The Official Black Sabbath Thread
 

There are a few Sabbath themed threads out there but nothing wholly dedicated to one of my favourite bands.

1969-1978
http://mog.com/pictures/wikipedia/43...bbath1970a.jpg

The era.. Their stripped down blues influenced simplicity was arguably THE template for most Heavy Metal bands. The album 'Paranoid' was recorded onto 4 track and still sounds ridiculously brilliant. The debut is still filled with some of the most iconic riffs laid down. 'Master Of Reality' contains probably THE earliest thrash riff with 'Into The Void'. Stoner/sludge/doom music used 'Vol 4' as it's defining starting point. The brilliant juxtaposition of 'Sympton Of The Universe' (fast riffing segueing into acoustic jamming) from 'Sabotage' influenced many metal bands with ambient tendencies and even 'Never Say Die' had the brilliant bass lead 'Juniors Eyes'.

1979-1982

http://dmme.net/pix/interviews/dio3.jpg

For sure the little tykes lyrics are bombastic and full of the cliches that are now a mainstay of many metal bands but Ronnie James Dio lent a direction and cohesion to the Sabbath sound. 'Heaven And Hell' is a prototype for 80's metal. 'Lonely Is The Word' is the perfect hands in the air slow builder. 'Falling Off The Edge Of The World' from 'Mob Rules' is one of the most perfectly composed Metal tracks ever put down.

1983 and beyond.

http://www.zumablog.com/images/120/BlackSabbath2.jpg

They lost their way when Dio left and the album 'Born Again' with Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) is a hotchpot of ideas, although 'Zero The Hero' has an absolutely monstrous riff. Gillan left, band split. Record company leant on Iommi to use the name on a solo album (86). Vocalists came and went. Reunion's, One Off gigs and sporadic releases ensued over the next 20 years. The music never ever reached the peak of the 70's but 'Eternal Idol', 'Headless Cross' (amazing title track) and 'Tyr' are perfectly decent albums that deserve a run out once in a while.

So let's have some chat. Worst album? Least liked vocalist? How influential do you think they are?

Do you know why Sabbath are so fucking good? because they did'nt have a clue what they were doing (Iommi's words!) thus their music sounded like no one else at the time. Drums, Bass, Guitars and Vocals. When Sabbath kept it to this bare minimun they were the best band on the planet. Simple and utterly effective.

I remember listening to them when i was little.... I have been listening to war pigs by them alot lately.... I don't know alot of their songs but I think I will download some and listen to it....

*goes and find more black sabbath music to listen too*

:thumb: yay good music!!!!

Black Sabbath are easily one of the best rock bands and are "The Beatles" of heavy metal. I personally am only a fan of the first 7 records because after Ozzy left they were total **** and did nothing new.

One of the best bands to ever exist.

Absolutely no offense to Ozzy or Tommi or any of the band but if this group had one great song writer they could have surpassed everyone with the exception of the Beatles maybe and ushered in the metal age 10 years sooner then it's finally came.

I loved Paranoid as a kid, it came out right as my balls dropped and I can't help thinking that was more then coincidence.

Sometimes is it not about surpassing but merely being consistent at what they do. Sabbath (by their own admission) were a bunch of Toerags from Brum who could barely play a note between them, yet they became possibly THE quintessential Metal band. Coincidentally another band from Brum also had a massive bearing on Metal and that was Judas Priest. The whole image and direction that Priest gave us is exactly the reason why Metal became a laughing stock and one of the reasons why I shaved my head and ditched my leathers. HOWEVER 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' deserves serious re-appraisal and is one of the best Metal albums ever recorded.

I like Sabbath because people completely laugh at them now. Just think: when was the last time Ozzy was portrayed as anything more than an ex(?)-addict? That's not the way it always was. Nearly all of the Ozzy years were characterized by GOOD albums, something that not too many metal acts could hope to achieve. Yeah, he's probably tipping the bucket now, but that doesn't lessen my respect for what he accomplished with what today remains an unquestionable mainstay of modern metal.

Thank you for sharing >_> V_V <_<

._. .-.

I have a question...

Was there anything good and original during the Dio years?