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REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

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BLACK SABBATH – 13

November 25, 2021 /

I’m guessing this record will prove to be the final Black Sabbath recordings as Iommi and Osbourne’s health is not the best. Don’t worry, there will be a million live recordings and demo tracks that have been unearthed in some ex roadies toilet that will come out over time, but for me, this album would be a fitting ending for a once great band. The only sour point with this is the omitting of Bill Ward from proceedings over a contractual situation. You think after all these years that they would have gone out as equal partners, but the great evil one rears her ugly head again. Rick Rubin has done a fine job of keeping the original sound and vibe with updated production, even though it sounds very loud. Brad Wilk is also killer on the pots and pans.

End Of The Beginning sounds as though it’s from those early recordings, and that it was written the day after the sessions for the first album were over – a great track! The single, God Is Dead, follows and is in keeping with Sabbath’s trademark dark subject matter, but this feels more like an Ozzy solo track to my ears, until the mid section where old school Sabbath comes to save the day – this track goes out with a bang. Loners seems to be a rewrite of older material by the rearranging of chord sequences, but it does work well – I’m loving the sound of Iommi’s guitar. Zeitgeist is this album’s Changes, where the vibe and tone go to chill mode. Age Of Reason is a return to normal proceedings as its driven by Wilks’ pounding of the kit and an Iommi monster riff. You think the guy would have been all riffed out after being the creator of some of rocks most iconic moments, but he keeps on pumping them out, and long may he do so. The originators of the doom sound and groove keep their hand in with the riff and vibe to Live Forever which I really like. Damaged Soul has a killer riff and groove – this feels really old school. The album closes out with Dear Father and is the most evil sounding of all the tracks on the album.

I’m sure Rick Rubin had a big hand in the way this album sounded, and I thank him for that as I’m not sure it would have worked if it had been all modern sounding. Anyway, if this is the last Sabbath album then at least it was a good one.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK SABBATH – Born Again

June 3, 2021 /

After being as low as a band could go, after the sacking of Ozzie, and being in the grip of chemical abuse, the band managed to resurrect their careers thanks to Ronnie James Dio. Now, when Dio left to pursue his solo career, everyone was wondering where the band would go from here. Well to some, the appointment of Ian Gillan was a bit of an odd choice as the style and vibe did not match. I thought it was a great choice and was eager to see how it would work.

Opening track, Trashed, was what I thought it would be, a cross between Deep Purple and Sabbath and a nod to the direction they were going in with Dio. After the weird instrumental piece, Stonehenge, Disturbing The Priest sounds dark and very Sabbath of old musically, but the vocals with all of Gillan’s trademark screams sounds anything but Sabbath. I think this is where Sabbath fans of old felt Gillan was not right for the band. After another weird bass instrumental piece, we have this line up’s finest moment in Zero The Hero. A very dark doomy intro, and that beast of a riff, make this one of Sabbath’s finest tracks.

Side 2 kicks off with Digital Bitch with a very NWOBHM style riff – it reminds me of a Gillan solo track complete with suspect lyrics. The title track, Born Again, is next and most bands would call this a power ballad, and that’s just what it is – even if the lyrics are dark and weird. What the hell does “the grey and plastic retards all floating in circles” mean? Never been a fan of Iommi’s solo style, but the solo at the end of this track is nice. Hot Line is next up and a very Blackmore style riff – basically a straight up rock song and it’s quite a commercial tune. Final track, Keep It Warm, has a slow plod riff and groove, and not the finest lyrics ever written, but it’s and ok tune.

Ultimately, we all know this did not work out, and quite a few years in the wilderness were to come before the inevitable reunion with Ozbert Of Oz. It’s an ok album that was lifted by Zero The Hero.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK SABBATH – Master of Reality

March 10, 2021 /

Hard to believe this album is approaching it’s 50th birthday. Boy do I feel old. Lots of people argue all day long about who was the first band to be classified under the banner of “Heavy Metal”. I’m going to go with the general consensus and say it’s these guys. This album in particular is often cited as the ground zero moment for the stoner/doom scene. Another astonishing fact is this was Sabbath’s third release and recorded in just over a year. That would never happen today. I remember rockin’ out to this when I was in my early teens and loving the evil grooves within. Nice big fat simple riffs that hit the spot, well for me at least. There are only 6 proper songs on this record, plus 2 short instrumentals.

The album starts with the all time classic, Sweet Leaf. Everyone should have heard this at some time in their existence. After Forever is next, and is quite a rambling tune that goes from a standard verse-chorus into a hippy guitar workout. The instrumental Embryo follows, and it’s quite an oddity with its baroque vibe. The original stoner classic, Children Of The Grave, ends Side 1 and is another track that everyone and his dog will have heard somewhere.

Side 2 beckons with the second instrumental, Orchid, which is a pleasant acoustic ramble that leads into Lord Of This World, with Iommi’s fat fuzzed up riff that announces its arrival. Quite a slow plodding track that the doom lovers like. Solitude is next with its opening picked riff – having been stolen by many a metal band (Opeth anyone?). A very slow song with an almost unrecognizable vocal from Ozzy. Into The Void closes out the album with another Iommi fuzzed out riff. My favourite track. Fun fact Iommi de-tuned his guitar on this track – not for the sound – but because he had injured his hand by losing the tips of two of his fingers, and it relieved the string tension to help with the pain. Years later everyone would de-tune to get that evil sound.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK SABBATH – Technical Ecstasy

February 19, 2021 /

This is Sabbath’s 7th studio album, and thought of amongst fans as the weakest release of the original line up. Maybe because the songs are quite happy sounding and not the trademark heavy doom sounds of previous efforts, or that they were all out of their minds on all sorts of chemical substances and the focus wasn’t there. I actually bought this on the day of release and remember being stoked for a new Sabbath album. So it’s with this in mind that I review this over 40 years later, and I can admit, it’s not as good as I remember it.

The first two tracks are quite good with Ozzy’s trademark howling vocal sounds as strong as ever, and the riff to You Won’t Change Me is very doomy and what I would expect Sabbath to do. Third track in, Its Alright, has Bill Ward on vocals and is most definitely not Sabbath material – it’s a poor song and just doesn’t fit. Last track on Side 2, Gypsy, starts with a drum riff that steals straight from Cozy Powell and is another average song.

Over to Side 2 and All Moving Parts Stand Still is an ok song, but far from a classic. Rock n Roll Doctor is next and it’s just meh! She’s Gone, a ballad and another track that is just ok – it won’t set the world on fire that’s for sure. Album closer Dirty Women, and as the title suggests, not the deepest song in the world. It must of took Ozzy all of 10 secs to come up with the lyrics.

Musically, it’s not that bad and has a nice middle section. It’s the closest musically to what you would expect Sabbath to release. The album was produced by Tony Iommi, and you have to wonder what he was aiming for.

6/10 from The Grooveman.

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