•
Rating:
In 1970, a band emerged with the desire to create a sound that went against the "Peace and Love" trends that were in vogue at the time, a dark, gloomy, and modern sound that would lay the foundations for a genre still widely followed today: metal. Black Sabbath weren't playing metal yet, but rather hard rock played for the first time with the guitar tuned down a half step (a technique used by a myriad of metal guitarists) and influenced by blues and psychedelia with lyrics interested in occultism (although it is said that the only member of the group interested in black magic was Geezer Butler, the bassist). Here I would like to talk about the fourth work of this extraordinary group. Vol. 4 marks a stylistic turn from the previously published works by Black Sabbath. It was released in 1972 after the first three works, which, in my opinion, will remain in the history of popular music of the 20th century.
In this album, there are noticeable differences compared to the gloomy bluesy hard-rock of the first three albums. In some tracks, among other beautiful ones, the influence of progressive rock is evident, which was spreading so much during that period. It's worth remembering that Tony Iommi played guitar for a short period with Jethro Tull, the famous prog rock band of Ian Anderson. Among these songs, Changes is the one where the change of direction is most felt: the presence of a piano that accompanies the melancholic voice of Ozzy Osbourne narrating the sadness of a lost love. Beautiful too is Wheels of Confusion, especially in the final solo, which fades into a mysterious guitar echo. Nonetheless, there are also songs that reconnect to the dear old hard-rock sounds of the past, like Tomorrow's Dreams and Supernaut, always amazing, but especially the doom sound characteristic of Iommi's guitar style, as in Cornucopia, but especially in Under the Sun, which, in my opinion, is the best piece on the album. It opens with a very dark riff, then proceeds into another riff that creates loops, then dies in a truly chilling final solo, all intertwined with Ozzy's usual powerful (then, not today) and screeching voice that consecrates it into a true masterpiece. Another important piece is Snowblind, which initially was supposed to give the album its name, but the record companies preferred not to use it due to rumors surrounding the track's title, allegedly referring to cocaine (blind snow). However, the track is really beautiful, a powerful and melodic hard-rock at the same time. Also beautiful are the acoustic Laguna Sunrise and St.Vicious Dance, even if they don't stand out among the others. It may not be a much-acclaimed album, but it's one of my favorite records, among the best in Sabbath's discography.
P.S: Please don't be harsh with your comments, as this is my first review, but I would greatly appreciate advice. Bye and thanks to everyone!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Tomorrow's Dream (03:13)
Well I'm leaving tomorrow at daybreak
catch the fastest train around nine
Yes I'm leaving the sorrow and heartache
before it takes me away from my mind
Send me love and I may let you see me
Send me hopes that can spin in my head
But if you really want me to answer
I can only let you know when I'm dead
When sadness fills my days
It's time to turn away
and then tomorrow's dreams
become reality to me
So realize I'm much better without you
You're not the one and only thing in my heart
I'll just go back to pretending I'm living
so this time I'm gonna have to depart
03 Changes (04:45)
I feel unhappy, I feel so sad
I've lost the best friend, that I ever had.
She was my woman, I love her so.
But it's too late now, I've let her go.
I'm going through changes.
I'm going through changes.
We shared the years, we shared each day.
In love together, we found a way.
But soon the world, had it's evil way.
My heart was blinded, love went astray.
I'm going through changes.
I'm going through changes.
It took so long, to realize.
And I can still hear her last goodbyes.
Now all my days, are filled with tears.
Wish I could go back, and change these years.
I'm going through changes.
I'm going through changes.
05 Supernaut (04:39)
I want to reach out and touch the sky
I want to touch the sun
But I don't need to fly
I'm gonna climb up every mountain of the moon
Find the dish that ran away with the spoon
I've crossed the ocean, turned every bend
I found the crossing near a golden rainbow's end
I've been through magic and through life's reality
I've lived a thousand years and it never bothered me
Got no religion, don't need no friends
Got all I want and I don't need to pretend
Don't try to reach me, 'cause I'd tear up your mind
I've seen the future and I've left it behind
06 Snowblind (05:34)
What You Get Aint What You See
Things That Don't Come Easily
Feelin' Happy In My Pain
Icicles Within My Brain
(Cocaine)
Somethin' Blowin' In My Head
Winds Of Ice That Soon Will Spread
Death Would Freeze My Very Soul
Makes Me Happy Makes Me Cold
My Eyes Are Blind But I Can See
The Snowflakes Glisten On The Tree
The Sun No Longer Sets Me Free
I Feel The Snow Place Freezing Me
Let The Winter Sun Shine On
Let Me Feel The Frost Of Dawn
Fill My Dreams With Flakes Of Snow
Soon I'll Feel The Chilling Glow
Don't You Think I Know What I'm Doing
Don't Tell Me That It's Doing Me Wrong
You're The One Who's Really A Loser
This Is Where I Feel I Belong
Crystal World With Winter Flowers
Turns My Days To Frozen Hours
Lying Snowblind In The Sun
Will My Ice Age Ever Come?
07 Cornucopia (03:54)
Too much near the truth they say
Keep it 'til another day
Let them have their little game
Delusion helps to keep them sane
Let them have their little toys
Matchbox cars and more kids joys
Exciting in their plastic ways
Frozen food in a concrete place
Your gonna go insane
I'm tryin' to save your brain
Alright!
I don't know what's happening
My head's all torn inside
People say I'm heavy
They don't know what I hide
Take a life it's going cheap
Kill someone no one will weep
Freedom's yours just pay your dues
We just want your soul to use
Your gonna go insane
I'm tryin' to save your brain
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By 2+2=5
Black Sabbath presented themselves as a band devoid of any fear towards sonic experimentation.
Tony Iommi’s riffs shine with their own light yet never seem decontextualized from the melodic structure.
By poeta
When Osbourne took command of the Black Sabbath that year, he deliberately set about relentlessly producing timeless masterpieces!
Those who called Osbourne Ozzy the "proletarian of heavy music" were not wrong, I tell you because he bit the head off a flying rat!
By Tragopano
If there is one term that can describe this album, it is 'discontinuous'.
The general impression is that of a jumble of poorly developed ideas, left only in potential, that do not go beyond the dimension of filler.
