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The Black Sabbath have been associated too many times with the word metal. Nothing could be more wrong.
The Sabs (at least in the Ozzy era) are an hard-rock band with strong blues influences, a genre that inspired them. That this group has been a source of inspiration for many subsequent metal bands doesn't mean it invented the genre, as is too often said, even by important music "experts." The blues matrix on which all of Sabbath's sound would later evolve has its strongest presence in their debut album: "Black Sabbath" indeed, one of the best in their entire discography (all very beautiful, albeit with a few less remarkable episodes).
The album opens with the song of the same name, "Black Sabbath", which begins with a rain shower and bells tolling, leading into Tony Iommi's slow and majestic riff, alternately accompanied by a fully fit Ozzy who delivers one terrifying verse after another. The final solo is unforgettable. It is followed by "The Wizard", a song where the bluesy sound is heavily felt, also thanks to the harmonica played by Mr. Osbourne. Already from this song, one can glimpse the skill of the band's drummer, Bill Ward, who will, however, explode only in the album's final tracks.
The third track, "Behind The Wall Of Sleep", although not among the most famous of the album, has a respectable sound, and Ozzy's vocal performance reaches one of the album's peaks. Following is the most famous song of the album and also one of the most beautiful of all time, "N.I.B.", with lyrics that have brought heavy accusations of satanism to the band, in my opinion unfounded, and an Iommi riff among the most beautiful of his career. A legendary solo closes this song perfectly, quite "easy-listening" compared to others on the album but certainly impactful.
"Evil Woman" is perhaps the most insignificant song on the album: it's a cover of an old Crow song, erroneously used as a single by the Sabs. Nevertheless, the quartet's performance is good. An unusual opening with a jaw harp starts the sixth track, very short, "Sleeping Village", where Ozzy, accompanied by Geezer Butler's bass, sings a few verses reaching his peak performance. In this song, Osbourne's voice is wonderful and used with great skill. Continuing the song, we discover how the two musicians handling the rhythm are comfortable and we glimpse the jazz nuances of Ward's drumming. The seventh song, "The Warning", begins where the previous one ended. We are then treated to a beautiful "jam session" of the three musicians, with Osbourne a bit sidelined but still excellent. Certainly, the most challenging track on the album.
And last but not least, there is "Wicked World", perhaps one of the most beautiful on the album, where the drums take center stage, following very complex jazz rhythms. Ozzy's voice in this song becomes quite particular, and Iommi's solo without accompaniment (wanting to imitate Jimmy Page in Heartbreaker) is very evocative.
The album closes in the best possible way, marking the history of music and serving as a springboard for a formidable group that will churn out many more masterpieces!!!
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Black Sabbath (06:20)
What is this that stands before me
Figure in black which points at me
Turn 'round quick and start to run
Find out I'm the chosen one
Oh, no
Big black shape with eyes of fire
Telling people their desire
Satan sitting there, he's smiling
Watches those flame get higher and higher
Oh, God--please help me
Oh, no--no
Child cries out for its mother
Mother screaming in the fire
Satan points at me again
Opens the door to push me in
Oh, no
Oh, God
Is it the end my friend
Satan's coming 'round the bend
People running 'cause they're scared
You people better go and beware
No, no
Please, God--no
02 The Wizard (04:22)
Misty morning, clouds in the sky
Without warning, a wizard walks by
Casting his shadow, weaving his spell
Flowing clothes, tinkling bell
Never talking
Just keeps walking
spreading his magic
Evil power disappears
Demons worry when the wizard is near
He turns tears into joy
Everyone's happy when the wizard walks by
Never talking
Just keeps walking
spreading his magic
Sun is shining, clouds have gone by
All the people give a happy sigh
He has passed by, giving his sign
Left all the people feeling so fine
Never talking
Just keeps walking
spreading his magic
03 Behind the Wall of Sleep (03:40)
Precious cups within the flower
Deadly petals with strange power
Faces shine a deadly smile
Back up on you at your trial
Chill and numbs from head to toe
Icy sun with frosty glow
Why'd you go reaching your sorrow?
Why'd you go read no tomorrow?
Feel your spirit rise with the priest
Feel your body falling to its knees
Take your wall of remorse
Take your body to a corpse
Take your body to a corpse
Take your body to a corpse
If you want all remorse
Take your body to a corpse
Now from darkness, there springs light
Wall of Sleep is cool and bright
Wall of Sleep is lying broken
Sun shines in, you are awoken
04 N.I.B. (06:05)
Some people say my love cannot be true
Please believe me, my love, and I'll show you
I will give you those things you thought unreal
The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal
Oh yeah!
Follow me now and you will not regret
Leaving the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
Forever with me 'till the end of time
Your love for me has just got to be real
Before you know the way I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
Oh yeah!
Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you will see who I am
My name is Lucifer, please take my hand
Oh yeah!
Follow me now and you will not regret
Leaving the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
Forever with me 'till the end of time
Your love for me has just got to be real
Before you know the way I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
Oh yeah!
Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you will see who I am
My name is Lucifer, please take my hand
07 Wicked World (04:45)
The world today is such a wicked thing
Fighting going on between the human race
People got to work just to earn their bread
While people just across the sea are counting the dead
A politician's job they say is very high
For he has to choose who's got to go and die
They can put a man on the moon quite easy
while people here on earth are dying of all diseases
A woman goes to work every day after day
She just goes to work just to earn her pay
Child sitting crying by a life that's harder
he doesn't even know who is his father
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Other reviews
By TenshiSell
The black demon we have evoked is now before us. The gates of hell are now open.
"Black Sabbath" appears simple yet unsettling, starting slow and then exploding into a frantic finale.
By AR (Anonima Recensori)
This CD is a presentation of the apocalypse, a journey into territories unexplored until then.
The riffs of Iommi and Butler, accompanied by Ozzy’s distinctive singing, would become the fundamental blueprint of Heavy music.
By Axlspark
"The album that started Metal."
Tony Iommi proves from the start he can crank out riffs like few others in rock history.
By Nesci
Ladies and gentlemen, black hard rock is born, and the foundation is laid for all the dark sound of the years to follow.
The evocative power of three single notes is astonishing: the fundamental doubled at the octave and the diminished fifth... create a sinister and evil atmosphere.
By Confaloni
The sinister charm of the opening track 'Black Sabbath' is undeniable, with ominous bells tolling and a storm approaching.
Just to have a certain completeness in the collection of historic vinyls, it is worth having Black Sabbath’s debut album, from which the whole dark metal genre starts.
