BLACK SABBATH (Álbum, 1970)
Artist: Black Sabbath (C+)
Recording Dates: Jul 69 – jan 70
Release Date: Friday February 13 (!!!) 1970. UK
Record Label: Vertigo / Warner
Productor: Rodger Bain
Calificación: 9
Era: Metal (1970-???)
Subgenre: Metal
Best Song: Black Sabbath or N.I.B.
Tracklist: 1) Black Sabbath; 2) The Wizard; 3) Behind The Wall Of Sleep 4) N.I.B.; 5) Evil Woman; 6) Sleeping Village; 7) Warning; 8) Wicked World.
In fact, this isn't the first "evil" album in history. A year earlier, a band called Coven (they're almost my namesake) released the album " Witchcraft" Destroys Minds and Reaps " Souls", which even has a black mass recorded on the B-side. The lyrics are totally satanic, talking about exorcisms, witchcraft, souls for sale, and curses, but the music apparently has nothing to do with the "evil" that Sabbath achieves, and of course, the mastery of execution.
So this isn't the first "cursed" album, lyrically speaking, and as we saw in the intro, its status as the first metal album is also questionable. But what can't be denied is that it's the album that had the greatest impact in this regard, and the one that laid the foundation for metal to be built from then on. Now, calling it satanic is a bit of a stretch. Black Sabbath was associated with Satanism because of this album, but it's really light years away from the work of Coven. Sabbath talks about the devil, but at no point does it call for worshipping him or practicing black masses or witchcraft. In my opinion, the closest thing is when NIB talks about the devil falling in love with a girl, but, as usual, puritanical society made a huge scandal, and Sabbath were never able to shake that stigma. Later came even darker albums from Sabbath and other bands, and nowadays the album seems like a joke compared to current bands, who think that abusing sound and lyrics is cool and fashionable and don't realize that they sound, uh ... how to put it? Vulgar and ordinary.
Thus, I don't use the term "Malignant" in a pejorative or derogatory sense for this album. On the contrary. Ozzy and company's debut is a record that revolutionized music, a very well-crafted work that fully achieves its purpose, with intelligent music that became a cornerstone for the evolution of rock. Furthermore, it easily surpasses Zeppelin's previous work in terms of heaviness and density, though not in mastery or quality. While the songs are slow, this is the official inauguration of metal, not thrash. Okay, I accept that it's a slow album, but it's not tedious in the slightest; rather, that slowness helps achieve the album's dark majesty, which sounds like a monster laying waste to everything in its path.
This album was recorded in just two days in January 1970. And it truly is a work of art considering the minimal time, which sometimes allowed them to record only one take of each song. The benefit was that the band played practically "live" in the studio, and somehow this gave them more power and a rawer sound. Furthermore, Rodger Bain's production work was outstanding, allowing the album to shine with a sound superior to that of Led Zeppelin III or Deep Purple's In Rock from the same year. Tony Iommi's riffs are marvelous, maintaining a mastery and creativity that only virtuosos possess, and at the same time possessing considerable power, surpassing Page and Blackmore in this regard, although without the same level of technical skill. Melodically, they also achieve elaborate and intelligent structures, and in some ways, they are further removed from the blues than Zeppelin or Deep Purple. Iommi would be accused of plagiarizing Cream and Led Zeppelin, but I think he borrows some elements without it being considered outright plagiarism. Tony is inventive enough on his own from this debut album, but we'll see that in more detail later.
Ozzy, for his part, hasn't fully developed his voice yet and sounds limited in his range; on Paranoid he'll sound much more mature and showcasing his best qualities, yet here he always manages to sound convincing, and on the album's opening track he comes across as truly chilling, desperate, with a performance that goes beyond the intonation or pitch a vocalist should have, but rather the way he assumes the role and convinces the listener when he sings. One of the most unsettling and interesting vocal moments in rock history, and nothing like today's vocalists who seem to be vomiting a lung out of their mouths to "try" to instill fear.
Finally, another revolution this album brought was in the realm of cover art. Since this work is considered a parallel to horror films, the album cover perfectly embodies this idea. This image is undoubtedly scarier than any other Sabbath cover, be it " Bloody", "MOB", or "Dehumanizer". The blurred image of a woman in black, with an even darker expression, suggests a witch. But we can't be sure, and I think it's this uncertainty that creates the greatest visual impact. Who is she? Or rather, WHAT is it? If you look closely, it could easily have been the poster for the film "The Blair Witch Project," and the concept is basically the same: making a suggestion without stating anything definitively… thus exploiting the fear of the unknown. From then on, metal albums would allude to death, the occult, or supernatural beings, but I don't know if any of them have the same impact on me as the magnificent cover of this album.
The album opens with a bang. The title track, "Black Sabbath", begins with an effect of rain, lightning, and church bells that somehow create a funereal atmosphere. The lightning is replaced at :40 by the first heavy, high-quality riff that Tony would ever deliver. Ozzy starts with lyrics about being pursued by Lucifer, adding those horrifying screams of "Oh! Nooooooooooo!" after each verse, making the melody increasingly dark and nightmarish. There's a brutal and razor-sharp sonic force in this track, and listening to it becomes truly impressive and, at times, painful. If this is the impression it makes today, I can't imagine what they thought back in 1970. There's so much to say about this simple song, as it's their first composition, and therefore the one that defined the band's sound and the genre, achieving a musical, lyrical, sonic, and social impact. During the verses, Bill Ward's drumming is indispensable, creating a petrifying tension while the bell continues to toll in the background. After the first verse, the bell disappears, but the mammoth, slow riff seems to continue with the cadence and hypnotic effect. Rarely do three simple notes manage to be so devastating. It's not that the riff is a complex masterpiece, but Iommi knows how to use it to achieve his effect, which is to leave the listener feeling overwhelmed. As for the vocal performance, I don't mind repeating myself. It's one of Ozzy's best performances ever, singing with an accent that in England is called " Brummie", which refers to someone who's depressed… Osbourne here really sounds like he's having suicidal thoughts, judging by the intonation, the timbre, and the desperation with which he sings, and that "Oh no, no, please God help me!!" at 4:00 is like the crowning touch of his performance and enough to cause nightmares for life. Okay, I exaggerated, but you get the idea. Ward's work on the brakes is brutal, and the way he plays the ride cymbal during the enormous and majestic coda is dazzling. Although I should clarify, it's not that the four of them put on a display of technique and virtuosity in this song, quite the opposite; it's surprising how they made an almost minimalist song that sounds SO dazzling without needing so much embellishment. At 4:35, the more rhythmic coda begins, with some progressive and hard rock influences, breathing new life into the suffocating atmosphere of the first half. Iommi delivers a highly effective solo, laden with tremolo and countless other effects. The lyrics, written by Geezer, are about a shadow with fiery eyes sitting beside him in bed as he sleeps. It was apparently a dream that deeply affected him, and although there's debate about whether he was inspired by the visions of Wathley or Milton, I believe he simply recreated the terror of a nightmare with very simple lyrics, which they masterfully combined with the music. When people say metal is the devil's music, they don't realize how wrong they are…
The second song is “The Wizard”, with a great, menacing, and crunchy six-note guitar riff at full distortion, and Ward's truly impressive drumming, which seems to never stop. The problem lies with the lyrics, which tell of a Gandalf-like wizard who eliminates all evil in his path. Not even Plant wrote such dreadful lyrics. The melody is good, but it leaves you with the feeling of listening to a convulsive reinterpretation of King Crimson's “Schizoid”. Geezer Butler sounds very similar to Greg Lake on Crimson's debut. I don't know if it's Ozzy playing the harmonica, but it sounds fantastic, and it makes you wish it were a more common feature of the band. It somehow gives it a bluesier feel and complements the guitar well.
Next comes “Behind the Wall of Sleep”, which is perhaps an attempt to continue the opening track. It tries to describe the exact moment of death and the “awakening” on the other side, albeit with brighter, funkier music. Ozzy's voice sounds aged, which contributes to the desired effect. It's curious that he never sounded as old as on this album, not even today. To achieve this, they used a trick by mixing his voice on two different tracks, lowering the volume of one while raising the volume of the other, creating a disjointed effect. This track features an excellently crafted bass solo that demonstrates Geezer 's above-average skill; perhaps not a Jaco Pastorius , but certainly one in the Jack Bruce school. This solo is part of the rhythm section of “Behind the Wall of Sleep”, and at the end of the song comes the section called “ Bassically”, another solo with minimal instrumentation that leads into the next track.
The fourth track is “NIB”, which is almost the same length as the opening song. Traditionally, the initials have been thought to stand for “Nativity In Black”, but in reality, Bill Ward was nicknamed “Nibby”, and the song title came about during a particularly high-energy, drug-fueled day. They didn't take the song too seriously, but they did manage to create a riff that has become one of the best in Iommi's entire catalog. Lyrically, this is the strongest argument people had for claiming that Black Sabbath was a satanic band. It's sung in the first person, constantly making suggestions and dropping hints that ultimately leave no room for doubt, but it refers to the devil falling in love with a girl, which isn't exactly groundbreaking. The Stones had done it years earlier with “Sympathy for the Devil”, in a much more cynical and blatant way. The vocal harmony follows the guitar, which has also been criticized, but in my opinion, it adds to the song's overall effect. Incidentally, Iommi was accused of plagiarizing Cream… Doesn't that riff sound suspiciously familiar? Well, yes, if we take the first four notes, it's exactly the same sequence as "Sunshine of Your Love", but the rest is completely different. If we scrutinize all these coincidences, we'll find that there's nothing original from 1970 onwards. Furthermore, Iommi dispels any doubts with the solos he delivers here, which are basically what have given this magnificent song its immortal status.
Next comes “Evil Woman”, the only track recorded in 1969 and previously released as a single. It’s a simple song with a very catchy chorus and a funky, accessible riff. There’s a reason it was a hit. launched as a single.
The sixth track is “Sleeping Village”, an acoustic piece with barely four lines of lyrics, almost a pastoral sonnet, featuring a cute, melancholic guitar playing arpeggios. Knowing Sabbath, one might suspect it's about a cataclysm that wipes out a population, but no, it's simply a village peacefully asleep. After 50 quiet seconds comes a very rock-oriented instrumental section, with one riff after another, each one expertly crafted. The solos have been compared to Cream. I don't think it quite reaches that level; while not masterpieces, this is a very enjoyable jam where, at one point, all three instruments are playing a solo simultaneously, then they return to the riffs, and there are apocalyptic drum rolls—it's something you have to hear. The song ends with a very Hendrix-esque effect that leads into the next track.
“The Warning” is the closest Black Sabbath has come to the Blues. Seriously. It begins with a maniacal guitar solo that leads into a calmer section featuring Geezer. The bass then drives the main riff, with its six strings and a very deep, distorted effect. Bill Ward confirms his masterful drumming, constantly drawing on his skills to maintain or increase the tension. The solos in the middle and at the end are enormous. It's one of Iommi 's best moments, who, after all, DOES have blues roots, and he moves from that tranquil Hard-Blues feel to a machine-gun-like solo where he tears his guitar apart with incendiary technique, with nothing to foreshadow these abrupt but delicious shifts.
“Wicked World” closes the album. At least in the version I have. It features brilliant drumming in the opening seconds, followed by a jazzy feel, much more pronounced than John Densmore's style and reminiscent of the band's time as “Earth”. The song has another sharp and aggressive riff, this time quite reminiscent of The Doors ' “Wild Child”. The song was written by all four members, and this is evident in the excellent instrumentation and detailed construction. A great closer, without a doubt, although I believe this track appeared slightly earlier on the first pressings.
A great album. Despite some lyrical issues and Ozzy's voice not being fully developed, it's one of the greatest debut albums in history, with undeniable historical significance. You may like Sabbath or not. You may like metal or not, but you can't judge this band or the genre without having heard this gem. I'm giving it a 9 simply because better works from this band were to come, more polished masterpieces like Paranoid from the same year, although this album is excellent in itself.
By Corvan
Feb/7/2009
