Black Sabbath

Editorial Reviews
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

Black Sabbath, Music, Black Sabbath, 70's Rock, Album Rock, British Metal, England, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Pop, Rock

Black Rain
Average customer rating:

Very good album, very consistent.

Ozzy rocks

If you're a true Ozzy fan you'll really like it.

uninspired effort

New style - the 80s are dead!

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

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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:

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.

If you're a true Ozzy fan you'll really like it. .......2007-07-11

Ozzy's Black Rain

I've been listening to Ozzy since I was 12, and I'm now 37. So we're looking at my 25th anniversary as a fan. I can't give an unbiased review because Ozzy means the world to me. Just the sound of his voice makes me feel like someone else sees the world the way I do. So that said, you can take this review for what it's worth to you.

Black Rain is a very good album. Of course it's not Blizzard or Diary, but it is a solid set of songs. True Ozzy fans will appreciate it; others probably won't--at least not all of it.

Here's a brief track-by-track commentary.

"Not Going Away" is a good start for the CD. The sentiment of "I'll never stop" is a bit cliché, but it works.

"I Don't Wanna Stop" is the first single off the album and repeats the "I'll never stop" theme of "Not Going Away". It's a disappointing song given its placement in the second slot.

"Black Rain" is a timely song, speaking to the war fought over the "black rain" of oil. I hate whiney political stuff in rock songs. Think Bono. But Ozzy isn't whiney and this isn't some stupid U2 song. He's a prophet of doom and this is his latest anthem. And don't forget this is the man who gave us "War Pigs." "Black Rain" follows nicely in the tradition of "Children of the Grave."

"Lay Your World on Me" is the highlight of the CD as far as I'm concerned. This ballad may be written with Sharon or one of Ozzy's children in mind, but it works even better if you interpret it as written for the fans--and who knows, maybe that's even (partly) what Ozzy intended.

"The Almighty Dollar" laments crass commercialism and perhaps the war. It's a little tough to take, given Sharon's crass commercialism, but it has a good sound.

"11 Silver" is excellent, dealing with addiction among other things. It really rocks and features a shredding solo from Mr. Wylde.

"Civilize the Universe" is another anti-war song, a theme that gets tiresome at this point on the CD. Still it has some great hooks, especially the chorus.
"Here for You" is the second ballad on the CD and repeats the theme of "Lay Your World on Me." It's a very good song, but not nearly as effective as "Lay Your World on Me".

"Countdown's Begun" is perfectly listenable album filler.

"Trap Door" is also perfectly listenable album filler, but a disappointing note to end on.

uninspired effort.......2007-07-11

I don't blame ozzy as much as i do zakk wylde. the songs sound like leftover b-side BLS songs, throwaway tracks with patheticly boring guitar riffs and zakk's weakest solo efforts of his career. not only are the riffs as stock and generic as the lyrics / vocals, but the songwriting is so weak that even a diehard ozzy fan will skip each track in hope that the next is worth it. ozzy's voice sounds so computerized and proves that if your not going to write a decent cd, than why taint your legacy? they complain that down to earth (2001) was weak but at least it had some good songs and ozzy sounded like himself, it was original and zakk's drunk out of shape guitar playing ruined this album, as it plaguaed his leads on the last one. he's washed up and forgot what it means to be a guitar hero. they said this album would be the one to blow away no more tears (1991), yet is by leagues ozzy's weakest album of his career, solo or with sabbath.

New style - the 80s are dead!.......2007-07-10

"Black Rain" brings a new Ozzy: industrialized and updated. The new album sounds a lot like Zakk Wylde's solo project: Black Label Society. The guitar's distortion is heavier and dirtier, and Ozzy's voice remains just the same. Incredible how his voice doesn't bow over to the years!

Black Rain has nothing to do with Blizzard Of Ozz, Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, Wicked, No More Tears, Ozzmosis or Earth. It's a new sound. The 80s are dead, my friend. If you long for the old Ozzy, forget about it. Zakk's guitar work sounds lazier (compared to the previous efforts), less melodic, less magical. Nothing to do with the great old Zakk Wylde. It's XXI century Ozzy Osbourne. What can I say? I miss the 80's and early 90's...

Average customer rating:

Great Album Idea, But Missing Favorites
The best yet
The "Missing" Sign of the Southern Cross
Nice reminder of the'old days' -- but new stuff falls short
a journey through the reservoirs of mind

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

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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:

Great Album Idea, But Missing Favorites.......2007-07-15

This is an awesome idea to put the best of Dio's years with Sabbath together on a collection, with addition of some unheard material. But unfortunetely, this is missing a few great songs, and in my mind, that really makes it or breaks it in a 'hits collection'. This should have expanded as a double disc set, or better yet a small box set with all the Dio/Sabbath material. This is a nice disc to have though, but honestly, it might be just better to buy the albums Sabbath and Dio were together on to encompass it all.

The best yet.......2007-07-08

Until I heard it I wouldn't have believed it. Ronnie James Dio stepped into Ozzy's boots in very big way. This is one their best.

The "Missing" Sign of the Southern Cross.......2007-07-02

How can it be possible that "The Sign of the Southern Cross" is not included on this album!!!

Nice reminder of the'old days' -- but new stuff falls short.......2007-06-09

Like I said-- nice reminder of the days when Sabbath came back from the end of the Ozzy days with a vengeance. The set list is good, and yes, yes, there could have been a few more, but I think the live version of 'Children of the Sea' (from Live Evil) adequately makes up for what may be missing. (Sign of the Southern Cross, etc.)
The new tracks leave me a little... what-- unsatisfied? The question is, have I gotten too old? Or has My Lord Iommi's creativity dried up? (I'm going to Hell just for saying that.) The riffs sound like a rehash of His warm ups--at best. Or like a Sabbath cover band trying come up with something 'original.' (I'm from the Bay Area, and I've heard a thousand bands that took the first three albums, put em' in a blender, and called them 'original' stuff-- the writer included.) For me, the new tracks come up a little short, but it's still great to hear the Sabs rippin it up in the studio again.
Yeah, if you're a Die Hard, or a new 'Keeper of the Sign', this CD is good enough for the 10 bucks, but you're probably better off getting all the originals to truly appreciate that post Ozzy sound that was given unto the world in 1980....

a journey through the reservoirs of mind.......2007-06-05

a fine collection of mystical magical mayhem from one of the more inspired and interesting Sabbath incarnations. Those of us who caught the recent Heaven and Hell tour were treated to a savory overview of the uniquely powerful and enjoyable creations of this legendary band. We knew that Dio was keeping his vocals deftly working like a well-oiled machine from beyond...but Iommi's mesmerizing and trademark licks were surprisingly impressive after all these years. The soul-thunderous drumming made the price of admission worth every cent.

For lovers of music who enjoy delving into the mystical and magical realms of the mind, few acts have been as innovative and enduring as this one. It is a true feat to revisit these songs so commandingly and blow audiences away all over again.

A masterful accomplishment.

Average customer rating:

There are no flowers in Birmingham
Sabbath finds their groove
The founders of a genre
No Explanation or Introduction Needed for This Masterpiece
Pennyhead's Three Sentences Or Less No-Nonsense Review

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

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Black Sabbath
Master of Reality
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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:

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"!

Pennyhead's Three Sentences Or Less No-Nonsense Review.......2007-06-04

Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" is a dark work of epic proportions and still has the power to slither into one's soul years later. The doomsayer town crier voice of Ozzy Osbourne and Toni Iommi's airplane-like guitar created an apocalyptic masterpiece (the sirens of "War Pigs" set the tone for the rest of the album and were a familiar beacon for the era). All fans of modern music have to experience this work in it's entirety and see why it was inspirational to so many bands like Soundgarden, KORN etc...

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

Average customer rating:

nice box!
The greatest black box ever
Worth Every Penny
oh yeah
BOUGHT IT AS A GIFT

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

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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:

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!

Worth Every Penny.......2007-06-11

While I already owned the original CD issues of all these albums and most of them on vinyl as well, I can tell you that I do not feel that I wasted any money buying this box set. Not only is the sound quality a HUGE improvement over the extremely muddy, low volume original CD's, but it's a significant improvement over the vinyl as well. And this is comming from someone who is a vinyl junkie. This is how these albums should be heard.

oh yeah.......2007-06-10

the beginning,the best,dvd is classic, remastered discs,almost sound as good as the original vinyl(almost),nothing sounds better than master of reality on vinyl,but this is the best way to upgrade your early sabbath collection,

BOUGHT IT AS A GIFT.......2007-06-10

I bought this as a birthday present for my son. He has played it non stop since May. He loves it. I got it here cheaper than anywhere else.

Average customer rating:

Black Sabbath Inspired.
genius
The best of the rest....4.5 stars
Black Sabbath is reborn; 4.5 stars
Very good pure Rock album

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:

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!

Very good pure Rock album.......2007-05-05

From the beginning to the end, this album is very good !
This is a great Rock album and I like every minute of it.
If you're a real Rock music fan, this one is for you !

Average customer rating:

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
heaviest album of the seventies!

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

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Similar Items:

Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath, Vol.4
Paranoid
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
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:

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.

heaviest album of the seventies! .......2007-05-15

Like the title said, this album, in my opinion is the heaviest of the seventies. I also like it more than Paranoid, It's heavier and darker. My favorite track is children of the grave. This album kicks major AS#

Average customer rating:

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

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:

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!!!

spooky.......2007-04-14

It's been a tradition of mine for years now to listen to either a Black Sabbath or Blue Oyster Cult album on Friday the 13th. Of course, Sabbath's debut was released on a Friday the 13th (in 1970).

The album cover is truly spooky. Look at that thing. It looks like a witch, or maybe some demon. The grainy background with the trees and the house probably makes you think about the Blair Witch Project... except that movie wasn't scary or very good. This debut album is fantastic.

It's been said a million times that Black Sabbath's debut gave us a much louder and darker version of hard rock that wasn't previously heard before then, so there's no need to touch on that.

Let's talk about why I love this album. The production is incredibly good. No other hard rock album released before 1970 ever sounded this clear, loud, and amazing (and trust me, I've heard them all). Every other hard rock album had at least a *little* bit of a muddy sound to indicate it's an old album. You'd never tell this album came out in 1970.

The best possible way you can open a hard rock album is found right here with the title song "black sabbath". A quiet thunderstorm starts the thing, and then "duuuuuuuuuun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN du-U-u-U-u-U-u-U-u-U" (with church bells!) riff appears out of nowhere. An incredibly loud and influential guitar riff right there. The part at the end when it speeds up gives the listener a feeling of incredible overwhelming fear. What are you running from? The devil!

"the wizard" has really good harmonica work, especially the solo in the middle. The first time I heard this song I was taken back and confused how a harmonica and a guitar riff could be playing the same notes *at the same time*. It's unlike ANYTHING I've ever heard.

"behind the wall of sleep" reminds me of the guitar-dizzy middle section of "war pigs" but with a more "army march-forward" kind of thing. Any minute I expect Ozzy to scream I DON'T KNOW WHAT I BEEN TOLD. "nib" is a cute little song. Well, lyrically it's FAR from cute, hehe.

"wicked world" reminds me of Earth Day. I can just picture people picking up trash along the highway while listening to this song. It's a pretty cool song, too. It's a loud straight-forward electric blues song that Sabbath have never attempted anything like it before or since. You might want to hear this song and take special notice of it.

The last 15 minutes of the album features a lengthy jam with all sorts of twists and turns that will remind you of Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Iron Butterfly, and all sorts of bands. It's so good.

I can't believe how LOUD, CLEAR and AWESOME Sabbath's debut album is. Those are the three big important words used to describe this baby. Buy it now.

Average customer rating:

The apex of Sabbath's career . . .
A good one from the Ozzy era....4.5 stars
Sabbath, Bloody Killer! The Sabs Take A Step Forward!
experiments galore
Classic Black Sabbath

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

General | Rock | Styles | Music

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General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

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

ASIN: B000002KET
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

As if their dark lyrics and wall-of-sludge sound didn't already have an epic sweep, Black Sabbath braved an even more ambitious approach on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, adding synthesizers and even strings to tracks such as "Who Are You?" and "Spiral Architect." But even without them, the Sabbath classics "Killing Yourself to Live," "National Acrobat," "Looking for Today," and the title track pack a thunderous sonic wallop. "Fluff," a bit of ponderous musing on acoustic guitar and keyboards, adds variety to the disc but brings the headbanging pleasure of the rest of the album to a screeching halt. Beyond that misstep, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is as slow and deliberate as a lava flow, and just as powerful. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews:

The apex of Sabbath's career . . ........2007-05-17

Depending upon where you stand regarding Black Sabbath's so-called progressive tendencies, you may find Sabbath Bloody Sabbath a little too removed from earlier efforts to appreciate it without some justification. With the introduction of synthesizers and relatively glossy production, including orchestral strings, it can be considered an anomaly or, comparing it even to post-Ozzy efforts, the culmination of their artistic vision. Either way it's a very impressive album that shows what Sabbath was capable of even if they chose not to pursue it further. True to form, Bloody Sabbath delivers heavy riffs to move the songs along, and each one gets fair treatment (the instrumental, Fluff, falls outside this scope but is produced well beyond Iommi's typically random guitar musings). Beyond that, grand presentation and careful attention to detail elevate Bloody Sabbath to a dazzling masterpiece of shiny, yet worthy metal, and yet another hurdle for imitators to overcome. There's no uncertainty here, no filler, no reaching beyond their capability. It's an amazing and satisfying album that belongs in every Sabbath and metal fan's collection.

A good one from the Ozzy era....4.5 stars .......2007-05-17

One of my favs from the Ozzy era, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" brings in a fresh new sound (for the time), and concentrates less on the heaviness that prevails on earlier Sabbath. Songs such as "Killing Yourself to Live" break new ground for Sabbath, and represent a slighly different approach. That's not to say that there are not moments of sheer bludgeoning delight; for example, the title track's ending guitar/ bass line is the heaviest ever created by mortal man....this must be played extremely loud for all to give praise. But whatever the goal was, it worked for me. This is one fine set of tunes.

Sabbath, Bloody Killer! The Sabs Take A Step Forward!.......2007-04-15

Although their sucess was gettig to them & and their egos were starting to rise & their managers were stealing millions from them & feedig them all the booze and cocaine and groupies they could handle, Black Sabbath managed to overcome all that and come out with a killer fifth album. Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath is Sabbath matured. Produced by themselves, this is the begining of the end for the Sabs, but it sounds excellent. There are a few fallbacks, of course, but Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath is cohesive and moody and just plain Bloody good Sabbath.

Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath - Classic title track. Ozzy belts out the pissed-at-you lyrics with bravado and angst. Great riff. Geezer pounds you with the bass line. Awesome!!!!

A National Acrobat - One of my personal favorites and somewhat overloked. Metallica did a cover of Sabra Cadabra an slipped in a chunk of this song and it was killer! Grand and glorious! Gets a little weird towards the end, but it, like much of Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath, is epic. Genius! You have to let your body sleep to let your soul live on...Yeah!

Fluff - Yet another ponderous Iommi instrumental. Laguna Sunrise is where he should have stopped with this kinda thing. Set in between the rocking A National Acrobat and Sabra Cadabra, this song stumbles the entire flow of the album. Enough of Iommi trying to show off. This song sounds so forced, it's almost as if he's learning how to play it right there in the recording studio. Boring!

Sabra Cadabra - One of the coolest Iommi riffs of all time. This song kicks out the jams. One of the best sons Black Sabbath had to offer, ever. Often overlooked.

Killing Yourself To Live - As with most albums (being two-sided, remember that?) they put most of the killer stuff on side one so you didn't have to get up from smoking hot, tasty bong-loads to flip the album over. Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath falls into that category, but not in the good/bad sense. On Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath it's more of a straight-forward/experimental duel. Side one is straight-ahead Sabbath. Side two is epic Sabbath expanding their sound. The result isn't bad at all. This song is sweeping and grand. I particulrly like the part where Ozzy whispers Smoke It! Get High! Hilarious.

Who Are You? - Sabbath with Synths. Wowzer! This is a weird, dragging, synth-heavy sci-fi tune about Big Brother. Effective in places. As a whole, not one of my favorite tacks. Gets very swelling and grandiose. Not really a Black Sabbath song. Ozzy's voice grates here. Very 70s Could've had the 5th Dimension singing backup for them.

Looking For Today - Lighter Sabbath. Grooving. The only problem here is that it doesn't realy have a hook, so it's to easily misplaced. Sounds like 60s Sabbath, Sabbath meets Herman's Hermits. Poppy!

Spiral Architect - With the second side of Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath I think that Sabath was trying to get into the whole rock opera genre. Each song is multi-layered with strings and flutes and keyboards. Very orchestrated. This would continue into Sabotage where the songs woud get even grander, more large-scale. Spiral Archtect is layer upon layer of swelling grandeur. Accoustic Iommi. Violins. Very elegant Just a little far from the Sabbath way. Leave the rock operas to The Who.

Overall, Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath is one of the better Sabbath albums. If you're really into the power-crunch sludge of Sabbath, you may be disappointed here because they are moving away from that simplicity. They are becoming master-craftsmen. They are geting too big for their britches. Oh yeah!

Dig it!

experiments galore.......2007-04-14

Wow, Black Sabbath finally turned into Pink Sabbath! Nah, they just went soft*er* with this album. Yes, it's entirely true from everyone who has commented on this album that almost 80% of it is completely unlike what Sabbath has done before in terms of raw, relentless heaviness. Yes, it's probably the wimpiest album from a hard rock band in the history of rock and roll. But you know what? Experiments are interesting, especially when it's coming from a hard rock band, because it's fun to see if a rock band who stuck to one or two formulas for years can somehow change and spice up their style, and have it all come across as believable and successful. It worked because the public liked it. They still do, years later.

The title song rules. I believe Ozzy's angry emotions are some of the most believable ever. I love the lyrics "and you don't care, if you don't see, again the LIGHTS OF DAY". It really feels like Ozzy is giving a speech at some really important grand event. Then, in the blink of an eye, the melody switches to something much lighter with acoustic guitars. All this is fine and good, and then at the very end of the song, it's like Hell has finally reared its ugly head, and the song turns as dark and heavy as a hard rock band was capable of back then. One of Sabbath's best songs for sure.

Wow, I really talked about the title song didn't I! "a national acrobat" follows a similar formula, except there's a blues melody at the end of the song instead of something really heavy. Also, the first half of the song reminds me of those little bubble-hooded cars the Jetsons fly around in. It must be the space rock cartoon freak coming out of me.

"fluff" is a delicate and beautiful instrumental. It reminds me of Elvis Presley's "I can't help falling in love with you". It's really good with guitars, and piano keys that seem to jam softly in the background.

Oh yeah, "sabbra cadabra" RULES. A fast-paced blues song that turns into some evil mystical adventure with Ozzy screaming "LOVELY LAY-LAY-LAY-LADY, she don't tell ME no LIES!" The song is personally interesting for closing with a fine piece of jamming ability that might remind you of either Jethro Tull or Chicago. I never would guesses Sabbath would try something like this. They did, and it works! Did I just say guesses? I mean guessed. I also meant to put the word "have" in front of it.

"killing yourself to live" marks a return to the dark and serious Ozzy from the title song and "under the sun/everyday comes and goes" from Volume 4. Pay attention to the meaningful lyrics. Ozzy wants you to. Wow, what the heck is "who are you?" It's a great Who song, but this isn't the same thing at all. This is like Marvin the Martian visiting Mars, and his friends are following right behind him. The synths are either going to be really appealing or really annoying to you. Guess what- they're good to me. Yeah, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that one. :)

"looking for today" is a pretty song with a pretty melody and pretty flowers blowing in the wind. I love the lyrics "the pain begins to eat your pride, you can't believe in anything you knew, when was the last time that you cried". Emotional vocals, and wonderful lyrics. Finally "spiral architect" is memorable for its spinning 'round and 'round vocal melody, and landing safely on another planet chorus (but not Mars- that's Marvin's base). I heard this melody before... Earthworm Jim! The intro is especially good. It's like a countdown to a rocket launching before the orchestration comes in.

Own this album.

Classic Black Sabbath.......2007-01-11

Either you like them or you don't. If you do this is classic material. I bought it 1st on 8-track when it came out decades ago.

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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Similar Items:

Heaven And Hell
Dehumanizer
Holy Diver
The Last in Line
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

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:

Buy a different Black Sabbath Complilation
love ozzy and sabbath...
Good but unneccessary!
Great
'BEST OF' is misleading

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:

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.

'BEST OF' is misleading.......2007-02-24

The edit/fade of version of IRON MAN makes no sense to me at all. It's one of their best and most beloved and well known songs and should have been included in its full length version, even if it meant leaving off one of their later, lesser songs. Do yourself a favor and skip this disc and try to buy the remastered versions of PARANOID and MASTER OF REALITY from the Amazon UK site. I would recommend you stay away from any Black Sabbath (or Ozzy disc solo for that matter) that list Sharon Osburne anywhere in the credits. She has done nothing but try to rewrite the history the this great band....what a shame!

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