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Post by MartinT on Aug 2, 2018 12:50:07 GMT
Black Sabbath s/t - 1970:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2316488-1278713040.jpeg.jpg) The band and album that arguably started the whole heavy metal movement. More importantly, the gathering of just the right elements in Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (lead guitar), Geezer Butler (bass), Bill Ward (drums) to deliver a new kind of rock music. This album is special as it was their first effort, yet the music is fully matured. It's as if they landed from another planet ready with their doom-laden gothic tinged rock ready to deliver. Recorded in just two days (including mixing), the opening thunderstorm is still as effective as when I first heard it back in the early 70s. That ominous first chord comes in, a signature of Iommi's playing. You're immediately pitched into a world we had never heard before. Ozzy is immediately in peril as he delivers his scary lyrics. Not only is this a stunning first album, it's a stunning first track. To be honest, there isn't a duff track on it. The sound of the album feels live and exciting, the playing vivid and powerful. It's incredible to think of the speed that it was put together, limiting the number of takes they had. All the better for feeling so very energy-laden and 'there'. It sounds way better than most albums of the period, if a little raw in places. I saw them live at the Lewisham Odeon around 1975 and they were fantastic, performing some of these numbers. It remains to this day the loudest gig I ever attended. Notwithstanding, Ozzy was in great form doing live what he had delivered so well on the album. Thank goodness they didn't go with their first name: The Polka Tulk Blues Band!
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Post by Barrington on Aug 2, 2018 13:24:03 GMT
I have only recently for the first time listened to the first 4 BS albums , they surprised me with their quality . I'll give this a more in depth listen.
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Post by julesd68 on Aug 2, 2018 13:49:44 GMT
First 5 Sabs albums utterly indispensable IMO.
What can one say about the debut that hasn't been said? I have never heard anything really like it since - it just has this unrelentingly primeval and visceral atmosphere that almost takes you to the edge of reason itself. I think it's more than Roger Corman style theatre, such is the depth of the impression it makes; definitely not a cheap thrill like many of the black metal bands that followed.
I think another factor is that it wasn't 'overproduced' or too polished - that would have destroyed the raw energy of the album. I don't think it is possible to overestimate the influence of this record on metal and all its sub-genres.
I'm lucky enough to own a lovely WWA vinyl copy.
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Post by Slinger on Aug 2, 2018 14:34:52 GMT
Bloody Hell! It's been years since I heard this. To be honest (and probably to be treated like a simpleton for ever after) I never found Ozzie's voice all that appealing. The early albums were 'new' and exciting', and the band as a unit rocked big-time but as they got more practiced I always felt that Ozzy didn't develop with them, and if they had a weakness, it was him. I do agree with Jules though, their first five are classics, and Hole In The Sky' from Sabotage (album 6) is still one of the best ways to grab listeners by the throat and bellow in their faces I've ever heard. I just wish it didn't remind me quite so much of Hawkwind...or maybe I don't. I'm really looking forward to giving this a run-out after so long.
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Post by julesd68 on Aug 2, 2018 14:43:02 GMT
I think Ozzy's voice is a big part of the success of the first album - of course it isn't technically amazing but it doesn't have to be, he just has that 'tortured soul' quality to it ... Just wouldn't have the same effect for me if someone like Dio was on vocals ... Disclaimer - I am also a huge Ozzy solo fan.  |
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Post by MartinT on Aug 2, 2018 15:00:34 GMT
Yes, for me Ozzy made Sabbath and I certainly didn't think of the Dio years as proper Sabbath.
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 2, 2018 15:24:03 GMT
Dio was a great vocalist and I like the albums he did with BS, but anyone who saw him performing the early stuff will know how unsuited he was to it. Laughably so, I thought.
In the main, Ozzy sings vocal riffs whereas Dio was an accomplished singer but that was a really bad fit for this material.
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Post by John on Aug 2, 2018 15:46:29 GMT
Top marks for me. A classic
I love Bill playing on this, he has a looseness of playing that just works with this album, another big part is Tony drop tuning on guitar, he had to do this in order to play the guitar, standard tuning would of been quite hard for him to play, but it also gives a darker sound that suits the vibe of the album.
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Post by John on Aug 2, 2018 15:51:07 GMT
With regards to Dio one of my favourite rock vocalist, but his great voice is not suited to the earlier material. For me Ronnie is at his best with Rainbow. For me the worst mistake was having Ian Gillian on vocals. By this stage Ian has lost his a lot of vocal abilities.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2018 15:52:01 GMT
Good choice, Martin. I look forward to another listen to this.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 2, 2018 17:43:02 GMT
Hole In The Sky' from Sabotage (album 6) is still one of the best ways to grab listeners by the throat and bellow in their faces I've ever heard. Am I Going Insane? from that album has a wonderful feel to it. The Thrill Of It All is also excellent. |
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 2, 2018 23:35:29 GMT
This is one of those albums that had a huge impact upon me, on first hearing it.
I have a very early Vertigo pressing which sounds superb. I swapped it with a school friend for a mint 1980s NEMS copy that I had bought new and cost £1.99 - he was chuffed to bits with it!
'Warning' has always been my favourite track, though the absolute greatest Sabbath song, in my opinion, is 'Wicked World', which was recorded during the album sessions and was the b-side to their first single 'Evil Woman'.
'Warning' was a cover of a track by The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation from '67.
'Evil Woman' was a cover too.
Here's 'Wicked World', which shows Bill Ward's jazz influences.
Apart from Iommi's technique and tunings, I think one of the things that made Sabbath seem so monstrously heavy at the time was the way Geezer Butler was able to play the main riff in support of the guitar, and it was Bill Ward's drumming that allowed this to be possible.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 3, 2018 4:54:44 GMT
I love Ward and Butler's supporting drive, they really provide an excellent foundation for the Iommi licks.
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Post by mikeyb on Aug 3, 2018 9:29:29 GMT
It’s an 11 from me 😊
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2018 21:17:54 GMT
Great album and listening today it still sounds good. The problem for me with Sabbath and a lot of other bands of this era is that they became locked into what they were doing and became a pastiche of themselves. Some bands re invented them selves and progressed and some had principal members die tragically young, of some kind of misadventure, which cemented their reputations. Some sadly became a real life Spinal Tap and for me Sharon, Ozzy, Kelly et al took twatishness to a new height. Still like early Sabbath though.
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Post by julesd68 on Aug 8, 2018 21:44:27 GMT
hmm, not sure about that Doc, at least for the first 5 albums anyway ...
Sometimes reinvention is good, sometimes moving away from what you do best can be a mistake as well ... if it ain't broke ...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2018 21:51:26 GMT
As I said Jules, early Sabbath is superb, Paraboid is one of my all time favs as is Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. It all started going down hill for me from Born Again.
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Post by julesd68 on Aug 8, 2018 21:56:11 GMT
Yep would be hard to argue against that ...
I'd be interested to know which you think are the best of the bands that re-invented themselves Doc?
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Post by Tim on Aug 8, 2018 22:01:09 GMT
All time classic, years ahead of it's time and still worthy of all the praise it gets today.
5/5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2018 0:04:33 GMT
Yep would be hard to argue against that ... I'd be interested to know which you think are the best of the bands that re-invented themselves Doc? Well the Beatles spring to mind and of course Tyrannosaurus Rex became T.Rex a less successful reinvention for me was Mott the Hooples journey into Glam, brought about by the arch re inventor David Bowie. |
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