Artist: Black Sabbath
Label: Warner Brothers Records
Release Date: 1975
Rating: 5 Skulls
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Title: Sabotage Artist: Black Sabbath Label: Warner Brothers Records Release Date: 1975 Rating: 5 Skulls |
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Death's Review:
Hopefully, many of you across the U.S. are taking the time this summer to revisit the classic roots of metal in celebration of the Ozzfest's dream lineup of the back-to-back sets from Slayer, a reunited Judas Priest, and the godfathers of them all, Black Sabbath. Sabbath is one of those bands that have so many different albums, eras, vocalists and "types" of songs, ranging from classic rock to slow, dirgey pre-doom metal to piano ballads to experimental jazz, that you can't think that just because you've heard the radio hits that you completely understand everything the band is about. For example, while "Paranoid," "Iron Man," and "War Pigs" are undeniable heavy metal classics, there is so much more to the band than that. And while Sabbath's self-titled debut, and their second and third albums titled Paranoid and Masters of Reality always seem to get all of the mainstream attention, it is actually some of the band's mid-to-late period Ozzy material that I find to be the "deepest" and which always has been my favorite. Albums like Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and this week's classic album Sabotage may be a bit more challenging and less accessible than their more mainstream brethren (and unfortunately these masterpieces are for the most part not the tunes the band is jamming this summer live), but they are deep, trippy, emotional, acid-riddled powerhouses that kick out the serious metal riffing and do so within an inventive context that has never quite been replicated and probably never will.1975's Sabotage kicks off with "Hole in the Sky," a classic, rumbling opener and one of Ozzy's higher pitched vocal efforts. Track down the cover done by Overkill a few years back as well, it really, well . . . kills. "Symptom of the Universe" is another killer track, one of Sabbath's heaviest (check out the cover of this one done by Sepultura). I dare you to listen to that track and not bang your head wildly. The mellow dynamics that come before the tune ("Don't Start (Too Late)") and that end it provide a perfect counterbalance to the thrashy assault. "Megalomania" is one of my all-time favorite Black Sabbath tracks - this is exactly the type of over-indulgent, emotional, drug-riddled material that I think makes Black Sabbath truly great. If I was to get a chance to see them perform something like this live I would flip. But of course, I probably never will, instead we'll see "Paranoid" over and over and over again. Anyway, the insanity is palpable in Ozzy's voice and in his lyrics on "Megalomania" and this is a nice, revealing vision into the psychological damage caused by rock star excess. Either that or it's just a really cool song.
"Thrill of it All" continues the existential, burned-out, drugged out theme, with a great riff, great performance from Ozzy and some amazing quintessential Iommi guitar soloing that feels passionate, emotional and really takes the listener places beyond mere musical wankering. "Supertzar" is heavy, but while "Am I Going Insane" fits the lyrical theme discussed above, it is generally a more commercial number and not as dark (making the lyrics possibly even more twisted and giving it an even "crazier" feel). "The Writ" (along with "Thrill of It All" and "Megalomania") is also one of my all-time favorites, not just from Black Sabbath but from all of music. You just have to sit down, spend some time with this album and really listen to it to comprehend why it probably is truly one of Sabbath's best pieces of work, even if it was created amidst the peak of the band's personal addictions and even if it was the mark of the beginnings of a band in personal and institutional decline. Honestly, I find this type of personal chaos conducive to great art, and I'd probably rather hear any track from the latter half of the Ozzy/Sabbath catalogue than any of the more well-known classics next time I see them in concert. While that may never happen you should definitely own this album and get to know it. Trust me, if your tastes are anything like mine, you will find it to be personally rewarding and ultimately time well spent.
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