RATINGS:
BLACK SABBATH:
1.BLACK SABBATH (EXCELLENT) Released in 1970, This album
marked the beginning of the long career of Ozzy Osbourne. This album also inspired countless
heavy metal bands of the 80's and 90's. This debut album starts with the evil sounds of
"Black Sabbath" and "The Wizard." It then carries on into the graceful and bluesy sounds
of Iommi's guitar in "Warning." Depending on which version of this album you get, it may
contain "Wicked World" or "Evil Woman" or both.
2.PARANOID (EXCELLENT) Released in 1971, This album represents the pinnacle of the band's
commercial success with such hits as "War Pigs," "Paranoid," "Iron Man," and "Fairies
Wear Boots." Paranoid is the most popular of Black Sabbath's albums, and is the one which gets
played most often on the radio. It is also the heaviest of all the Ozzy Black Sabbath
albums. Most of the songs are hard-hitting with plenty of sonic distortion. "Planet
Caravan" is an exception. It is a beautiful Pink-Floyd-type song which provides the
perfect contrast with the heavy songs which surround it.
3.MASTER OF REALITY (EXCELLENT) Also released in 1971, Master of Reality sounds very similar to Paranoid
except that the soft contrasts are this time supplied by two classical guitar pieces by Iommi
called "Embryo" and "Orchid" as well as a slow, melancholy song called "Solitude" which
is sung by Bill Ward.
4.VOLUME 4 (GOOD) Released in 1972, this album is probably the most diverse and dynamic blend of
music that the Black Sabbath has ever released. It contains such classics as "Wheels of
Confusion" and "St.Vitus' Dance." It also has the haunting instrumental "Laguna Sunrise"
which has since become Black Sabbath's musical trademark. "Supernaut" and "Under the
Sun" also show off the band's expanded song-writing abilities. A better example of
Sabbath's new and improved song-writing style is provided by their next album however.
5.SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH (EXCELLENT) Released in 1973, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was the height of the band's
critical success. This album provides the perfect blend of rock, mental, blues, and classical
guitar. "Sabbra Cadabra," "Killing Yourself to Live," and "Spiral Architect" are three of the classic pieces on this album.
6.SABOTAGE (EXCELLENT) Released in 1975, This album picks up right where Sabbath Bloody
Sabbath left off. This album is probably the best Sabbath album from start to finish. It
recaptures the heavy sound of the band's first three albums, but the songs are constructed
more skillfully than those earlier efforts. Sabotage has all the hard-hitting strength of the early
albums with all the style of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. "Symptom of the Universe" is one of the great songs found here, along with the extraordiary epics "Meglomania" and "The Writ"
7.TECHNICAL ECSTASY (POOR) Released in 1976, Technical Ecstasy is the worst of the Ozzy era Sabbath
releases. It presents a softer sound which is not well suited to this pioneer of heavy metal
music. It does, however, contain Ozzy's best ballad done with Black Sabbath: "She's
Gone." This album also contains a Beatles-sounding song called "It's Alright" sung by Bill
Ward.
8.NEVER SAY DIE (FAIR) Released in 1978, This album marks the end of Ozzy's tenure with the band. This
album offers the most diverse blend of music since Volume 4. While this album is not very
strong overall, it does supply a few great songs: "Johnny Blade" has a killer guitar solo,
"Junior's Eyes" is a melodic masterwork, and "Swinging the Chain," sung by Bill Ward, is
one of Sabbath's finest.
9.BORN AGAIN (FAIR) Released in 1983, Born Again marks a temporary return to the band's 70's style
when former Deep Purple singer Ian Gillian takes over the vocalist job from Ronnie Dio.
(Dio's Sabbath as well as Sabbath albums released after Born Again are not covered here.)
Born Again provides a sound very similar to Ozzy's Sabbath. While this album is not very
strong overall, it does have two great songs. "Trashed" is a great hard-rocking, hard-drinking anthem, and "Zero the Hero" is a wonderfully dark tune.
10.NATIVITY IN BLACK (FAIR) Released in 1994, Nativity in Black in a tribute album which features such bands
as Biohazard, White Zombie, Megadeth, Sepultura, and Type O Negative. These and
other bands contribute their versions of some early Ozzy era Black Sabbath songs. While
White Zombie's version of "Children of the Grave," Ozzy's new version of "Iron Man,"
and Bruce Dickinson's version of "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" are all fitting tributes, most of
the other offerings fall short.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. If you're looking for a greatest hits album, Black Sabbath has four. The first two are a single album called "Greatest Hits" and a double album called "We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n' Roll." They both provide a nice selection of early Sabbath songs, but both are limited to songs from the first five albums. Another one called "The Black Sabbath Story Vol. 1" has the music the documentary film done about the Ozzy years of Black Sabbath. Another greatest hits album covers some hits from Ozzy's Sabbath, Dio's Sabbath, and from Born Again.
2. The documentary "The Black Sabbath Story Vol. 1" is available on home video. "The Black Sabbath Story Vol. 2" covers all the post-Ozzy activities of the band, and it is also available on home video.
3. A three CD collection of Ozzy era Sabbath songs also exists. It covers the best songs during Ozzy's time with the band.
4. If you are looking for a Black Sabbath live album featuring Ozzy, it is called "Live at Last." Unfortunately, the sound quality of this album is very poor.
5. If you see an album called "Children of the Grave," it is simply Volume 4 with a live version of "Children of the Grave" added.
6. The sound quality on the remastered versions of Sabbath's early albums is highly superior to the cheaper original CD versions.
© 1997 t-specht@students.uiuc.edu
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