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Rating: Within the discography of Black Sabbath, a legendary band that over the years would be "plundered" by any "heavy" formation, there exists what we could define as the "trilogy of the underrated," albums that are valid but for various reasons have never achieved the status of classics, despite having all the credentials to become, if not cornerstones of heavy, at least be included among the best in the discography. Part of this "trilogy" includes "Born Again" (1983), "Seventh Star" (1986), and "The Eternal Idol". If over time a sort of "cult" developed around these works among the most hardcore fans, the general public largely snubbed them without much issue, usually attributing post-Ozzy Black Sabbath to not being up to par with the originals. The problem, in fact, lies all here: while the historical group laid the foundations for a completely new way of conceiving music, entering rightfully into the history of rock, from the eighties onwards, Iommi and company had to settle for being "only" an excellent heavy group. If at just over twenty, all your friends, more or less, managed to find jobs as workers or at best as employees around working-class Birmingham while you instead came up with albums that would make history, it is certain that people will have enormous expectations of you. And it doesn't take much to disappoint the "average" fan: an unconvincing record, an unwelcome line-up change. And so Black Sabbath, or what was left of it, if in the early seventies they were a sort of Beatles of hard rock, in the eighties they found themselves living on reflected glory, conscious of both the "heavy" name (in every sense) and the difficulty of keeping the lineup together.
After managing to regain some of the acclaim with two hugely successful tours featuring Ronnie James Dio behind the microphone, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler found themselves having to deal with yet another reshuffle, aggravated by the need to change the singer once again. And here comes the "miracle." The manager at the time, Don Arden, father of Sharon, Ozzy's wife and manager, severed any professional ties with the two and from this moment would have only one purpose: to relaunch, purely out of spite, the name Black Sabbath. And he partly succeeded in this too: bringing back a now alcoholic Bill Ward to the lineup and making him "even" play decently for forty minutes of music is no small feat. But what about the vocals? Here comes the masterstroke! Ian Gillan, the historical "screamer" of Deep Purple, friends-rivals of the four from Birmingham, had always been on good terms with Iommi and company and, after some selections, it was officially announced that he would take over the microphone of the Black Sabbath. But how did it go? What might seem like the "marriage" of the year according to official statements, hides under a much simpler and, if you will, playful reality. Iommi, Butler, and Gillan met in a pub to discuss the matter and after a few too many beers, the new Sabbath formation was ready. However, when they sobered up, the reaction was apparently something like: "Oh no, we actually did it!" Clearly, none were truly convinced that such an operation could succeed, they least of all themselves. Even Gillan himself, years later, would say that he accepted the gig purely for economic reasons. Black Sabbath never disappoints: with a singer on the hunt for money and an alcoholic drummer, the conditions for having a stable lineup are all there. Stable for the next six months, of course. The result of a story that was by now more intricate than a Brazilian telenovela was precisely "Born Again", an album that was overall good and at least had two songs become proper classics in its favor, namely the title track and "Zero The Hero", later also covered by a group like Cannibal Corpse, an evident sign that the "plundering" spoken of at the beginning does not only concern the Ozzy period. The album is steeped in a sulfurous, malevolent atmosphere, so much so that it almost seems like returning to the times of that proto-doom masterpiece that was "Master Of Reality": Gillan sings like a madman, the rhythmic section is there and it can be felt, Iommi enhances the whole thing with great riffs. Despite this, though, something doesn’t work: the album sells poorly and the tour would be the first of a long forgettable series, with Gillan, despite his commitment, failing even to remember the lyrics of the songs. Oh, naturally Ward had quit for umpteenth time (but would return again in a few months) and for the occasion, he was replaced by Bev Bevan, already known for his experience with ELO. In the end, however, the real problem with the album was not even the fact that they were presenting themselves with yet another singer within a couple of years, but a truly subpar production. For years, the Black Sabbath brand had been synonymous, in addition to great rock, with quality, proposing an album with such sound was simply a suicidal choice: muddled guitars, a bass too loud, unclear drums. Why? Officially the master of the disc had been affected by humidity and nothing could be done to save the situation. And by then, the damage was done. It matters little anyway, so "Born Again" would still remain an isolated episode in the English discography: Gillan quits at the first opportunity to return to Deep Purple and the Sabs attempt in vain to find a singer worthy of that name. However, there remains a bitter taste for an experience that could have been better.
And here we arrive at the paradox. For years now, bootlegs have circulated which, in addition to containing demos of that legendary album, even present unreleased tracks left out of the final lineup. But what is this "paradox," you may be asking? That the demo has a better sound than the final product. The sound, naturally, does not stray much from the album that we all know, but it still results clearer, cleaner, with the various instruments clearly audible: thus, we are far from the "mush" which, unfortunately, we found ourselves listening to. Here and there, being demos, there are discrepancies with the final work, but they really are small things. We could almost say this is "Born Again" as it was "conceived." As mentioned earlier, the whole is enhanced by "Fallin'" (also known as "The Fallen"), a perfectly valid track but which was preferred to be excluded to make way for the dispensable "Keep It Warm". And it's a shame because it is a small gem, a nice driving track, supported, besides a great performance by Gillan, by a truly inspired rhythm section (the drum attack is earth-shattering and shows how much Ward still could have given to the world of rock) as well as a Tony Iommi in great form. If the entire work had been published, it would have benefited positively. However, the short instrumental "The Dark" is missing, evidently subsequent to the demo recording, but instead, there is a version of "Stonehenge" much longer than the one later published, with Geoff Nicholls' keyboards as evocative as usual. In conclusion, I can say that it is undoubtedly an interesting product, not too difficult to find and which helps us understand how, in intentions, an album unfortunately not always appreciated should have sounded.
Musicians:
Ian Gillan: vocals
Tony Iommi: guitars, flute
Geezer Butler: bass
Bill Ward: drums
With the participation of:
Geoff Nicholls: keyboards
Tracklist:
"Hot Line"
"Keep It Warm"
"Fallin'"
"Digital Bitch"
"Stonehenge (full version)"
"Trashed"
"Zero The Hero"
"Born Again"
"Disturbing The Priest"
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Trashed (04:15)
It really was a meeting
The bottle took a beating
The ladies of the manor
Watched me climb into my car and I was
Going down the track about a hundred and five
They had the stopwatch rolling
I had the headlights blazing I was really alive
And yet my mind was blowing
I drank a bottle of tequila and I felt real good
But on the twenty-fifth lap at the canal turn
I went off exploring
I knew I wouldn't make it the car just wouldn't make it
I was turning the tires burning
The ground was in my sky
I was laughing the bitch was trashed
And death was in my eye
I had started pretty good and I was feeling my way
I had the wheels in motion
There was Peter and the Greenfly laughing like drains
Inebriation
The crowd was roaring I was at Brands Hatch
In my imagination
But at the canal turn I hit an oily patch
Inebriation
Ooh Mr. Miracle, you saved me from some pain
I thank you Mr. Miracle, I won't get trashed again
Ooh, can you hear my lies
Don't you bother with this fool just laugh into my eyes
So we went back to the bar and hit the bottle again
But there was no tequila
Then we started on the whiskey just to steady our brains
'Cause there was no tequila
And as we drank a little faster at the top of our hill
We began to roll
And as we got trashed we were laughing still
Oh bless my soul
03 Disturbing the Priest (05:48)
Let's try getting to the sky, hang on or you're going to die
Sour life can turn sweet, it's laying at your feet
Sweet child with an innocent smile watches closely all the while
Don't be fooled when he cries, keep looking at the eyes
Good life is contradiction because of the crucifixion
If you're ready and have the need, I will take your soul and plant my seed
You just gotta listen to the night at the ending of the day
You just gotta listen to the night as safety slips away
Moving out of sight are the things you need to see to feel
And as they slip away becoming so unreal unreal
You just gotta listen to the night as you're going up the stairs
You just gotta listen to the night and don't forget to say your prayers
And as you lose control to the eyes in dark disguise
And icy fingers send electric lies
We're disturbing the priest, won't you please come to our feast
Do we mind disturbing the priest, not at all, not at all, not in the least
Ahhhh, Do we mind disturbing the priest
Aahhhh, not at all, not at all, not in the least
The force of the devil is the darkness the priest has to face
The force of the night will destroy him but will not disgrace
To get into his mind and to his soul you gotta set alight
The flames of doubt so deep inside inside
The devil and the priest can't exist if one goes away
It's just like the battle of the sun and the moon and night and day
The force of the devil, that's we're all told to fear
Watch out for religion when he gets too near too near
We're disturbing the priest, won't you please come to our feast
Do we mind disturbing the priest, not at all, not at all, not in the least
Good life is contradiction because of the crucifixion
If you're ready and have the need, I will take your soul and plant my seed
Aahhhh, ahhhh, ah ha ha ha haaa!
Let's try getting to the sky, hang on or you're going to die
Sour life can turn sweet, it's laying at your feet
Sweet child with an innocent smile watches closely all the while
Don't be fooled when he cries, keep looking at the eyes
Oh, disturbing the priest!
05 Zero the Hero (07:34)
Accept the fact that you're second rate, life is easy for you
It's all served up on a gold plated plate
And we don't even have to talk to you
Your face is normal, that's the way you're bred
And that's the way you're going to stay
Your head is firmly nailed to your TV channel
But someone else's finger's on the control panel
What you gonna be, what you gonna be brother
Zero the Hero
Don't you wanna be, don't you wanna be brother
Zero the Hero
When you gonna be, when you gonna be brother
Zero the Hero
Impossibility impissibolity mother
Really a Hero
You sit there watch it all burn down
It's easy and breezy for you
You play your life to a different sound
No edge no edge you got no knife have you
Your life is a six-lane highway to nowhere
You're going so fast you're never ever gonna get down there
Where the heroes sit by the river
With a magic in their music as they eat raw liver
What you gonna be, what you gonna be brother
Zero the Hero
Don't you wanna be, don't you wanna be brother
Zero the Hero
When you gonna be, when you gonna be brother
Zero the Hero
Impossibility impissibility mother
Really a Hero
You stand there captain we all look, you really are mediocre
You are the champion in the Acme form book
But I think you're just a joker
Your facedown life ain't so much of a pity
But the luv-a-duckin' way you're walkin' around the city
With your balls and your head full of nothing
It's easy for you sucker but you really need stuffing
What you gonna be, what you gonna be brother
Zero the Hero
Don't you wanna be, don't you wanna be brother
Zero the Hero
When you gonna be, when you gonna be brother
Zero the Hero
Impossibility impissibility mother
Really a Hero
06 Digital Bitch (03:38)
She wears her leather just to satisfy
She really throws it around
There ain't one thing she can't afford to buy
She's the richest bitch in town
Her big fat daddy was a money machine
He made a fortune from computers
She's got more money than I've ever seen
But she's a greedy emotional looter
Keep away from the digital bitch
Keep away from the digital bitch
Keep away from the digital bitch
She's so rich, the digital bitch
She's got five rollers and a fine estate
A big house up on the hill
She throws parties just to celebrate
Her life is just one enormous thrill
She buys poor people just to have around
She has a trophy for each lover
The bitch is rich but baby pound for pound
She's got a lot more to discover
Maybe she could please me if I saw beneath her veil
But she's just an imitation woman up for sale
She got so famous that she's on TV
She's got a professional smile
But I switch over 'cos she ain't for me
She disturbs me all the while
She looks so happy but she's got it wrong
She's always going faster
She sings her life to such a different song
She needs a loving and dominant master
09 Keep It Warm (05:36)
Sweet woman are you feeling right
What was it that you did last night
You made me crazy you made me fly
I can't forget the hungry look in your eye
Ooh what's the matter with me
I'm justa runner I was born free
But since I met you I can't leave you alone
I'm leaving now but I'll be coming home
Keep it warm at the place by your side
Nobody's gonna take away our magical ride
Keep it warm for me when we talk on the phone
Don't forget will you pretty one that your man is coming home
D'you hear the rumor that is going around
Say I'm ruined 'cos I'm settled down
It's not true well maybe half and half
You know I love you but I still like a laugh
Ooh I'm feeling fine I got it right for the first time
Sweet woman I can't stay for long, but every one will be proved wrong
I'm like a gypsy, I need to roam, but don't worry I'll be coming home
I need the danger I need the thrill
I need to know what is over each hill
Ooh I'm a different man I'm still running but you understand
Since I met you I can't leave you alone
I'm leaving now but I'll be coming home
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Other reviews
By Fidia
Born Again is perhaps the heaviest and darkest album in Sabbath’s discography.
If the partnership had continued, Black Sabbath would have surely delighted us with other musical gems.
By Starblazer
'Born Again' is a dazzling forge of emotions, with Ian Gillan showcasing all his monstrous abilities.
The opener 'Trashed' is one of the most devastating pieces in the entire Sabbathian repertoire.
By Sasquatch
The only one to blame for this MASTERPIECE is Tony Iommi.
The true gem of the album is the one that gives it its title, slow with a goosebump-inducing Gillan and the other three who are equally impressive, a true unrecognized classic.
