Black Sabbath (1970) Rating: 9/10
Led Zeppelin...Jimi Hendrix...Cream; the big names of hard rock in the late sixties. They were respected for their technical supremacy, their ability to innovate and their powerful sixties anthems. The public adored them, and the 'purists' tolerated them. But there was one other band that often went unmentioned in the role call of popular bands. A band that were as technical as Cream, as influential as Hendrix, and heavier Zeppelin. That band was Black Sabbath.
    Black Sabbath have outlived all the other bands of their era. While Led Zeppelin's influence was huge, it never went beyond the hard rock world. Black Sabbath have influenced every form of 'Demonic' metal since their incarnation in 1969. From the NWOBHM in the early eighties to the Black and Doom Metal of today, Black Sabbath have been an influence in every dark metal movement. What is it about Sabbath that made them so important to so many generations?
    Their primary innovation was the introduction of powerful atmospherics. The bands before them, like Hendrix or Cream, already had the heavy guitars.  But they used the distortion purely as an extension of experiemtation. It was merely a way by which to discover new ways of improving technical ability. Black Sabbath, however, used the heavy chords in conjunction with atmosphere, to create something entirely new. Something 'scary'.
    Of course, it wasn't really scary. No music is scary (with a few occasional exceptions). But they challenged the limits of what music could be. They used horror movie themes and images to give the music new meaning. They linked their compositions with dark supernatural forces, and so the heavy chords became sinister and threatening. It is a technique still used today.
    I believe they perfected that genre of music in 1971, with the release of Master Of Reality. However, their debut is also an album to admire and indulge in. After all, this is the beginning of heavy metal, is it not?

    Black Sabbath marks the transition from sixties experimentation to seventies metal. The album seems so simplistic in its delivery, yet so important. The themes may appear cliche, and a lot of the music is not as good as their later work, but there are some songs that are completely unforgettable.
My favourite is the title track, 'Black Sabbath'. It starts with the absolutely classic 'church bells' intro, which would later be imitated on Metallica's Ride The Lightning album. Then, of course, the incredibly heavy riff which blasts away any preconception that this will be a disappointing album. The verses are softer, with Ozzy Osbourne singing eerie lyrics of doom 'n gloom. Finally, the guitar solo, with a monstrous wah-wah guitar that creates an amazing climax of intense noise and atmosphere.
    Another of my favourites is 'NIB'. This is launched off by fierce bass riff, courtesy of Geezer Butler. Ozzy has some really funny lyrics for this one, plus an almost sad chorus, before the bass starts up again. Again, the guitar solo helps to finish the song, with some really distinctive melodies on this one.
    The biggest nod in the blues direction is 'Warning', which is basically a vehical for Tony Iommi's long, intricate solo. It must go for at least six minutes, and a very gripping six minutes. His soloing style usually begins with a simple, higher ocative melody, before progressing into a faster rhythm of even higher, complex passages. During the middle of this solo we are witness to some impressive speed, which is rarely seen on later albums.
    The only band member not yet mentioned is Bill Ward, who is my favourite drummer of all time. I know very little about drums, but his obvious flair for bold bass drums and strong climaxes has always impressed me. Most of Tony Iommi's majestic guitar riffs would be weak without Ward's ambitious blitz of great drumming!

    As a Black Sabbath album, this is good. As a debut, this is amazing. As a heavy metal album, this is essential. Admittedly, it's not as developed as later Sabbath albums, but this is a piece of history collectors shouldn't miss out on.
 

Paranoid (1970) Rating: 9.9/10
    This is the most popular heavy metal album of all time. Critics seem undivided in their appraisal of this genuine masterpiece. This album is almost faultless across its set of eight classic Sabbath songs. Each has its own strong atmosphere, drenched in the almighty power of Iommi's guitar. It is an album that will never say die (!).
    After Black Sabbath, the band were forced to look for a slightly new direction. In 1971, Led Zep would release Led Zeppelin III, a landmark experiment. Sabbath would have to conjure up an album of quality and consistency, in addition to new styles and flavours. Paranoid did all that and more.
    Perhaps its biggest strength is the variety of good material. Of course, there are the classic Sabbath 'heavy' numbers, with awesome Iommi riffs and dark lyrics, but then there's songs like 'Planet Caravan', which are still excellent but very different. There is always a sharp contrast between each song, which also makes it easier to listen to the whole way through. Unlike the following Master Of Reality, there are a lot of softer moments in the middle of songs, like 'Hand Of Doom', one of my favourites.
    The most famous track on Paranoid is the title track, which was a hit single. Although slightly undeveloped, it creates a nice break from the longer songs. It also has a very easy-to-play guitar riff, which every amateur should be able to master.
    However, my favourite song is undoubtedly the opener, 'War Pigs'. The majestic intro of crashing guitars is beautifully contrasted with the short, sharp chords of the chorus. Then, we are treated to some expert drumming by Bill Ward, who really makes the song work. The climax is finally reached during the solo towards the end, when Iommi launches into one of those classic melody passages that only Black Sabbath have perfected.

    It is no surprise that so many rock critics have loved this album; it is one of the most enjoyable heavy metal albums out there. I would recommend this to any rock fan.
 

Master Of Reality (1971) Rating: 9.9/10
    If someone was to put a gun to my head right now and ask me what my favourite metal album of all time was, I might whisper nervously: '…Master…Master Of Reality' (actually, I'd probably scream, but that's beside the point). Of course, if I'd been listening to Sad Wings of Destiny for three days on end (as I often do), my answer might be different, but 90% of the time Master of Reality is firmly at the top. Why?
    Master Of Reality is the work of a band with enough experience to produce a developed, matured work, but still with enough youthfull enthusiam to make it entertaining. It satisfies everything I look for in music; heavy and melodic guitars, powerful innovative bass lines and furiously eccentric drumming. And, of course, great compositions.
    The difference between this and Paranoid is the confidence in style and song writing. When they made Paranoid they were still a fledgling cult band with no secure direction or image. But after that success, they felt more comfortable in writing ambitious, but still very heavy, guitar epics. Master Of Reality has no strange, insecure numbers or timid experimentation; this is quality from the first note to the last. Admittedly, subtleties are not too frequent, but an album like this needs no more complexity.
    The actual sound of the album is very heavy. This is the ultimate blueprint for doom metal, with thunderous bass drums and ferocious guitars. Even terminally slow and heavy bands like Cathedral can barely outdo this. But the twist in the plot is that this album is packed with melodies. From the guitar solo of 'Sweet Leaf' to the classic lead melody of 'Lord Of This World' to the delicacy of the two instrumentals, this album has it all.
    The most consistently heavy song on the album is the stage favourite 'Children Of The Grave', with an impossibly gloomy solo riff. However, this is not a downbeat album. 'Into The Void' isn't very heavy at all (although the name is misleading), and 'Solitude' is a lovely little romantic, if sad, inclusion.
    As I have said, this is probably my favourite metal album, and would recommend this to any rock fan. Admittedly, most people enjoy Paranoid more, but there's no way a metal fan should be without this.

Vol 4. (Volume Four) (1973) Rating: 7.9/10
    I have only very recently got this album. Despite my incredibly high opinion of Sabbath, I could never bring myself to get this - fear of disappointment, I suppose.
    In the end, I took the plunge, and am happy, if confused. I'm confused because this is a great Sabbath album with heaps of classic Sabbath songs, but it could have been better. The thing is, this album has some of their best riffs, but the songwriting is often mediocre. A song like 'St. Vitus Dance' (later the name of an underground doom band) has an absolutely crushing riff, but thrown in amongst a really trashy one, with bad lyrics. It's still really enjoyable, but you find yourself wishing the songs were a bit more consistent.
    There are a few real stunners on this album. 'Wheels Of Confusion' is a little bit like 'War Pigs' (Paranoid), and has the same quality guitar work. 'Under The Sun' has an excellent outro riff, as well as some impressive moments of heaviness. As I have mentioned, 'St. Vitus Dance' is good, with some bass heavy riffage. The most famous song is actually 'Changes', which I think was reworked and made into a hit single some time over the last 26 years. But the highlight for me is the riff heavy 'Snowblind', which is the only entirely consistent song. No Sabbath fan would dislike 'Snowblind', and along with 'Wheels Of Confusion' is a classic moment in Sabbath History.
    Although I know that Sabbath a capable of generally more developed, interesting songs, this is still a great edition in Sabbath seven-classic-albums legacy.

Technical Ecstasy (1976) Rating: 8/10
    What the hell? People keep on saying that this is the beginning of the end for Sabbath, so am I listening to the same bloody album? This stuff rocks on, absolutely no doubt about it. Sure, it's not Paranoid, but it's still better than most albums I've heard in the 90s - no kidding. This is exactly my taste - a focus on guitars and experimentation, without becoming monotonous. Technical Ecstasy is packed with variety and awesomely refreshing riffs. One listen to 'Dirty Women' could convince the doom metal fans that this is worth a listen. It's really a top notch album which metal fans should adore.
    On this album Sabbath use keyboards and a lot of acoustic melodies, but the experimentation isn't as intrusive or delibarate as on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. My personal favourite, 'You Won't Change Me', is a perfect blend of kick ass riffs, keyboard melodies and, of course, guitar soloing. When I first heard this song it really blew me away. Previously I had thought of Iommi as a cool melodic blues guitarist who prefered harmonies to Van Halen-esque fury - I was wrong! The lead on this song is incredible, and anyone in the least bit interested in the guitar should check it out. His construction of fast, blitz-like riffs in the midst of epic soloing is really a high point in Sabbath's career.
    Unlike some later Sabbath albums, this has no obvious duds, with only occasional weak moments. 'It's Alright' is a brilliant tune sung by Bill Ward, who probably has a technically better voice than Ozzy (no blasphemy intended). 'Gypsy' is also amazing, with some old style riffs and classic lyrics.
    I don't think any Sabbath fan can be truly happy without Technical Ecstasy.
 
Coming soon...
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Sabotage