PARANOID (Black Sabbath, 1970)
Artist: Black Sabbath (C+)
Recording Date: Jun 1970
Release Date: September 18, 1970. UK
Record Label: Vertigo Records
Producer: Rodger Bain
Rating: 10 (MUST HAVE, ICONIC ALBUM)
Era: Metal (1970-???)
Subgenre: Metal (1970-???)
Best Song: Iron Man, o War Pigs
Tracklist: 1) War Pigs; 2) Paranoid; 3) Planet Caravan; 4) Iron Man; 5) Electric Funeral; 6) Hand Of Doom; 7) Rat Salad; 8) Fairies Wear Boots.
Black Sabbath's so-called magnum opus. And rightly so. If their debut album was impressive, this one said: "Move over, here I come". If you ask the average metalhead what the most famous metal album of the 70’s is, the answer will almost always be "Paranoid". In fact, as we've already mentioned, Black Sabbath should be considered the true father of metal (Judas Priest would come along a few years later to toughen up the sound), and it's this album that would have the most influence and importance on the development of the genre. The album contains some of the most representative anthems of the genre: "War Pigs" (originally "Walpurgis", that version is on The OZZman Cometh), “Iron Man”, and the killer track “Paranoid”. This time, the drums, bass, and dense, distorted guitar are heavier than on their debut. They seem to have mastered the sound they were aiming for, achieving a perfect cacophony that's impossible to get out of your head once you hear it. For many people, this is even Sabbath's best album… I wouldn't go that far, since sometimes, depending on the mood, the majestic and powerful Master of Reality vies for that spot on my personal list. What is certain, though, is that it must be among the most important albums of the early 70s, with power, perfection, and influences only comparable to Led Zeppelin I and IV (whose review, by the way, is already in the works).
Another improvement over their debut is that they corrected the mistake of stretching out songs in a blues hero style. Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler may not be in the same league as Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce; they have different qualities and techniques, and because of this, some songs on the debut feel slightly long and excessive. But on the other hand, Cream never made anything truly as powerful as Paranoid. The band realized their weaknesses and strengths and managed to make the most of them on this release: almost all the songs are relatively short, without any 10-minute experiments, and Iommi focuses more on riffs than solos.
Following the success of their debut album, the band returned to the studio in June, almost repeating the marathon session. While the first album was recorded in two days, this one took about five (more than double, some might say), which is still a record time. The sessions took place between June 16th and 21st, 1970, at Regent and Island Studios in London. Interestingly, the band didn't have enough songs when they went into the studio to record. Ozzy, Geezer, and Bill left for some beers, and Tony stayed behind jamming, when he stumbled upon the riff for "Paranoid". A coincidence, indeed! The influence of one of the riffs from Led Zeppelin's "Dazed & Confused" is undeniable . The thing is, he thought it was so wonderful that he was afraid of losing it if he stopped playing it, so he repeated it over and over until his friends returned, and so as not to forget it, they recorded it immediately, finishing it in 25 minutes, with Ozzy adding lyrics as he pleased, until they eventually settled on a final version. Something similar would happen to Deep Purple with “Smoke On The Water”.
The final result is superb, and the album still resonates today, inspiring many metalheads just starting out. Moreover, for a metal album, it boasts considerable variety. For some, that dense, slow, and distorted "doom" sound might seem repetitive, but upon closer examination, there's a little ballad with jazzy undertones , a drum solo, wah pedals, sped-up recordings, a very fast number by Sabbath standards, distorted vocals without resorting to the later diabolical cliché, and simple, sometimes downright silly, lyrics that border on genius. The band, therefore, sounds heavy, yet intelligent and fun at the same time, something few metal albums can still claim today.
The album was originally going to be called “War Pigs”, but the record label halted the attempt for fear of upsetting those who supported the Vietnam War, which was at its peak at the time. So, the album ended up being called Paranoid, much to the band's dismay, as they still believed the last-minute track was too weak to be a hit single. Even so, they kept the original cover concept, featuring a man in some kind of armor, shield, and sword leaping out from behind a tree, their “concept” of a War Pig, and, according to an urban legend, a young Bill Clinton.
The album opens with “War Pigs”, one of the most scathing anti-war anthems ever made, as we mentioned, dedicated to Vietnam. Originally, it was a description of a witches' ritual called “Walpurgis”, but during the recording sessions, the lyrics and title were changed. The riffs are enormous, tremendous, piercing the brain with no chance of escape, and possess that darkness reminiscent of “The Wizard” from their debut album. The song begins with a kind of doom waltz, with the bass extending the guitar notes and adding depth and darkness to the sound. The atmosphere becomes increasingly unsettling with apocalyptic-sounding alarm sirens. Then Ozzy begins a cappella sections that are punctuated by Iommi's guitar and some drum rolls from Ward. In this first part, the lyrics are rather idiotic despite their good intentions, and seem to contain remnants of the original “Walpurgis” lyrics. This continues until at 1:45 the drums and guitar engage in a killer dialogue, changing riffs and rhythm so that Ozzy can come back in, this time with better lyrics: “ Politicians hide themselves away, they only Why should the war have started ? they go out to fight ? They leave Their role to the poor, yeah …” Well, it’s no Dylan’s “Masters of War”, but at least they try. In the final verses, Ozzy reveals his wishes for those War Pigs: "Day of judgment, God is calling, On their knees the war pigs crawling, Begging mercies for their sins, Satan, laughing, spreads his wings." One can't help but smile upon hearing it… This is at 5:25, and from here the band launches into an impressive instrumental coda of over two minutes, showcasing mastery and power in each instrument. The song might be a bit long for some, but I think it works. Ward plays a prominent role, and Iommi demonstrates that his strength lies more in building simpler riffs and solos from them, rather than complex, Clapton-esque solos. They truly manage to hold the listener's attention and make this long coda something interesting, catchy, and even fun, and just when the intoxicating sound starts to become too repetitive, at 7:40, they drastically speed up the recording time for a surprising and unexpected ending.
Next up is “Paranoid”, probably Black Sabbath’s most well-known song globally, and curiously, one of their fastest by Black Sabbath standards. The song opens with a powerful riff that closely resembles the one in the middle section of “Dazed & Confused”. Ozzy’s voice is heavy with echo, but now much more developed than on the debut album, effortlessly reaching high notes and singing with that characteristic nasal, pulmonic tone. Tony creates spectacular arrangements between each line and verse, while Geezer lays down a frenetic bass line that gives the whole song its dizzying rhythm, even though Iommi’s guitar riffs are sporadic. The solo at 1:23, with its countless distortion effects, is magnificent, brimming with energy, perfectly paced, and lasting just the right amount of time so as not to get lost in the song’s intensity. In under three minutes, they manage to combine very simple yet effective arrangements, bordering on perfection, to create a well-rounded song that would become their ultimate anthem. The lyrics are somewhat silly, and it's one of those details that are so goofy in Sabbath that they border on brilliant. I think they ultimately take on a new meaning when viewed from the perspective of a guy who was born into such poverty that sometimes his parents couldn't afford to clothe him, and who by the age of 20 was already rich and the frontman of one of the most important and influential bands of the early 70’s. On the other hand, Ozzy's mental instability didn't exactly arise for his MTV reality show. A tremendous track. I think it's a bit overrated, but that doesn't diminish its monumental nature.
We continue with “Planet Caravan”, the first ballad, with a very relaxed atmosphere. Ozzy's vocals are imbued with an almost aquatic, spacey, and echoing effect through a Leslie speaker, giving him the perfect tone. An acoustic guitar provides occasional tones, while Ward abandons his drumsticks and plays some very unusual percussion, I'm not sure if it's bongos, but it sounds more like coconuts, and along with the bass line, it contributes to that sleepy atmosphere. At 2:30, Iommi launches into a delightful, flowing solo with a strong jazz influence, surprising everyone, before it slowly fades out. A strange song, it sounds like it was recorded underwater because of the effects, but I think it's a valid change, I like the experiment, Sabbath slows down the pace, but without ceasing to sound like an end-of-the-world dream.
Next comes “Iron Man”, another of the band's iconic tracks, one of their most well-known and frequently played songs, along with “Paranoid”, This riff is definitely Iommi's, and that's why I like it more and find it more outstanding than the one in the album title track. More driving, devastating, classier, and with the exact distortion tone to make it immortal. Ozzy also plays a prominent role, again distorting his voice to a “metallic” tone at the beginning, along with the power metal. The intro chords create that doomsday atmosphere. The lyrics are by Geezer, but Ozzy Ozzified them, making them his own so completely that it seems incredible he didn't write them himself. The song title was his idea, but to avoid legal issues with the superhero (whose recent film, by the way, included this song as its main theme), Butler invented the story of a man who travels to the future and sees the end of the world, so he returns to the past-present to warn humanity and prevent the catastrophe. The problem is that a magnetic field "metallizes" him, leaving him mute. People ignore him and mock him, which unleashes the wrath of "Iron Man," who, in revenge, causes the cataclysm he had seen on his trip to the future and had come to prevent. As in several songs on the album, the vocal line follows the guitar, but Ozzy manages to infuse it with his personality and create a nightmarish atmosphere along with the superb musicianship. Ward's drumming is a 10 out of 10, showcasing his technique of inserting fills, time signature changes, and powerful drum hits that breathe life into the entire song despite not changing the tempo. Bill doesn't really keep time with the drums; instead, he unleashes a massive arsenal throughout almost the entire song, and he still finds time to shine with a sort of solo at 4:40, leading into Iommi 's final, superb solo for a cataclysmic ending. Ladies and gentlemen, in my opinion, this is Black Sabbath's best song.
Next is "Electric Funeral", where Iommi shows another great riff loaded with fuzz and wah pedals, creating an underwater effect reminiscent of Pete Townshend's work on “Goin' Mobile”. The riff is sharp, slow, and rhythmic. The song speeds up for the bridges at 1:50, with Ward delivering a blistering drum solo in the vein of “Interstellar Overdrive", which then leads into a blistering section where Geezer steals the show with his massive bass line. Butler isn't Jack Bruce, though he follows in his footsteps by seemingly mirroring the guitar riff, but with subtle changes and variations that give it an independent and menacing tone. In this part, Ozzy again demonstrates his vocal maturity, reaching very high notes that contrast with the low tones that repeat the song's title before returning to the initial riff and then fading away. This track is even darker and more pessimistic in its atmosphere, and the lyrics narrate a post-apocalyptic end after a nuclear war, which was also a global fear at the time. The song, by the way, bears a certain resemblance to King Crimson's " Pictures of a City", with the detail that the album "In the Wake of Poseidon" hadn't yet been released when the song was recorded.
Then comes “Hand Of The Doom”, with a less elaborate but equally killer riff, and where Geezer once again shines with the deep sound of his bass. The song is full of time signature changes, different guitar and bass riffs that alternate in the spotlight, and drumming worthy of a monument to Ward. However, it's slightly long at almost 7 minutes. The countless changes, however, manage to work and make it dizzying. It's also one of the first songs in which Sabbath makes a direct allusion to drugs, specifically heroin. And although many consider it a pro-drug song, you only need to listen closely to realize that it's quite the opposite. These verses are huge, and I think it's the first song in which the Vietnam War is blamed for the heroin epidemic that was ravaging the United States: “First it was the bomb, Vietnam napalm, Disillusioning, you push the needle in…”, and if there are any doubts: “Oh you , you know you must be blind , To do something like this, to take the sleep that you don't You know , you're Giving Death a kiss". Which is sadly ironic coming from Ozzy Osbourne himself. Anyway, it's a bit long, but still a great song.
Next up is “Rat Salad”, which is perhaps the most criticized track on the album. It's essentially Black Sabbath's version of “Toad” and “Moby Dick”, designed to showcase the drumming. They even share the same structure: an initial riff, which in this case is good, but not monstrous like in Zeppelin or Cream's versions; after a couple of repetitions, a short drum solo; then more riff; then the long drum solo, which, after some brutal fills, returns to the initial riff with the rest of the band before finishing after another repetition. The difference is that Ward doesn't go crazy with a five-minute-plus solo, like Bonham and Baker, but instead takes barely a minute to deliver an excellent display of his technique. Thus, it's a successor to “Toad” and “Moby Dick”, but unlike those tracks, it doesn't feel excessive.
The album closes with “Fairies Wear Boots”, featuring another very cool riff, and this time the bass isn't linked to the guitar line from the intro. The song is energetic, but above all, the guitar arrangements have a great bluesy feel at times, and the time signature changes work well. The band demonstrates their greatest cohesion as musicians, and Bill even indulges in keeping time by interspersing his drum fills. The lyrics are very funny, and some still wonder if they're anti-drug or pro-drug, since… who imagines fairies wearing boots? The story goes that Geezer was walking ahead of his bandmates when he was attacked by a gang of skinheads. He wasn't seriously hurt, but he took a few blows before his friends noticed and intervened to rescue him. It turns out the skinheads were all wearing boots, so they decided to write a song mockingly calling them “fairies” in revenge. The song has impressive energy, but it's also a bit long, and sometimes so many solos don't really go anywhere. I think if they shortened it a little and made the lyrics less silly, it could have been another huge hit on the album, but I insist, it's not bad.
In fact, there isn't a single bad song on this album, and that's why it's so great, why it has influenced and continues to influence dozens of metal bands, and why it laid the foundation for what would become the genre. Black Sabbath continues to use the same formula as their debut: simple things, not really elaborate, but clever enough to put everything in its place. And with the added bonus that on this album they achieve a perfect balance in terms of sound, intensity… everything is in perfect quantity and in the perfect way. By the way, the album continued to fuel the urban myth that the band was satanic, but did any of you notice any serious references to Satanism?
In short, Black Sabbath reached their peak as a band with this album and the next, Master of Reality. They will never sound as fresh and powerful again… I understand those who prefer “truly heavy” metal, but for me, this is the best kind of metal there is. Paranoid is one of those legendary albums that changed the history of rock, for better or for worse. A must-have and an undeniable 10!
By Corvan
Mar/5/2010
