Sabbath Bloody Sabbath [Import]

Track Listings
1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath    
2. National Acrobat    
3. Fluff    
4. Sabbra Cadabra    
5. Killing Yourself To Live    
6. Who Are You    
7. Looking For Today    
8. Spiral Architect    

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
1996 reissue on Castle of their top 20 1974 album for WarnerBrothers. Digitally remastered from the original mastertapes with faithfully restored artwork, it contains alleight original tracks, including the title smash and'Killing Yourself To Live'.

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Music, Black Sabbath, Heavy Metal
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 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

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Similar Items:
  1. Black Sabbath, Vol.4
  2. Master of Reality
  3. Sabotage
  4. Black Sabbath
  5. Paranoid

ASIN: B000002KET
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath
  2. A National Acrobat
  3. Fluff
  4. Sabbra Cadabra
  5. Killing Yourself To Live
  6. Who Are You?
  7. Looking For Today
  8. 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:

5 out of 5 stars 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.

4 out of 5 stars 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.

4 out of 5 stars 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!

5 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars 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.
String Quartet Tribute to Black Sabbath
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Nice idea, but not quite hitting home
  • Can you find parts for this?
  • Valiant Experiment
  • Sabbath's Music Lends Itself Perfectly To This Tribute
  • ELEVATOR MUSIC
String Quartet Tribute to Black Sabbath
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Vitamin Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006GOHM
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Tracks:

  1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
  2. Sweet Leaf
  3. Iron Man
  4. Changes
  5. Electric Funeral
  6. Paranoid
  7. Solitude
  8. Supernaut
  9. Into The Void
  10. Sacrament

Product Description

1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
2. Sweet Leaf
3. Iron Man
4. Changes
5. Electric Funeral
6. Paranoid
7. Solitude
8. Supernaut
9. Into the Void
10. Sacrament

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Nice idea, but not quite hitting home.......2007-06-29

Sabbath's music interpreted by this quartet seems a lot more repetitive and ordinary than I would have thought it would. Maybe another quartet could give it more depth. But what do I know? It's a nice novelty - I recommend buying it if you have been listening to Sabbath as much as I have. But, I have to agree with the fellow who pointed out the hack assembly line quality of this quartet series. Also, I am not sure they picked the more orchestral Sabbath songs to perform (i.e. Killing Yourself to Live, or Spiral Architect).

5 out of 5 stars Can you find parts for this?.......2006-08-12

I have been a Black sabbath fan for a long time. I was in Orchestra for nine years. I was so glad to find this CD on amazon. I haven't bought it yet, but I was wondering if you can buy, the violin score (part) for black sabbath? I would love to be able to play these songs myself.

5 out of 5 stars Valiant Experiment.......2006-03-08

Pure classical strings: Violin, Cello, Viola, Contrabass. It's suitable for elevator & dentist music. Not bad but the music is lacking body, it feels empty and needs either more instruments or a deeper more pronounced bass. The high pitch strings do tend to get on your nerves after a while. The artist did a decent job on the songs but I don't think Black Sabbath comes out right with strings. The CD has 10 songs of which 9 are Sabbath and 1 is an original composition named Sacrament (short but ok). The CD really needed more songs to give a better incentive to purchase. Paranoid and Sabbath Bloddy Sabbath are my favorites in string.

5 out of 5 stars Sabbath's Music Lends Itself Perfectly To This Tribute.......2004-10-02

Black Sabbath's music lends itself so perfectly to this kind of a tribute, you can't help but think maybe Ozzy, Tony, Geezer, and Bill planned this from the beginning. Not likely, but still. This is one of the most natural sounding String Tributes out there. The slow, plodding, doom-like riffs translate amazingly to a string quartet. Check out the sound clips of Electric Funeral and Iron Man for the best examples. Even Paranoid was impressive, and that's not really a song you would expect to translate very well. In all, a great pickup Ozzy & Sabbath fans, both old and new.

1 out of 5 stars ELEVATOR MUSIC.......2003-08-28

This recording is very disappointing as far as adding a new exciting edge to Sabbath's great tunes. I'm 40 years old and have listened to Sabbath since my early teens. This is nothing but elevator music done on an assembly line. The main part of the strings are playing the tune while another one plays out the voice pattern over top.Real tacky and not very original.Once I recieved the CD I found an order form for the String Quartet's other cheesey renditions-Tributes to Queen,Zeppelin, U2, etc not to mention tributes to Bjork and Enya (who the hell are they?).This sound was like listening to castrated Sabbath music.There was no way to build up any dynamics or power using these instruments and they can't even begin to capture the raw emotion that makes Sabbath's music stand out. I love good string work but this left me wanting to reach through the speakers so I could grab those violins and smash them into a million pieces.As a hard core Sabbath fan I would strongly recommend buying the CD by Rondellus called Sabbatum if you want a unique attack on Sabbath music. It is very well done on medieval instruments and sung in Latin .
Bhangra Bloody Bhangra: A Tribute to Black Sabbath
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bhangra at its best
  • Not A Novelty Record.
Bhangra Bloody Bhangra: A Tribute to Black Sabbath
Opium Jukebox
Manufacturer: Underground Inc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006BXGK
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Tracks:

  1. Supanaut No.1
  2. Iron Man
  3. Heaven & Hell
  4. N.I.B.
  5. Paranoid
  6. Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath
  7. Snowblind
  8. Embryo
  9. War Pigs
  10. Suicide Solution
  11. Supanaut No.2

Album Description

Full Title - Bhangra Bloody Bhangra - A Tribute To Black Sabbath. The Opium Jukebox team have brought you their trademark dubbed-up, chilled out, chemically enhanced tribute featuring Ozzy Obbourne. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Bhangra at its best.......2006-03-08

The music is relaxing and the melody familiar. I love how they are able the convert the classic Sabbath on to Bhangra without losing the songs essence. It's a respectable effort. If you love Sabbath and crew and want to experience something different, this CD is for you, even if you don't particularly like Black Sabbath you will still enjoy the bhangra harmony. I would like a volume two with some newer works such as Heaven and hell, Zero the hero, Headless cross. The artwork is terrible and boring.

4 out of 5 stars Not A Novelty Record........2003-05-16

Being a fan of both (early) Black Sabbath and Indian Pop music / Bhangra / Sitar, I just had to try this one and I'm very glad I did.

The music on this CD is more than listenable on it's own & the Black Sabbath connection only makes it more interesting.

It works so well (esp. N.I.B.) that I might just buy their Sex Pistols Tribute next.

Recommended - have a listen to the samples on Amazon.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • My favorte Sabbath
  • Sabbath's Finest Hour
  • One of their finest Ozzy-era efforts
  • Sabbath branches out and kicks ...
  • The Best Bloody Sabbath
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Manufacturer: Castle Music UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Master of Reality
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ASIN: B000005RFL
Release Date: 1998-09-22

Tracks:

  1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
  2. A National Acrobat
  3. Fluff
  4. Sabbra Cadabra
  5. Killing Yourself To Live
  6. Who Are You
  7. Looking For Today
  8. Spiral Architect

Album Description

1996 reissue on Castle of their top 20 1974 album for WarnerBrothers. Digitally remastered from the original master tapes with faithfully restored artwork, it contains all eight original tracks, including the title smash and 'Killing Yourself To Live'.

Album Details

The Group's Fifth Album, Originally Released in 1973; On Lead Vox: Ozzy. Digitally Remastered and Restored (Orignal Art, Liner Notes). Contains an Informative Essay by Hugh Gilmour. The Sonic Blueprint that Documents the Classic Heavy Metal Sound; The Alb.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars My favorte Sabbath.......2006-01-17

If one were to ask what Black Sabbath's golden era was, most ivory-tower music historians and co-called "experts" would probably say it was the band's first four albums. If you were to ask anyone (critic, or fan) what was Sabbath's best offering, "Paranoid," (1970) or perhaps the self-titled debut, (1970) or even "Master of Reality" (1971) would be your answer. For this fan, however, I'm going to have to go with the band's fifth album "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (1974) as being my personal favorite album by the legendary British metal band.

In terms of creativity, musicianship, and songwriting, the iron was still hot by the time Sabbath recorded "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath." Key elements that so defined the band's first four albums are still in place; blues-based, sluggish riffs, a gloomy outlook, and gothic trappings abound, but this time the band try to expand their sound by introducing synthesizers and orchestration into their formula (courtesy of Rick Wakeman of YES). Like any of the band's first six albums, Sabbath is as focused and tight as ever.

In all honesty, the first six albums are all classics, all flawless; you could really argue any of the first six releases as being the band's best album. I tend to give the nod to "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" because I think it showcases Iommi's best riffs and the added synths work really well encompassed into the band's bluesy/sluggish signature sound.

On "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," like any classic Sabbath or early Ozzy solo work, we see Ozzy in his prime. Long before Ozzy Osbourne became a parody of himself, being known to most as an oafish buffoon on a reality show as opposed to an icon, he really was genuinely chilling. Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward's (drums) bone-crunching rhythm section are as intimidating and intense as ever.

The opening title track "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" stands as one of the band's greatest songs. From the second the needle hits the groove of the record, or you press play on your CD player, your senses are almost overwhelmed by a riff that is simultaneously intense, gripping and infectious. As the song grinds along, it goes from angry, lean and mean, to a melodic, almost bittersweet, to a full-throttle attack. After the overwhelming "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," the listener is offered a reprieve with the laid-back yet fully captivating "A National Acrobat." The beautiful melancholy acoustic "Fluff" is perhaps Iommi's all-time greatest instrumental and serves as a sharp contrast to the rest of the album. The band's experimentation makes itself known with the hard-hitting "Sabbra Cadabra," as synthesizers and piano come out of left-field, throwing the listener a welcome curveball. One of the band's bleakest songs, "Killing Yourself" is kind of like a heavy-metal version of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero." The gloomy-as-could-be synth-heavy "Who are you" enters prog-rock country. The album offers another surprise with the pop-savvy "Looking for Today," and the epic closing "Spiral Architect," the latter adding orchestration. The orchestration works well in combination with Iommi's killer solos.

When a band tries to expand their sound with experimentation it doesn't always work. This isn't the case at all, however, with "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath." This album is the perfect example of a band experimenting, growing, and maturing, without loosing its teeth or letting its ambitions run wild. "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" stands as not only one of the band's best albums (or best) but is also one of the best rock albums from the 1970s.

5 out of 5 stars Sabbath's Finest Hour.......2004-10-09

As far as the original (Ozzy era) Sabbath albums go, this has to be classified as the best of the bunch. While it may lack the sonic, crunching guitar chords that Black Sabbath is known for, it is musically their masterpiece. That's not to say that this album is not as heavy as other Sab products, but it is certainly a step beyond being a mere "metal" album. Songs such as "A National Acrobat" and "Looking For Today" shine with a definite British, almost Beatle-esque quality that show a band firing on all cylinders. While many will, in all likelyhood, point out "Paranoid" as the band's true masterpiece, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is actually a step beyond that. THIS is the album that all other metal acts since have tried to make, after achieving their own success. Few have accomplished it. Anyone who knows only of Ozzy Osbourne as the befuddled, remote control-challenged man he is today, need only hear this album to understand why he is the metal icon he is today. This is a prime example of heavy metal at it's finest.

5 out of 5 stars One of their finest Ozzy-era efforts.......2004-05-30

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1974.) Black Sabbath's fifth album.

By the middle of the seventies, Black Sabbath had managed to build up a pretty large following. Hard to believe the band, who was so heavily resented in their native England at first, would go on and become a legend of classic rock and heavy metal alike. Ozzy, Geezer, Bill, and Tony released their fifth album together circa 1974. Read on for my review of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

This album features Black Sabbath finishing up the "creative slide" they had embarked on with their previous album, Vol. 4. But unlike Vol. 4, which was uneven and imbalanced all the way through, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is a rock and roll masterpiece (not to say the previous album was bad, but this one is the superior one of the two.) The title track and Sabbra Cadabra are legendary rockers that have become some of the band's biggest hits over the years - the latter song even features the great Rick Wakeman (best known for his role in Yes) on keyboards! Tony Iommi even shows off his little-appreciated acoustic side on the instrumental Fluff. Another noteworthy rocker that appears here is Spiral Architect. The lyrics here are excellent, as is the band's instrumental work. Through and through, this album explores many rock styles and performs each one with excellence. The album closes with Looking For Today, an excellent cut that starts hard and heavy, but closes out in a sound that fuses melodic elemets with rock-based ones. In the end you are left with a damn fine classic metal album.

THIS TEXT REFERS EXCLUSIVELY TO THE AMERICAN WARNER BROS. REISSUE. It's great that Warner Bros. has remastered and rereleased the Black Sabbath catalogue, but sadly, that's pretty much all they did. Their rereleases don't have any new bonus tracks or expanded liner notes. That's really kind of a shame, because it doesn't make these reissues any better than the "bargain" ones. There are two main issues of the Black Sabbath albums available in America - the bargain reissues and the Warner reissues. Take my advice and look for the bargain reissues. They don't have anything extra, either, and they cost WAY less than the Warner versions. Generally, these bargain reissues can be found at places that have a very limited CD selection, like drug stores, gas stations, and they have even been known to pop up in some actual music stores.

Overall, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is, quite possibly, the band's finest album ever released with Ozzy Osbourne at the helm. It's a shame this album tends to go overlooked in comparison to some of their earlier work, because in actuality, it is a much stronger album that is considerably less rough around the edges than the older ones. Highly recommended to any fan of classic rock or classic metal.

5 out of 5 stars Sabbath branches out and kicks ..........2002-04-20

It takes a while to grow on you, but this is really the best Sabbath studio LP of all. Though there is no such thing as a perfect Sabbath album, this album has a spot of genius in every song: the choruses of "Looking For Today" (you buried the lead, guys) and "Killing Yourself To Live", the brief descending guitar breaks in "Spiral Architect". And the grooves are the deepest Ozzy & Co. ever cooked up. The title track is just death itself; some enterprising rapper oughta hook up with "A National Acrobat" tout suite; and despite the cliché-squared lyrics, "Sabbra Cadabra" cooks harder than the Meters, even. The instrumental is pretty and dealable, and "Who Are You"'s melody ultimately overcomes the lack of Iommi-skronk. Overall, one killer record.

Incidentally, the remastered version is worth purchasing - brighter, and with much more bottom end.

5 out of 5 stars The Best Bloody Sabbath.......2000-07-15

This is easily the best Sabbath album. The songs "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", "Killing Yourself to Live", and "Looking For Today" are awesome. Everyone knows that Paranoid is a great album, but this one is even greater. On this one, the songs are remastered and never sounded better. Don't waste your money are the US version, it sounds horrible. It also includes all the original artwork--something very important for us collectors. I waited too long to buy album, so don't make my mistake.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
    Black Sabbath
    Manufacturer: Creative Sounds
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    5. Black Sabbath, Vol.4

    ASIN: B00008V6WA
    Release Date: 2006-05-24

    Tracks:

    1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
    2. National Acrobat
    3. Fluff
    4. Sabbra Cadabra
    5. Killing Yourself to Live
    6. Who Are You?
    7. Spiral Architect
    8. Looking for Today
    Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • My favorte Sabbath
    • Sabbath's Finest Hour
    • One of their finest Ozzy-era efforts
    • Sabbath branches out and kicks ...
    • The Best Bloody Sabbath
    Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
    Black Sabbath
    Manufacturer: Sanctuary UK
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    British MetalBritish Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
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    Similar Items:
    1. Master of Reality
    2. Paranoid
    3. Black Sabbath, Vol. 4
    4. Sabotage
    5. Black Sabbath

    ASIN: B00022TPTS
    Release Date: 2004-05-31

    Tracks:

    1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
    2. National Acrobat
    3. Fluff
    4. Sabbra Cadabra
    5. Killing Yourself to Live
    6. Who Are You?
    7. Spiral Architect
    8. Looking for Today

    Album Description

    1996 reissue on Castle of their top 20 1974 album for WarnerBrothers. Digitally remastered from the original mastertapes with faithfully restored artwork, it contains alleight original tracks, including the title smash and'Killing Yourself To Live'.

    Album Details

    Limited Edition Reissue, Replicating the Original Album Packaging in a Cardboard Digipak.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars My favorte Sabbath.......2006-01-17

    If one were to ask what Black Sabbath's golden era was, most ivory-tower music historians and co-called "experts" would probably say it was the band's first four albums. If you were to ask anyone (critic, or fan) what was Sabbath's best offering, "Paranoid," (1970) or perhaps the self-titled debut, (1970) or even "Master of Reality" (1971) would be your answer. For this fan, however, I'm going to have to go with the band's fifth album "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (1974) as being my personal favorite album by the legendary British metal band.

    In terms of creativity, musicianship, and songwriting, the iron was still hot by the time Sabbath recorded "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath." Key elements that so defined the band's first four albums are still in place; blues-based, sluggish riffs, a gloomy outlook, and gothic trappings abound, but this time the band try to expand their sound by introducing synthesizers and orchestration into their formula (courtesy of Rick Wakeman of YES). Like any of the band's first six albums, Sabbath is as focused and tight as ever.

    In all honesty, the first six albums are all classics, all flawless; you could really argue any of the first six releases as being the band's best album. I tend to give the nod to "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" because I think it showcases Iommi's best riffs and the added synths work really well encompassed into the band's bluesy/sluggish signature sound.

    On "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," like any classic Sabbath or early Ozzy solo work, we see Ozzy in his prime. Long before Ozzy Osbourne became a parody of himself, being known to most as an oafish buffoon on a reality show as opposed to an icon, he really was genuinely chilling. Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward's (drums) bone-crunching rhythm section are as intimidating and intense as ever.

    The opening title track "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" stands as one of the band's greatest songs. From the second the needle hits the groove of the record, or you press play on your CD player, your senses are almost overwhelmed by a riff that is simultaneously intense, gripping and infectious. As the song grinds along, it goes from angry, lean and mean, to a melodic, almost bittersweet, to a full-throttle attack. After the overwhelming "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," the listener is offered a reprieve with the laid-back yet fully captivating "A National Acrobat." The beautiful melancholy acoustic "Fluff" is perhaps Iommi's all-time greatest instrumental and serves as a sharp contrast to the rest of the album. The band's experimentation makes itself known with the hard-hitting "Sabbra Cadabra," as synthesizers and piano come out of left-field, throwing the listener a welcome curveball. One of the band's bleakest songs, "Killing Yourself" is kind of like a heavy-metal version of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero." The gloomy-as-could-be synth-heavy "Who are you" enters prog-rock country. The album offers another surprise with the pop-savvy "Looking for Today," and the epic closing "Spiral Architect," the latter adding orchestration. The orchestration works well in combination with Iommi's killer solos.

    When a band tries to expand their sound with experimentation it doesn't always work. This isn't the case at all, however, with "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath." This album is the perfect example of a band experimenting, growing, and maturing, without loosing its teeth or letting its ambitions run wild. "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" stands as not only one of the band's best albums (or best) but is also one of the best rock albums from the 1970s.

    5 out of 5 stars Sabbath's Finest Hour.......2004-10-09

    As far as the original (Ozzy era) Sabbath albums go, this has to be classified as the best of the bunch. While it may lack the sonic, crunching guitar chords that Black Sabbath is known for, it is musically their masterpiece. That's not to say that this album is not as heavy as other Sab products, but it is certainly a step beyond being a mere "metal" album. Songs such as "A National Acrobat" and "Looking For Today" shine with a definite British, almost Beatle-esque quality that show a band firing on all cylinders. While many will, in all likelyhood, point out "Paranoid" as the band's true masterpiece, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is actually a step beyond that. THIS is the album that all other metal acts since have tried to make, after achieving their own success. Few have accomplished it. Anyone who knows only of Ozzy Osbourne as the befuddled, remote control-challenged man he is today, need only hear this album to understand why he is the metal icon he is today. This is a prime example of heavy metal at it's finest.

    5 out of 5 stars One of their finest Ozzy-era efforts.......2004-05-30

    Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1974.) Black Sabbath's fifth album.

    By the middle of the seventies, Black Sabbath had managed to build up a pretty large following. Hard to believe the band, who was so heavily resented in their native England at first, would go on and become a legend of classic rock and heavy metal alike. Ozzy, Geezer, Bill, and Tony released their fifth album together circa 1974. Read on for my review of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

    This album features Black Sabbath finishing up the "creative slide" they had embarked on with their previous album, Vol. 4. But unlike Vol. 4, which was uneven and imbalanced all the way through, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is a rock and roll masterpiece (not to say the previous album was bad, but this one is the superior one of the two.) The title track and Sabbra Cadabra are legendary rockers that have become some of the band's biggest hits over the years - the latter song even features the great Rick Wakeman (best known for his role in Yes) on keyboards! Tony Iommi even shows off his little-appreciated acoustic side on the instrumental Fluff. Another noteworthy rocker that appears here is Spiral Architect. The lyrics here are excellent, as is the band's instrumental work. Through and through, this album explores many rock styles and performs each one with excellence. The album closes with Looking For Today, an excellent cut that starts hard and heavy, but closes out in a sound that fuses melodic elemets with rock-based ones. In the end you are left with a damn fine classic metal album.

    THIS TEXT REFERS EXCLUSIVELY TO THE AMERICAN WARNER BROS. REISSUE. It's great that Warner Bros. has remastered and rereleased the Black Sabbath catalogue, but sadly, that's pretty much all they did. Their rereleases don't have any new bonus tracks or expanded liner notes. That's really kind of a shame, because it doesn't make these reissues any better than the "bargain" ones. There are two main issues of the Black Sabbath albums available in America - the bargain reissues and the Warner reissues. Take my advice and look for the bargain reissues. They don't have anything extra, either, and they cost WAY less than the Warner versions. Generally, these bargain reissues can be found at places that have a very limited CD selection, like drug stores, gas stations, and they have even been known to pop up in some actual music stores.

    Overall, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is, quite possibly, the band's finest album ever released with Ozzy Osbourne at the helm. It's a shame this album tends to go overlooked in comparison to some of their earlier work, because in actuality, it is a much stronger album that is considerably less rough around the edges than the older ones. Highly recommended to any fan of classic rock or classic metal.

    5 out of 5 stars Sabbath branches out and kicks ..........2002-04-20

    It takes a while to grow on you, but this is really the best Sabbath studio LP of all. Though there is no such thing as a perfect Sabbath album, this album has a spot of genius in every song: the choruses of "Looking For Today" (you buried the lead, guys) and "Killing Yourself To Live", the brief descending guitar breaks in "Spiral Architect". And the grooves are the deepest Ozzy & Co. ever cooked up. The title track is just death itself; some enterprising rapper oughta hook up with "A National Acrobat" tout suite; and despite the cliché-squared lyrics, "Sabbra Cadabra" cooks harder than the Meters, even. The instrumental is pretty and dealable, and "Who Are You"'s melody ultimately overcomes the lack of Iommi-skronk. Overall, one killer record.

    Incidentally, the remastered version is worth purchasing - brighter, and with much more bottom end.

    5 out of 5 stars The Best Bloody Sabbath.......2000-07-15

    This is easily the best Sabbath album. The songs "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", "Killing Yourself to Live", and "Looking For Today" are awesome. Everyone knows that Paranoid is a great album, but this one is even greater. On this one, the songs are remastered and never sounded better. Don't waste your money are the US version, it sounds horrible. It also includes all the original artwork--something very important for us collectors. I waited too long to buy album, so don't make my mistake.
    Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
      Black Sabbath
      Manufacturer: Universal Japan
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
      British MetalBritish Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
      Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
      Hard Rock & MetalHard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
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      1. Black Sabbath, Vol. 4
      2. Master of Reality
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      5. Coney Island Baby

      ASIN: B000LZ54GO
      Release Date: 2007-03-05

      Tracks:

      1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
      2. National Acrobat
      3. Fluff
      4. Sabbra Cadabra
      5. Killing Yourself to Live
      6. Who Are You?
      7. Spiral Architect
      8. Looking for Today

      Album Details

      Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.
      Sabbath Bloody Sabbath/ Heaven and Hell
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Sabbath Bloody Sabbath/ Heaven and Hell
        Black Sabbath
        Manufacturer: CD Maximum
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B000JPTIGS

        Product Description

        2 albums on 1CD -16 trx total: "SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH" - 8 trx & "HEAVEN AND HELL" - 8 trx.
        Black Sabbath The Collection Series 3 CD Set
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Black Sabbath The Collection Series 3 CD Set

          Manufacturer: Creative Sounds Ltd
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
          ASIN: B0007Y6L3E

          Product Description

          bx set includes Black Sabbath, Paranoid, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
          Rise & Shine: Under The Covers
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Rise & Shine: Under The Covers
            The Cardigans
            Manufacturer: Trampolene Records
            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD
            ASIN: B000RFPMKG

            Product Description

            5-track Canadian CD EP on Trampolene, 1995. Also includes The Boys Are Back In Town/Sabbath Bloody Sabbath/Mr. Crowley/In The Afternoon.

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