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The year 1970 was an incredible one for Black Sabbath. The lavish tour following the release of “Paranoid” allowed the Sabs to successfully debut on both coasts of the Atlantic, granting them visibility that was as well-deserved as it was dangerous.
The Four were on the brink of a third release with the need to confirm the indisputable talents expressed until then. An additional complication was the discontent generated among the numerous heavy rock fans of the time by the release of Led Zeppelin's new work (III). Thus, Tony Iommi himself took it upon himself to reassure the public, declaring that the imminent Sabbath release would bring to the forefront a further reinforced sound and compositional model. The promise was kept. No single was released, as was the trend at the time, except for a 7” demo for promotional purposes, on whose grooves a certain “Children Of The Grave” found space...
“Master Of Reality” opens with a gem of the Black Sabbath repertoire, “Sweet Leaf”. More than the lyrics, which clearly reference the emotional state generated by heroin use, it is the musical structure of the composition that strikes, which evidently recalls numerous stylistic elements characteristic of the future Grunge scene. The subsequent “After Forever”, attributed solely to Iommi, stands in stark contrast to the numerous accusations of Satanism that showered down upon the band's shoulders, offering a sharp yet coherent critique of the prevailing bigotry and reductionism in the religious and ethical field. The instrumental “Embryo”, also born from the magical hand of the Sabs guitarist, is entrusted with introducing the aforementioned “Children Of The Grave”. Suffice it to say that this masterpiece is one of the very few tracks that would be revisited by all future formations of the English combo. A manifesto of a new era, of a new youth that was literally devouring and sweeping away the Hippie culture in favor of a deeper and more conscious awareness of the decay and corruption of contemporary reality. Orchid, the second instrumental and third composition credited to the usual Tony, fully demonstrates the versatility of Black Sabbath: whispering and dreamlike. We return to more canonical and perhaps less exciting tracks with “Lord Of This World” before being led to the brink of despair and human desolation by the splendid “Solitude”, a rather unusual track that retraces and develops the characteristic mood of “Planet Caravan”. A true abyss of melancholy that cannot even be dissolved by the imposing riffs of the conclusive "Into The Void".
Undoubtedly, “Master Of Reality” exalts the deeper and heavier side of Ozzy Osbourne's band while at the same time proposing a great ability to weave more delicate and intimate plots both at the textual level and in the compositional field.
An absolute masterpiece.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Sweet Leaf (05:06)
Alright now!
Won't you listen?
When I first met you, didn't realize,
I can't forget you or your surprise
You introduced me to my mind
And left me wanting you and your kind.
Oh yeah
I love you. Oh, you know it.
My life was empty, forever on a down,
Until you took me, showed me around
My life is free now, my life is clear
I love you sweet leaf though you can't hear
Oh yeah!
Come on now - Try it out!
Straight people don't know what you're about,
They put you down and shut you out
You gave to me a new belief,
And soon the world will love you sweet leaf
Oh yeah baby!
Come on now! Oh yeah!
Try me out baby!
Alright! Oh yeah-ah!
I want you part of this sweet leaf!
Oh yeah!
Alright, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh try me out
I love you sweet leaf, oh
02 After Forever (05:29)
Have you ever thought about your soul - can it be saved?
Or perhaps you think that when you're dead
you just stay in your grave
Is God just a thought within your head
or is he a part of you?
Is Christ just a name that you read in a book
when you were at school?
When you think about death do you lose your breath
or do you keep your cool?
Would you like to see the Pope on the end of a rope
do you think he's a fool?
Well I have seen the truth, yes I've seen the light
and I've changed my ways
And I'll be prepared when you're lonely and scared
at the end of our days
Could it be you're afraid of what your friends might say
If they knew you believe in God above?
They should realize before they criticize
that God is the only way to love
Is your mind so small that you have to fall
In with the pack wherever they run
Will you still sneer when death is near
And say they may as well worship the sun?
I think it was true it was people like you that crucified Christ
I think it is sad the opinion you had was the only one voiced
Will you be so sure when your day is near, say you don't believe?
You had the chance but you turned it down, now you can't retrieve
Perhaps you'll think before you say that God is dead and gone
Open your eyes,
just realize that he's the one
The only one who can save you now from all this sin and hate
Or will you still jeer at all you hear?
Yes!
I think it's too late.
04 Children of the Grave (05:19)
Revolution in their minds
The children start to march
Against the world in which they have to live
And the hate that's in their hearts
They're tired of being pushed around and told just what to do
They'll fight the world until they've won and love comes flowing through
Children of tomorrow live in the tears that fall today
Will the sun rise up tomorrow bringing peace in any way?
Must they live in the shadow of atomic fear?
Can they win the fight for peace or will they disappear? Yeah!
So you children of the world listen to what I say
If you want a better place to live in spread the word today
Show the world that love is still alive you must be brave
Or you children of today are children of the grave yeah!
07 Into the Void (06:16)
Rocket engines burning fuel so fast
Up into the night sky they blast
Through the universe the engines whine
Could it be the end of man and time
Back on earth the flame of life burns low
Everywhere is misery and woe
Pollution kills the air, the land and sea
Man prepares to meet his destiny
Rocket engines burning fuel so fast
Up into the black sky so vast
Burning metal through the atmosphere
Earth remains in worry, hate and fear
With the hateful battles raging on
Rockets flying to the glowing sun
Through the empires of eternal void
Freedom from the final suicide
Freedom fighters sent out to the sun
Escape from brainwashed minds and pollution
Leave the earth to all its sin and hate
Find another world where freedom waits
Past the stars in fields of ancient void
Through the shields of darkness where they find
Love upon a land a world unknown
Where the sons of freedom make their home
Leave the earth to Satan and his slaves
Leave them to their future in the grave
Make a home where love is there to stay
Peace and happiness in everyday
08 Solitude (05:05)
My name it means nothing
My fortune means less
My future is shrouded in dark wilderness
Sunshine is far away, clouds linger on
Everything I posessed
Now they are gone
They are gone
They are gone
Oh where can I go to and what can I do?
Nothing can please me only thoughts are of you
You just laughed when I begged you to stay
I've not stopped crying since you went away
You went away
You went away
The world is a lonely place - you're on your own
Guess I will go home - sit down and moan.
Crying and thinking is all that I do
Memories I have remind me of you
Of you
Of you
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Other reviews
By Sket
Sweet Leaf is a guitar riff that gets stuck in your head, never to be forgotten... almost worse than summer hits.
Children of the Grave is wonderful, you can’t review it all... it’s adrenaline-pumping and thrilling.
By Nesci
"Children Of The Grave, an immense, incredibly powerful ride, terribly freak as it talks about children demanding world peace from adults."
"Sweet Leaf is an ode to marijuana, which Ozzy sings accompanied by a raw instrumental, with an almost grunge taste."
