Sure the debut has more of an initial impact on the listener, but Paranoid is far more rewarding on multiple listens than the debut and in effect sets the standard for the following Sabbath albums, its the yardstick of Sabbath albums.

I'm of the opposite belief TBH. Paranoid is what it is, pretty much. It's doomy. Awesomely doomy, but after the sheer doominess becomes apparent, all that's left is to bask in the doominess. Black Sabbath on the other hand, is the most diverse Sabbath Record until Vol 4., and it's atmosphere only gets more cool with age.

Paranoid is one of those rare albums that really deserves its reputation. "War Pigs" and "Electric Funeral" are my favs. I think even if a crowd favorite like "Iron Man" was removed the album would hold its weight against the debut.

Paranoid - 3
Black Sabbath - 2

kinda harder to choose this time around

i think i'll go with Paranoid just because it has better songs, and also more outstanding ones than the debut

Paranoid - 4
s/t - 2

I think "Black Sabbath" and "NIB" are more outstanding than "Paranoid" as a whole personally. But whatever.

Haha You're just feeling bitter that the debut album is losing here.:tramp:

Well, that's because "Paranoid" was the "single" of the album. Someone told them they needed a single, so they did it in like five minutes. Or so I've heard. Great riff, but a pretty basic song that sorta doesn't fit with the rest of the album.

But how well do you think the two cover songs on the debut album, fit in with the rest of the material on that album?

Not as well, sure, but they're at the tail end of the album. I'm more forgiving of mediocrity at the end of an album. The first twenty minutes are generally the most important anyway.

It doesn't ruin anything by any stretch of the imagination, but having "Paranoid", which sounds like a more generic rock song, right after "War Pigs", is a tad off putting, and just doesn't quite feel right. It's like I get a good doomy vibe going with "War Pigs", then the vibe gets dropped for "Paranoid", and I'm bobbing my head to the riff for a couple minutes, and then I get dropped into "Planet Caravan" with it's wierdness, then I have to start the doomy vibe from scratch with "Iron Man". Just kinda awkward.

"Evil Woman" was the start of the old B side on the album, so not really a tail end as such. "Paranoid" certainly wasn't generic sounding back in 1970 and comes across to me, as one of those last minute inspired songs that was put on the album and in turn it became a classic, much like "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas from their Leftoverture album.

It still doesn't bother me much. I don't hate either songs by any stretch of the imagination, and they don't wreck the mood of the album. They're just not the greatest songs.

On it's own, it's an awesome song. It just doesn't fit with it's place on the album IMO. It seems like they put it at the second spot just because it was the most radio friendly song on the album, and they wanted the casual listener to be able to hear it near the beginning.

It just kinda bothers me that it's near the top of the album. The beginning of the album should be coherent and create a certain vibe, and "Paranoid" is not conducive to that vibe.

I really enjoy both of these albums, they're both great precursors to much of what I enjoy in modern metal (doom, sludge), so when it comes down to which one I prefer... it's pretty much whichever one I most recently listened to. In this case, that's the S/T

S/T - 3
Paranoid - 4

yeah imma go with S/t has well


THey both followed pretty much the same formula IMO

so that is

s/t - 4
paranoid - 4

somebody break the tie fast

i don't think the new rules allow for deadlocks

Self titled has an edge over Paranoid in my opinion, but only just barley. The atmosphere is just amazing and I still find that I get chills after listening to the title track. Also, the heavy blues element on the self-titled complements the proto-doom really well. So...

S/T - 5
Paranoid - 4

I love Paranoid. It's full of classics and was one of my first ever metal albums.

Paranoid - 5
Black Sabbath - 5

Well, I guess the new Metal Wars format is a success so far. Either that or it was just a great idea for a Sabbath battle. Either way, this thread is jumpin'. Good job, Unknown.

Yep the revamp has gone down really well, hopefully within the next 24 hrs there will be a winner between these two, to go onto the next face off.

Yes, I'm sure Black Sabbath will win very soon. :p:

It stands at 5 all at the moment, can somebody who hasn't voted yet break the deadlock asap.

Id have to go with Paranoid as well.

Paranoid - 6
Black Sabbath - 5

someone tie it up :cry:

Should I declare Paranoid the winner! I feel that if either album gets a 2 vote margin then thats the time to end it and move on.

Black Sabbath is a damn good album. But Paranoid is a classic of hard rock and metal. Sorry, BoY.

Paranoid- 7
Black Sabbath- 5

Yeeeeeeer you're a champ and Paranoid is declared the winner 7>5 after an epic 12 vote battle!

Paranoid now has the bull by the horns and is clearly the album to beat, but the three remaining albums are fully capable of achieving that, some more so than others. Next challenger is their 4th album and in many ways their most interesting release, because for much of this album the band dropped their typical psuedo satanic sound, for a more diverse metal sound but of course keeping the heaviness associated with band.

Paranoid - 1
Vol. 4 - 0

Only album that does less for me than "Paranoid" is Vol.4, Thanks to songs like "Changes" and "Laguna Sunrise", "St. Vitus Dance" and the pointless "FX"...

a deft. drop off after their brilliant "Master of Reality" album. Though it does have some of their finer moments thrown in, "Snowblind", "Cornucopia" and "Under the Sun", it just has to many filler tracks and the ideas seem more standard. Not a bad album by any means, but ranks pretty low for me. I will take "Paranoid" over "Vol. 4" anyday.

I agree with bastard concerning Vol. 4. I'm with Paranoid as well.

Paranoid - 2
Vol. 4 - 0

I think this one's gonna be a slaughter

Paranoid - 3
Vol4 - 0

Yeah, Vol4 is toast

Paranoid- 4
Vol4- 0

Paranoid - 5
Vol. 4 - 0

"FX" and "Changes" on Vol. 4 just lets Paranoid piss all over it.

In hindsight, if I was to do this battle again I'd start with the weakest albums and move through to the strongest instead of the more mixed up style I've done it in and that way slaughters would be avoided. The next person that gets to pick a battle should note the importance of album sequence. As this is the first ever battle of the new format, I'm excused;)

As much as I love Vol.4 and over the last year or so it has become my most played Sabbath album and one I really enjoy, but I have to say its not as tight as Paranoid though. I was tempted to vote for Vol.4 as it deserves something, as its a classic album and I'd say it was superior to the debut as well, which a lot on here really love. But voting for an album because you feel it deserves some kind of recognition, goes against the point of the thread, so its.

Paranoid 6
Vol.4 0

Paranoid is a lot more consistent and I think it's a better album, but Vol. 4 deserves a lot more recognition and I don't think it deserves to be grannied here. Supernaut and Snowblind are fantastic. Vol. 4 for me.
Paranoid - 6
Vol. 4 - 1

You're right its a great album and now I can't decide which album I REALLY THINK IS BETTER so sod it! Its the bands most creative album, so I'm going to change my vote here.

Paranoid - 5
Vol.4 - 2

Not much to say here. As stated, Supernaut and Snowblind are great tracks buts the classic status of Paranoid cannot be refuted.

Paranoid - 6
Vol. 4 - 2

vote changer!!!!

Yer its like somebody that changes sides in a war, but this time I've chosen the wrong side.

People can change their vote in any active battle.

Not that the vote matters at this point but Paranoid should get another one.

Paranoid - 7
Vol. 4 - 2