I couldn't give Black Sabbath a 10/10 even if someone had a gun to my head. There, I said it. Carry on.
Black Sabbath never had a masterpiece.
- Thread starter NAD
- Start date
Black Winter Day
Member
JayKeeley
Be still, O wand'rer!
Vol 4
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Master of Reality
Heaven and Hell
All 10/10, and if not, then very close...
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Master of Reality
Heaven and Hell
All 10/10, and if not, then very close...
J.
Old Fart
I don't give out 10's lightly. There are only maybe 5 or less albums I'd give a 10 to.
Master of Reality is one of those.
Master of Reality is one of those.
I don't either. I have about 20 albums that I've given that score over, and probably 5 or 6 of those I've revoked over the past year or so.J. said:
I would give the first 6 Sabbath albums 9/10, except maybe Master of Reality which would probably get an 8/10 (I don't know why you guys like this one so much, it's my least favorite by a longshot).
IOfTheStorm
Gogol Bordello
JayKeeley
Be still, O wand'rer!
Interesting. It meanders the least, isn't as 'progressive', and is probably more "heavy metal" than the others. Most metal bands cite this one as their biggest influence.NAD said:
I would say all that falls in line with what you normally like vs. don't like. I wouldn't be surprised if you liked the first one the most.
My favorite was the debut for years, then switched to Sabbath Bloody Sabbath briefly, and now it's been Volume 4 for a few years (this one is right on the border of a 10/10, but just not quite).
Note that I still consider Black Sabbath to be one of the most important bands of all time, I just don't think they ever acheived that "every second is perfection" album.
Oh yeah, I always thought the band sounded bored on Master of Reality. The songwriting was there, but the emotion wasn't.
Note that I still consider Black Sabbath to be one of the most important bands of all time, I just don't think they ever acheived that "every second is perfection" album.
Oh yeah, I always thought the band sounded bored on Master of Reality. The songwriting was there, but the emotion wasn't.
J.
Old Fart
Master of Reality has their best song IMO, in After Forever, and also the band's best "ballad" in Solitude.
If I had to choose a least favorite from the first six, I'd say Paranoid or the self-titled. Probably Paranoid.
If I had to choose a least favorite from the first six, I'd say Paranoid or the self-titled. Probably Paranoid.
Ayeka
Hell Bent For Leather!
Paranoid and Heaven & Hell would definately be Black Sabbath's masterpieces...whether otr not you count them as masterpieces in the grand scheme of things, I guess, is different. I do 
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Wraith
I havent really heard too much Black Sabbath (blasphemy, i know) but their debut (the one album i have) is simply amazing and waaaaay ahead of its time, it deserves a 10/10 just for the title track alone. when you think that that monsterously heavy song came out in fucking 1970 its just incredible. i mean come on, what was the darkest and heaviest song before that? some led zeppelin song or something? jesus, the contrast is simply amazing. just imagine putting that song on for the first time, full blast, at night. not to mention BS have never matched that song in terms of sheer heaviness and doominess, nor have many bands ever. The rest of the album is friggin awesome as well. I first heard it a long time ago, my dad has the original on vynil. That is imo, the most important metal song ever.... you'd think it would be way outdated, but it is still crushing, dark, and as intense as ever still today. nothing else i've heard from BS can touch that song. like i said, 10/10 for the debut, even if just for that song.
Demonspell
cheating the polygraph
I'd wouldn't hesitate before giving Master Of Reality, Volume 4, and Sabotage a 10...well, maybe not 4 because I have to deduct a point for Changes...
Their first four are brilliant. However they have never topped their first album, and i dont know if any metal band has. 11/10 for Black Sabbath s/t.
J.
Old Fart
The self titled never struck me as hard as MoR, Sabotage, Vol 4, or SBS. It was great, but not as strong as those 4.
I never favored Paranoid. The title track is nothing special, yet everyone raves about it. Electric Funeral, Iron Man, War Pigs aren't enough to carry the album to greatness.
I never favored Paranoid. The title track is nothing special, yet everyone raves about it. Electric Funeral, Iron Man, War Pigs aren't enough to carry the album to greatness.
Yeah I have never been a big fan of paranoid either- the only song I really love is Electric funeral, but you have to give them credit for War Pigs and Iron Man- classics.
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Wraith
Erik
New Metal Member
lizard
Member
this is interesting....
how anyone can list heaven and hell as a landmark, tho, puzzles me (not, never been, never will be a Dio fan). considering we are looking back 30+ years at some of these, imagine how crushing this must have seemed at the time, in the land of flowerpower and la la la. whoever said it above is absolutely right, try to review early Sab in the context of the times and you'll know that they were motherfucking trailblazers of the first order.
NOBODY was doing shit like this. I've read that Uriah Heep and Deep Purple complete the triumvirat that formed what we know as heavy metal...I suppose. The only people remotely approaching Sabbath's mood (and not at all their sound) was the doors and the Velvet underground.
how anyone can list heaven and hell as a landmark, tho, puzzles me (not, never been, never will be a Dio fan). considering we are looking back 30+ years at some of these, imagine how crushing this must have seemed at the time, in the land of flowerpower and la la la. whoever said it above is absolutely right, try to review early Sab in the context of the times and you'll know that they were motherfucking trailblazers of the first order.
NOBODY was doing shit like this. I've read that Uriah Heep and Deep Purple complete the triumvirat that formed what we know as heavy metal...I suppose. The only people remotely approaching Sabbath's mood (and not at all their sound) was the doors and the Velvet underground.
JayKeeley
Be still, O wand'rer!
Yes, as with all music, you HAVE to take it in context of when it first came out. Timeless music doesn't become irrelevant over time (it's inherently impossible) so I cannot imagine what the world must have thought when first hearing the song, "Black Sabbath", particularly because it is STILL one of the heaviest songs ever written in history.lizard said:
IOfTheStorm
Gogol Bordello
Well there were some bands that were darker than Sabbath, before Sabbath (Coven), or "equally heavy" (Blue Cheer). But that doesnt change the shock Black Sabbath created.
