The Black Sabbath Appreciation Thread

Jako8

Since, there's an FNM one, I thought I'd set up a thread for the pioneers of metal.

When the first brooding note of Black Sabbath rang out music was changed forever. Hoping create the atmosphere of horror movies through rock, four Birmingham lads unwittingly created one of the most beloved genres of music.

I love Black Sabbath. There's a lot more going on than just Iommi's riffs. Geezer Butler's bass weaves through every song perfectly. Bill Ward's drumming is never OTT, and yet he still adds so much. Then, you have Ozzy's whining vocals which top it off perfectly.

All their albums from Black Sabbath to Sabotage are brilliant. They're not just mindless metal albums either, no way. They incorporate strings, acoustic guitar and choirs.

They re-invigorated their sound by dropping Ozzy and bringing in Dio, whose vocals soared over some classic albums. (Heaven & Hell is one of my songs ever released.)

So, what's your favourite album? Do you prefer the Ozzy era, Dio era or Tony Martin's contribution (:pac:)?

Kess73

Gotta be the Dio albums for me. Mob Rules blew my socks off when I first heard it in the early 80's. Tp this day it remains my favourite Black Sabbath album by some distance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HseDwc9vgg

Nea

Ozzy for me, but I do love Heaven and Hell, what an album.
A band I have never seen live and hopefully someday will reform and I will get to see them.
Cancer Bats did a set of Sabbath covers at sonisphere, dont ask me what they covered as I cant remember but I was told I went mental.

Best Sabbath tune ever for me is Sabbra Cadabra, hate the Metallica version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktdeX4PTL80

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frtJQFe9apw

Jako8

Nea wrote: »

Best Sabbath tune ever for me is Sabbra Cadabra, hate the Metallica version

That is such a brilliant album. I never get sick of it.

Nailz

Dead right, man. They deserve much love and appreciation for what they've given us all. Truly God's of music, one of the most important bands to have ever touched their respective instruments in my opinion, creating a genre in the process. I must say though, I love both Dio and Ozzy era's (and Tony Martin's, why not!?), but Ozzy must get it for me, personally. The music meant just that little bit more in my opinion; it had the feel of what it supposedly represented, musically and lyrically, of what the social Zeitgeist was at the time.

My favourite album must be Master Of Reality, its awesomeness is inexplicable, from start to finish it has nothing be class music and an immense aura of isolation and secludedness. One of my favourite songs is on that album, "Solitude", brilliant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuqVogBiYSU

Also, RIP Ronnie James Dio, Metal God!

Nea

Solitude is amazing.
Have you heard the Cathedral version on Nativity In Black.
That was actually a great tribute album, some great covers on it

Nailz

I have heard most of the covers from it on YouTube and was actually thinking of getting it from Amazon but it escaped me. Once I seen Cathedral's name beside Solitude I was almost hellbent on buying it, a great cover too!

Jako8

I forgot to add that I think Black Sabbath were in their prime with Ozzy. I LOVE Dio's work but I just get this brilliant aura from the work during the Ozzy years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5BCaerC8rA

I just randomly chose a song to add.

Knifey Spoony

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, allow me to sing the praises of "Paranoid". A classic album from start to finish and one that firmly established the riff in rock and metal in songs like Paranoid and Iron Man.

It's really an album that I never get bored of. Each time I listen to it I could listen to each different instrument seperately or just be sucked in by this huge groove that it has. Plus the fact that there is such a range on it: from hippy trippy stuff (Planet Caravan) to just straight out classic metal (War Pigs). I can safely say that if I had not discovered this album, what I would be listening to today would be a whole lot different.

Some of the more underrated songs off the album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpAi0Srfqtk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkGZGPmOcFk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXeWOtjfVgw

Roanmore

Knifey Spoony wrote: »

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, allow me to sing the praises of "Paranoid". A classic album from start to finish and one that firmly established the riff in rock and metal in songs like Paranoid and Iron Man.

It's really an album that I never get bored of. Each time I listen to it I could listen to each different instrument seperately or just be sucked in by this huge groove that it has. Plus the fact that there is such a range on it: from hippy trippy stuff (Planet Caravan) to just straight out classic metal (War Pigs). I can safely say that if I had not discovered this album, what I would be listening to today would be a whole lot different.

Some of the more underrated songs off the album:

Hand of Doom is such a brilliant song, great lyrics, haunting and so heavy at the same time.

I saw Sabbath with Tony Martin, Cozy Powell (RIP) and Neil Murray, great concert but it wasn't the real Sabbath. I think Geezer and Brian May both came on stage and played a few songs.

The first 6 albums are superb but I think Technical Ecstasy deserves another listen. The sound changed a bit but Gypsy, Rock 'n' Roll Doctor (Wheels of Steel anybody?) and Dirty Women are great songs. Guns 'n' Roses have covered the Bill Ward sung It's Alright during some live shows.

Gaspode

About time we had one of these really. Sabbath were the first band I really latched on to as a teenager, and from 1979 I spent a lot of time trying to get my hands on their albums which were hard to pick up in this country at the time.
I never really thought too much of them once Ozzy left, but I do like Heaven & Hell.

Never got to see the full lineup live unfortunately. did see them with Dio in Dalymount park and it was OK but not great.

GhostInTheRuins

The thing about the post ozzy sabbath is that they instantly turned from making heavy as **** slow doom to generic 80s rock/metal. It's mad really. How can you even compare songs like symptom of the universe to stuff like headless cross.

Having said that though, I think their stuff (well, it's Iommi's stuff really) after Mob Rules is really underrated. If you don't mind a bit of cheesiness there's some really great tunes there. TYR being one of the best albums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ox-LQzN-Dw

Nailz

Knifey Spoony wrote: »

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, allow me to sing the praises of "Paranoid". A classic album from start to finish and one that firmly established the riff in rock and metal in songs like Paranoid and Iron Man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkGZGPmOcFk

Absolutely, that album was worth buying for "Fairies Wear Boots" by itself in my opinion, one of Sabbath's best songs, without a doubt, pure riffage. Love that song.

galwayrush

Sabotage, one of the best recordings of all time.

blastman

Roanmore wrote: »

I saw Sabbath with Tony Martin, Cozy Powell (RIP) and Neil Murray, great concert but it wasn't the real Sabbath. I think Geezer and Brian May both came on stage and played a few songs.

The one time I saw Sabbath live was with Ian Gillan on vocals, FFS! Not anyone's idea of classic BS, especially as ELO's Bev Bevan was the drummer that day.

Anyway, the album that blew me away was Mob Rules, it just knocked down buildings with those monstrous crushing riffs. Of the Ozzy era, my favourite album is probably Vol. 4 (I know I'm probably alone on this).

Grid.

Dio era Sab for me!! Gonna post these again, truly outstanding album!!;)

LaBaguette

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

The thing about the post ozzy sabbath is that they instantly turned from making heavy as **** slow doom to generic 80s rock/metal. It's mad really. How can you even compare songs like symptom of the universe to stuff like headless cross

I have to sort of agree, the Ozzy albums have a gloomy heaviness that's not found in the rest. However, the Dio stuff and, yes, Headless cross were indeed 80's metal, but awesome, pounding metal. Even though Martin's voice lacks the, hm, uniqueness of Ozzy's or Dio's, I still can't get enough of this :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfhTU5o_-60

On a side note, I've noticed that the Irish (or maybe just Dublin's) "metal scene" has a reveration for Sabbath that has turned into a strong Doom tradition. I had the impression that for most Dublin metallers, doom was the purest form of metal - something that I haven't felt at all in France.

Any thoughts on this ?

Motley Crue

I love Black Sabbath, and always will, but I think we know that BS is truly dead and buried when their lead vocalist is now suffering from dementia

I mean, that is the only thing I can say to explain his bizzare actions

Before you read the article, think about what he paid for...

The bidding started at $5,000, but Ozzy continued to outbid everyone in the room, and the auction eventually ended with the singer's final offer of $10,000.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=161125

The Neon Knight

It's got to be the Dio era for me , He completely re-energised what had become a stagnant group. Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules should grace any self respecting rockers collection, and then of course there's possibly the most underrated metal album of all time Dehumanizer. Only for Ronnies death, this line-up would have continued recording creditable music , not sure the same can be said for any reunion with Ozzy.

mags1962

After seeing Ozzy live with his own band the man is truly a legend, along with revealing Steve Vai, Randy Rhoads and others, and RJD also deserves this status with what he has done with Rainbow, Sabbath and solo but Black Sabbath is Ozzy, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward.
The others only followed on from them.

Roanmore

mags1962 wrote: »

After seeing Ozzy live with his own band the man is truly a legend, along with revealing Steve Vai, Randy Rhoads and others, and RJD also deserves this status with what he has done with Rainbow, Sabbath and solo but Black Sabbath is Ozzy, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward.
The others only followed on from them.

OT here but what did Steve Vai do with Ozzy? I thought Frank Zappa "discovered" Vai?

MetalDog

This is a classic. Iommi is truly Master of the Riff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkYCAnDmb2g

bleach94

This thread needs to be revived - Tony Iommi is SUCH an underrated guitarist

Lucifer31

Most people losing the tips of two fingers on their fretting hand would have packed it in with the guitar, and tried something else. Not Tony: Not only does he overcome the disability, he becomes the metal legend that he is today, and writes some of the best metal riffs ever put down for guitar.

Get well soon good Sir!

breffni666

I prefer the Dio years. BS got jaded at the end of the Ozzy era(notwithstanding the immense albums with Ozzy), Dio rejuvenated it. They could never stay that doom laden into the 80s anyway. Dios influence was immense. I honestly think they would have become a relic rather than relevant if Dio did not come in. Legend!

blastman

Gaspode wrote: »

Never got to see the full lineup live unfortunately. did see them with Dio in Dalymount park and it was OK but not great.

Are you sure you were there, cause Dio certainly wasn't!

D.Q

Saw them last week at Download. Incredible performance.

Welsh Megaman

The Neon Knight wrote: »

It's got to be the Dio era for me , He completely re-energised what had become a stagnant group. Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules should grace any self respecting rockers collection, and then of course there's possibly the most underrated metal album of all time Dehumanizer. Only for Ronnies death, this line-up would have continued recording creditable music , not sure the same can be said for any reunion with Ozzy.

+1 :cool:

Lucifer31

blastman wrote: »

Are you sure you were there, cause Dio certainly wasn't!

Ian Gillen sang with Sabbath at that gig. It was the Born Again tour, and the only time Sabbath ever played in Ireland, as far as I know.
I was talking to a guy who was at the gig, and even HE thought he remembered Dio being there. Dio had actually left the band at that stage.

blastman

The fact that they played Smoke On The Water was a bit of a giveaway, too.

bleach94

I hope these guys can do a full tour sometime in the future (know it's not feasible right now what with Tony's health) but would love to see them. Dunno if they would come to Ireland though.