Falling Off the Edge of the World) and midtempo rockers (Slipping Away, Country Girl). Martin Birch again produced this album. Nevertheless, the sound of the album is distinguishably gloomier, than its predecessor's. As founding drummer Bill Ward departed in the middle of the Heaven and Hell tour, ex-Rick Derringer's drummer Vinny Appice was recruited to the drum stool. The album's mood set by the brilliant cover art (Greg Hildebrandt's painting originally called "The Mob Dream") is also different than on Heaven and Hell. Some songs such as Country Girl and Voodoo show bluesy approach reminding of old Sabbath. There is also almost psychedelic bass-based intro to the title track, later used in the live show. The band seems to stick to the proven formula while expanding it on new approaches of the songwriting. Dio-penned lyrics once again are fitting greatly to the music, although this time they seem to be more down to earth. With two albums under their belt, they toured extensively, incorporating many new as well as classic songs in the live set as shown on the Live Evil album. Sadly, as the position of Dio in the band became more established this ultimately led to the clash of egos that ended this lineup a year later. While the original version of Black Sabbath always will be the ultimate one, this incarnation produced great music, and proved to be relevant and influential enough to inspire two eventual stints: the Dehumanizer album and tour and the recent Heaven and Hell 2007 tour.

Mob Rules...five stars...a classic........2007-04-15

"Voodoo", "Over and Over", "Sign of the Southern Cross", "Falling Off the Edge of the World", etc.... From beginning to end, this album rocks. An all-time favorite.

Man...Dio + Sabbath is the best ever....

Masterful follow-up to a revolutionary album........2007-03-28

It is always difficult to follow up masterpieces. Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell album with their new vocalist Ronnie James Dio at the helm shot them right back into stardom, garnering critical acclaim both musically and sales-wise. However, what everyone was curious about was whether Heaven and Hell was going to be a one-off achievement, and if not, how the band would top it without original drummer Bill Ward who had left due to health problems. He was replaced by Vinnie Appice, who put in an unbelievable performance, making Mob Rules the timeless masterpiece it is.

In many ways, particularly its track-listing, Mob Rules tends to mirror its predecessor, and even though both "Turn Up the Night" and "Voodoo" are excellent cuts, they fall slightly short off the mark in comparison to the one-two punch start of Heaven and Hell. However, contrary to popular opinion, I happen to think this album actually surpasses the first Dio-era record, most notably because of its more in-your-face mix treatment (by the legendary Martin Birch) and rawer musical landscape. New drummer Vinnie Appice proves to be an excellent substitute, and his drum fills on this album are among heavy metal's best. The drumming on "The Sign of the Southern Cross" is stunning. Appice never lets go and supplies a strong rhythmic backbone to Iommi's sledgehammer riffage, accentuated by a fuzzed-out keyboard arrangement courtesy of Geoff Nicholls (now listed as a full-time member in the credits). Dio's vocals are among his most diverse, going from innocent, almost whisper-like sections to rousing high registers. No other metal band had written such a dynamic song before 1981, and Iommi's run-out lead simply tears the roof. "The Sign of the Southern Cross" is the greatest Dio-era Sabbath song ever.

On the whole, Geezer Butler serves to thicken Iommi's rhythm parts on the album, but the predominantly dissonant instrumental "E5150" sees weird collection of sounds built around his screeching bass guitar, smothered by sizzling keyboards and eventually darker-than-black guitar effects -- it is a frightening experience. Also, the remarkable interplay of "Slipping Away" has awesome bass lines coming through its addictive chorus, punctuated by yet another mindblowing drum performance. The title track, while great, fails to leave as strong a lasting effect as that of Heaven and Hell, but "Country Girl" is a fantastic mix of powerful vocals and hook-laden rhythms. The slowed-down middle of the the song with beautifully harmonised guitar tracks (excellent production job!) and backing vocals is sublime. And Dio's voice kills.

Unlike the first two songs, Mob Rules closes on a very high point, with the criminally overlooked "Falling Off the Edge of the World", bridging Sabbath's old, doomy side with their new-found, guitar-driven aesthetic. It kicks off with solid doomy riffery sinking the piece deep into pits of hell before launching into a rocking metal anthem, complete with a crazy solo. However, it is with the final track "Over and Over" that Iommi lays down quite possibly his longest lead solo, amidst crashing cymbals and a powerful snare sound (which would later on be copycatted by hundreds of doom metal acts in the late 80's). The funereal main riff of this song is pure bliss, and worth checking out the album alone. No one - I repeat - no one can emulate Iommi's unique riffing style, which made Black Sabbath one of the most important bands on the planet.

In terms of historical significance, Heaven and Hell is still unmatched and remains the band's renaissance. To me, the band, having toured extensively for almost a year, matured to another level in composition and therefore had a better view of honing their sound. Mob Rules is equally satisfying and overall a more consistent disc to these ears. That said, if you've never heard Dio-period Sabbath, get Heaven and Hell first -- you'll have to pick up Mob Rules after hearing it anyway.

MOB RULES RULES!.......2007-03-22

MOB RULES IS DIO'S 2ND ALBUM AND IT'S A
ROCK CLASSIC. THEY DON'T MAKE EM LIKE
THIS ANYMORE AND RARELY THEN BACK THEN.
TITLE TRACK MOB RULES IS A KILLER WITH
SIGN OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS ONE OF THE
HEAVIEST SONGS EVER! MY FAVORITE IS
COUNTY GIRL. GREAT SPOOKY ROCKER. THE
ENTIRE ALBUM MIGHT NO BE AS GOOD AS
HEAVEN AND HELL BUT THEN AGAIN WHAT IS?
SORRY OLD SABBATH FANS DIO WAS BEST!

Average customer rating:

A great introduction.
Buy a different Black Sabbath Complilation
love ozzy and sabbath...
Good but unneccessary!
Great

Greatest Hits 1970-1978
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000E6EHHM
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Tracks:

Black Sabbath
N.I.B.
Wizard
War Pigs
Paranoid
Iron Man
Sweet Leaf
Children of the Grave
Changes
Snowblind
Supernaut
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Hole in the Sky
Rock 'N' Roll Doctor
Never Say Die
Dirty Women

Album Description

Black Sabbath-the Black Sabbath, the original lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, four childhood friends from the north of England-grew out of the U.K's late-60s blues/hard rock scene, which also included Led Zeppelin, Cream, Blue Cheer, and other greats. Sabbath's sweeping and masterful metamorphosis away from that tradition spawned heavy metal music, inventing the template for everything that would follow. With crushing rhythms, torpedo riffs, haunting songs, and Ozzy's other-worldly vocals, the band conjured a dark, menacing, and resonant sound that reverberates still.

Customer Reviews:

A great introduction........2007-07-26

This is a great introduction to the greatest metal band of all time. But thats all it is , only an introduction . If you are a newcomer to Sabbath and not sure if you really want to spend the money on all their cd's , then this is for you. If you are already a Sabbath fan and you want a greatest hits, then go for the 2cd "Symptom Of The Universe" or better yet , save up your pennies until you can afford the 8cd box set .

Buy a different Black Sabbath Complilation.......2007-07-04

For some reason on this best of album they decided to shorten the song Iron Man. Iron Man is a great song and deserves to be heard in its complete form. Who ever was in charge of putting this cd together has just lost themselves a huge amount of sales buy editing one of Sabbath's most well known songs.

I recommend this album
We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll

love ozzy and sabbath..........2007-06-09

but c'mon why did they edit iron man? did they run out of space (only reasonable answer) but why iron man. why not war pigs, (love that song but
has a VERY long instramental part)and that why i rate 2 stars. could have had
5 stars but sabbath, you f%$#ed up REAL bad. :(

Good but unneccessary!.......2007-04-30

Greatest Hits 1970-1978 is a single disc overview of Ozzy Osbourne's years in Black Sabbath. While it is full of Sabbath classics like Paranoid, Sweat Leaf, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and War Pigs, there is really no need for this complation to exist! First of all the double disc set Symptom of the Universe is available. Secondly there is already a single disc Sabbath complation out there "We Sold Our Soul for Rock n Roll", which I would recommend over Greatest Hits 1970-1978 if you are only wanting a single cd instead of the two disc Symptom of the Universe.

Great.......2007-04-01

I got this for Christmas last year and loved it. I still do. It has some of the best Sabbath songs on there, but I only have two real questions:
1. Why is Iron Man edited? It's still good, but come on.
2.Where's Johnny Blae? Fairies Wear Boots?

Apart from those, this is a near-perfect CD. It also has a little pamphlet thingy, that talks about the history of Black Sabbath. All in all, great.

Average customer rating:

The Best Black Sabbath Album
Sabbath's heaviest and most influential album
So, you thought Paranoid was depressing? . . .
The Bible Of Heavy Metal Music.
The trio comes to an end

Master of Reality
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Black Sabbath
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Paranoid
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Sabotage

ASIN: B000002KDO
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Sweet Leaf
After Forever
Embryo
Children Of The Grave
Orchid
Lord Of This World
Solitude
Into The Void

Amazon.com essential recording

Black Sabbath's first two releases, Black Sabbath and Paranoid, were more than groundbreaking, they were earth-shattering, exposing the public to a brutal new form of noise pollution termed heavy metal. But it was the band's third album, Master of Reality, that cemented the group as blackened wizards of doom and gloom. Just listen to the echoing cough and sludgy guitar riff of the opening track "Sweet Leaf" and compare it to anything that existed at the time. Not only were Black Sabbath heavier than Deep Purple or Vanilla Fudge, they were also more experimental and controversial, exploring themes of darkness, drugs, and depravity that others dared not address. The heaviest and most influential disc of Black Sabbath's career, Master of Reality featured proto-metal sludge like "Children of the Grave" and "After Forever," which served as a blueprint for a legion of musicians including '90s Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Smashing Pumpkins. --Jon Wiederhorn

Album Description

Japanese digitally remastered reissue of 1971 album packaged in a miniature LP sleeve.

Album Details

Japanese Limited Edition in an LP-STYLE Slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Black Sabbath Album.......2007-07-25

I am a huge fan of the Ozzy, Dio, Gillan, and Hughes eras of Black Sabbath. But I don't think that this particular album was ever surpassed in their repetoire. Master of Reality is not only the best Sabbath album, but the most representive of their innovations.

On Master of Reality, the band showcased how much their originally blues-based sound was being transformed. As opposed to the first two albums (which, though Classic in their own way, were often heavier-than-thou incarnations of Cream, Hendrix, Zeppelin, and Deep Purple), Master of Reality sets the blueprint for sludge-based Doom Metal...there's no album which compares to it at the time...there may NEVER be an album to match it in the heavy metal genre, period. Its revolutionary quality was unmatched even by such trend setters as Master of Puppets, Reign in Blood, Under the Sign of the Black Mark, or Under a Funeral Moon.

The song "Solitude" has been cited as the weak link here, but I only partly agree. "Solitude" isn't a Classic track, but serves its purpose far better than its cousin-tracks "Planet Caravan" from Paranoid, or "Sleeping Village" from the eponymous album. "Solitude" sets a standard of dynamic on this album which proves devastatingly effective. After the apocalyptic masterpiece that is "Lord of this World", "Solitude" is definitely a bit perplexing upon first listen. But there is no denying how much MORE effective the brilliant "Into the Void" is following such a mellow, flute-coloured song. You HAVE to hear it between "Lord of This World" and "Into the Void" to get the full effect of the incomparably effecting work.
Another fascinating variable on this album is the last solo section of "Lord of This World"; which seems to take a proto-Romantic era String Quartet form with its layered guitars...you have to HEAR this piece to fully understand how authentically progressive it is on a "strictly musical" level. Those men in Black Sabbath (well, at least Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler) were tremendous musicians; at times shackled by both the expectations of their public and record label.
Get this album before any other by Black Sabbath.

Sabbath's heaviest and most influential album.......2007-06-07

Black Sabbath are without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest and most influentual heavy metal bands of all time, and they're also one of my all time favorite heavy metal bands as well. Man I just can't praise this band enough. 1971 was no doubt a big year for Sabbath. They released their second album "Paranoid" which was a true masterpiece and one of the greatest metal albums ever, and in the same year they released what is considered the band's heaviest, most influential, and best album of their career, "Master of Reality". This album gave birth to the doom/gloom, sludge, and stoner metal subgenres, and it's also cited as an influence by many stoner and sludge metal bands as well. This album would also be the third and final Black Sabbath album to be produced by Rodger Bain. The lyrical themes on "Master of Reality" included: drugs (mostly marijuana), solitude, war, and theology. Every song on here is just fantastic. Ozzy Osbourne's vocals are just awesome on here. Guitarist Tony Iommi does some of his most heaviest riffs on this album, and his solos are really cool too. This guy is truly one of metal's greatest and most legendary guitarists. Bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward's rhythm section is really solid, nice solid bass lines from Geezer and great drumwork courtesy of Bill as well.

The opening track "Sweet Leaf" starts off with an echo of coughs, and then breaks with a slow heavy sludgy riff and hard heavy drums. That riff on the song is just extremely catchy, and a great solo by Tony is included as well. This is truly one of the best songs on here. Lyrically this song of course deals with you guessed it: marijuana. Track two "After Forever" features some really cool bass work from Geezer, some nice catchy riffs and another cool solo from Tony. Another one of my favorites. "Embryo" is a 28 second guitar interlude which leads into to track four "Children of the Grave" This is my favorite song on the entire album, and it features some more catchy and heavy riffs throughout, a groovy drum beat, and of course another great solo, killer bass, and great vocals by Ozzy. I've been learning the riffs to this song on my guitar recently. "Orchid" is antoher short, but nice instrumental with some nice accoustic chords. "Lord of This World" has a slow sinister drum beat, as well as some groovy bass lines, more heavy sludgy riffs, and cool solos from Tony. Track seven "Solitude" is a nice soft accoustic ballad with some nice singing vocals from Ozzy, nice slow bass from Geezer, and of course Tony plays a flute solo which I found tearjerking yet very cool. The lyrics on this song deal with yeah, you guessed it: solitude. The closing track "Into the Void" starts off with some slow heavy doom like riffs. During the 3 minutes mark, the songs breaks into a faster pace with faster riffs, hard hitting drums, but then shifts back to the slow heavy riffs at the 3:36 mark. Another cool guitar solo from Tony near the end is also included too.

The song list and the ratings:

1. Sweet Leaf (5:04) - 5/5
2. After Forever (5:25) - 5/5
3. Embryo (0:28) - 5/5
4. Children of the Grave (5:17) - 5/5 My favorite song
5. Orchid (1:31) - 5/5
6. Lord of This World (5:26) - 5/5
7. Solitude (5:02) - 5/5
8. Into the Void (6:11) - 5/5

See every song on here gets a 5 out of 5.

The bottom line is this: If it weren't for Black Sabbath and this album, we wouldn't have the doom/gloom, stoner and sludge metal subgenres. This album my friends, is a true heavy metal masterpiece, and it makes a great addition to your metal collection. So anyways if you're a fan of Black Sabbath, heavy metal, hard rock, or just good music in general like I'am, Master of Reality is an absolute must have in your collection. Enjoy!!

LONG LIVE BLACK SABBATH!!
LONG LIVE HEAVY METAL!!

So, you thought Paranoid was depressing? . . ........2007-05-24

If anyone was under the illusion that Black Sabbath could get no blacker than they did on Paranoid, a shivery album with titles like War Pigs, Electric Funeral, and Hand of Doom... well, Master of Reality quickly dispatched such a notion. Songs like Children of the Grave and Lord of This World live up to their names both lyrically and musically. Except for Solitude, a very mellow but no less depressing interlude featuring Bill Ward on vocals, and Tony Iommi's inclusion of two go-nowhere-but-thankfully-short instrumentals, Master of Reality is the near perfect storm of metal with all the thunder and lightning you can take. Beginning with Sweet Leaf, an insidiously memorable tribute to Ozzy's love affair with the unholy weed, and ending with Into the Void, an indictment of everything wrong with the world (but which includes a hopeful, if somewhat improbable escape plan), it's all a metalhead could want. If not Sabbath's finest hour (I would bestow that honor on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath), it's definitely a close second.

The Bible Of Heavy Metal Music........2007-05-23

This Album is such a MasterPiece, the writing & doomy riffs of Tony Iommi, to the odd timing of Bill Wards classic Heavy Metal drum style.
This album will go down in history as the Bible of Heavy Metal.
Ozzy sings excellent & Geezer Butlers uncanny ability to wrap his bass lines around Tonys Crushing chords. Every Song rocks.
Many dont know this album features Bill Wards 1st song he sang on.
Today with remastered technology the production is excellent.
This album taught me how to play guitar.

The trio comes to an end.......2007-05-19

Believe it or not, Black Sabbath with the later days of zOzzy, started using synthesizers, lame names, and had some ____________ reviews. I don't care about critics, but I can't believe that someone like Black Sabbath would make a cover such as Technical Esctasy. At least they started out great.

This one has no singles, but it's still a 10 in my book. IT's not as good as Paranoid (I wouldn't ________ count on it), but it's got the same stuff that you want from Black Sabbath:Sludgy riffs, vocals, thick as _____ basslines, and everything else. The lyrics are cool, I like the lyrics because it's not satanic. Even though there are plenty of refrences to satan, Ozzy just uses satan to sybolize evil, not say anything good about him. ____, even Ozzy himself said that Black Sabbath was a hippy band, and they were into peace and love. They even started as a blues rock band, and they got the idea to make scary music after preforming next to a horror movie theater.

Every song is good, and Orchard, Embryo, and Solitude make sure the album dosen't get monotonus (and I still don't __________ think that it would). Sweet Leaf is a well known song, not as much as Iron Man. yeah, the riffs aren't as catchy, but it still has some more good riffs. I think if you are into heavy metal, you need this anyway. DOn't stop with one BS album!

Let me just say this: I hate Dio. He along Bruce Dickinson, King Diamond, and every other ________ falsetto singer (I don't think Rob Halford is one, that's why I like Priest) makes me wanna gouge my ears out. Therefore, I won't get their other albums, because I don't want to hear a _______. Iron Maiden are bad without Dickinson.

Whiny ________ voices aside, that's just my _________ ranting. yeah, I know, save it for the one star review of Holy Diver. But seriously, I reccomend getting this.

Average customer rating:

4.5 stars.....Sabbath in their prime
A Slab o' Sabbath . . .
Supernaut man, Supernaut
a volume of greatness
Possibly Sabbath's best and most down to earth

Black Sabbath, Vol.4
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Master of Reality
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Sabotage
Paranoid

ASIN: B000002KE2
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Wheels Of Confusion/The Straightener
Tomorrow`s Dream
Changes
FX
Supernaut
Snowblind
Cornucopia
Laguna Sunrise
St. Vitus' Dance
Under The Sun/Everyday Comes & Goes

Customer Reviews:

4.5 stars.....Sabbath in their prime.......2007-06-05

This is a very consistent Black Sabbath effort, although lighter on the gloom and doom than previous efforts. It seems the band was expanding horizons, almost like the Grand Funk hippie version of Black Sabbath. But most of these songs still rock, not in a heavy metal sense, but just good old hard '70's rock. For example, songs such as "Wheels of Confusion" start the album off simply, but then change tempo and work themselves into a shark feeding frenzy of intertwining drums, guitar and bass. Other songs such as "Snowblind" are straight ahead classic Sabbath in it's purest form. This was the real Black Sabbath, with Ozzy up front giving the peace signs...not the comic book trash of the post Ozzy eras (save for Heaven & Hell). I'll never forget opening the record jacket to find pages of poster quality photos of the band in concert, huge crosses dangling from their necks...Bill Ward thrashing away at his drum kit so furiously that you couldn't even see his face. This is recommended listening, and a must have for any serious '70's hard rock collection.

A Slab o' Sabbath . . ........2007-05-24

Given the excellence of their first three albums, Vol. 4 was generally considered a small step backward for Black Sabbath, but it delivers nonetheless. With the exception of Changes, which can be called nothing if not trite, and FX (a short work of noise, strictly for stoners), the album is classic Sabbath. The rest of it more than makes up for these two indulgences. Indeed, heavy and hard driving tracks are the rule with everyone in fine form and obviously fired up (drug reference not necessarily intended). Laguna Sunrise offers a break from the assault, but fits uneasily between the walls of metal before and after. That said, it is also Tony Iommi's finest instrumental moment. Despite its contrast with the rest of the album, it's still a very beautiful piece and the album would be something less without it. All in all, an excellent Sabbath album and another defining monument to metal.

Supernaut man, Supernaut.......2007-04-26

The supernaut has seen the future and has informed me to leave it behind.

a volume of greatness.......2007-04-14

"wheels of confusion" opens this experimental album from the Sabbath boys. It's such a lengthy song that goes here, there and everywhere. I love the final few minutes of the song where it turns into a 3-minute intense guitar jam. The first part of the song is more along the lines of typical Sabbath sludgery that reminds me of an airplane ride, hot-air balloon ride, and a roller coaster ride, all wrapped in one! This song is also the first time in Sabbath history where a WEAK guitar riff is played behind a MEMORABLE Ozzy vocal melody. Hard to believe, but true!

I honestly don't understand the people who believe this album marks Sabbath's experimental period into progressive rock. Really? Didn't they do that with "hands of doom" and the Sabbath melody on the first album? Sure sounds like it.

"tomorrow's dream" is supposed to be one of Sabbath's hits. Why don't we hear it on the radio then? Dunno. Let's all make fun of "changes" for being a silly Ozzy ballad. Nah, it's a good song. It's just a pretty ordinary ballad, and that's the only thing going against it. Are those mellotrons I hear in the background? If so, that makes the song better. I love those things.

Just what the HECK is the point of "FX"? It sounds like in high school when I used to flap a metal ruler up and down on the side of a table to get the teachers attention. However, immediately after this song, it sounds like Deep Purple's "woman from tokyo" is about to play, but it's actually "supernaut". A song that reminds me of soaring to the moon! Apparently it reminds Ozzy of the same thing.

"snowblind" is a pretty song about making snow angels, having family snowball fights, happily building snowmen... okay, it's not about that at all. It's about drugs. Drugs are not for children. This is a really good song because the way the guitar riff is played, it actually *feels* like you're doing drugs just by listening to the way you can feel sensations in the music. Strange, but true.

"cornucopia" brings out a VERY heavy and sewer-like maze melody that goes all over the place. There's a really tasty blues rhythm somewhere in the middle of this song, right after Ozzy sings about going insane. This song is so good *I* just might go insane.

"laguna sunrise" is a pretty instrumental that reminds me of bright yellow images in the morning sky, and the next track is called "st. vitus dance" and, maybe I'm wrong, but I think the song is about relationship problems within the band. The track that really catches my attention is "under the sun/everyday comes and goes". Perhaps starting out with some of the heaviest riffs on record, it soon progresses into something much deeper. Ozzy starts singing about how it's important to just live your life and not let anyone interfere with your thoughts and not to ever change who you are inside. Ozzy must have been having a bad day when this song was recorded because he sounds very angry and serious and determined for us to pay attention to the lyrics.

Overall, you can't go wrong with this if you like Master of Reality type heaviness.

Possibly Sabbath's best and most down to earth.......2007-02-05

While not as raw and heavy and depressing as Master Of Reality, Vol.4 is possibly the best album Black Sabbath ever released. Every song seems to represent every possible human emotion and never let up. From The Wheels Of Confusion to Under The Sun, this album reads as somewhat of a commentary on the ups and downs of life from naive childhood to the state of young adulthood where you struggle to find your own way in life with every other influence cracking at your skull, trying to manipulate you into conforming to it's standard. I don't think this is just an album for metal heads, musically and ideal-wise it goes way beyond certain boundaries of metal. I certainly can't find anything about Judas Priests' British Steel that is anywhere as remarkable or thought-provoking as this album. My biggest musical loves are punk, and other forms of alternative music and I think that anyone who has a musical taste even slightly like mine can truly enjoy and appreciate Vol. 4. I think that this album could suit the tastes of anybody who's into the Beatles and Pink Floyd just the same as those who'd prefer Black Flag and The Circle Jerks. I've owned this album in cd and vinyl form for almost seven years and it is still important to me. Hell, I personally think this beats the hell out of overrated release like Dark Side Of the Moon. I could be over-analyzing but I strongly suggest that any lover of true music at least give this one a listen.

Music Info:

Music Info

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