Original released on LP Vertigo VO 6 847-903 VTY
(UK 1970, February 13)
Black Sabbath's
debut album is the birth of heavy metal as we now know it. Compatriots like
Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple were already setting new standards
for volume and heaviness in the realms of psychedelia, blues-rock, and prog
rock. Yet of these metal pioneers, Sabbath are the only one whose sound today
remains instantly recognizable as heavy metal, even after decades of evolution
in the genre. Circumstance certainly played some role in the birth of this
musical revolution - the sonic ugliness reflecting the bleak industrial
nightmare of Birmingham; guitarist Tony Iommi's loss of two fingertips, which
required him to play slower and to slacken the strings by tuning his guitar
down, thus creating Sabbath's signature style. These qualities set the band
apart, but they weren't wholly why this debut album transcends its clear roots
in blues-rock and psychedelia to become something more. Sabbath's genius was
finding the hidden malevolence in the blues, and then bludgeoning the listener
over the head with it. Take the legendary album-opening title cut. The standard
pentatonic blues scale always added the tritone, or flatted fifth, as the
so-called "blues note"; Sabbath simply extracted it and came up with
one of the simplest yet most definitive heavy metal riffs of all time. Thematically,
most of heavy metal's great lyrical obsessions are not only here, they're all
crammed onto side one. "Black Sabbath," "The Wizard,"
"Behind the Wall of Sleep," and "N.I.B." evoke visions of
evil, paganism, and the occult as filtered through horror films and the
writings of J.R.R. Tolkien, H.P. Lovecraft, and Dennis Wheatley.
Even if the
album ended here, it would still be essential listening. Unfortunately, much of
side two is given over to loose blues-rock jamming learned through Cream, which
plays squarely into the band's limitations. For all his stylistic innovations
and strengths as a composer, Iommi isn't a hugely accomplished soloist. By the
end of the murky, meandering, ten-minute cover of the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation's
"Warning," you can already hear him recycling some of the same simple
blues licks he used on side one (plus, the word "warn" never even
appears in the song, because Ozzy Osbourne misheard the original lyrics). (The
British release included another cover, a version of Crow's "Evil
Woman" (presented here as a bonus track) that doesn't quite pack the muscle of the band's originals; the
American version substituted "Wicked World," which is much preferred
by fans.) But even if the seams are still showing on this quickly recorded
document, Black Sabbath is nonetheless a revolutionary debut whose distinctive
ideas merely await a bit more focus and development. Henceforth Black Sabbath
would forge ahead with a vision that was wholly theirs. The sleeve was designed and photographed by Keef Macmillan: the ghostly figure standing, dressed in black robes, was an actress hired by Vertigo Records. She may not represent death but must have done a good job of unsettling the more pharmaceutically affected Sabbath fans, particularly as the album was released on a Friday 13. Look closely and - supposedly - she's holding a black cat. The mill went on to be used in the 1976 film The Eagle Has Landed.
DISCOGRAPHY
Formed August 9, 1969, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Disbanded March 7, 2017
Tony Iommi (born 1948): guitar, flute
Ozzy Osbourne (born 1948): vocals (1969-1977; 1978-1979; 1997-2017)
Geezer Butler (born 1949): bass (1969-1984; 1987; 1990-1994; 1997-2017)
Bill Ward (born 1948): vocals, drums (1969-1980; 1984-1984; 1994; 1997-2012)
Dave Walker (born 1945): vocals (1977-1978)
Craig Gruber (born 1951 > died 2015): bass (1979)
Geoff Nicholls (born 1948 > died 2017): keyboards, guitar, bass, vocals (1979-2004)
Ronnie James Dio (born 1942 > died 2010): vocals (1979-1982; 1991-1992)
Vinny Appice (born 1957): drums (1980-1982; 1991-1992; 1998-1999)
Ian Gillan (born 1945): vocals (1983-1984)
Bev Bevan (born 1945): drums (1983-1984; 1987)
David ‘Donut’ Donato: vocals (1984)
Ron Keel (born 1961): vocals (1984)
Gordon Copley: bass (1985)
Glenn Hughes (born 1951): vocals (1985-1986)
Dave ‘The Beast’ Spitz (born 1958): bass (1985-1987)
Eric Singer (born 1958): drums (1985-1988)
Ray Gillen (born 1959 > died 1993): vocals (1986-1987)
Bob Daisley (born 1950): bass (1986-1988)
Tony Martin (born 1957): vocals (1987-1991; 1993-1996)
Laurence Cottle (born 1961): bass (1988-1989)
Cozy Powell (born 1947 > died 1998): drums(1988-1990; 1994-1995)
Neil Murray (born 1942 > died 2010): bass (1989-1990; 1994-1996)
Bobby Rondinelli (born 1955): drums (1993-1995)
1970-01-09 Sg (US Fontana TF 1067):
A. Evil Woman; B. Wicked World
1970-02-13 LP BLACK SABBATH (UK Vertigo VO6.847.903.VTY): A1. Black Sabbath;
A2. The Wizard; A3. Behind the Wall of Sleep; A4. N.I.B.; B1. Evil Woman; B2.
Sleeping Village; B3. Warning
1970-08-07 Sg (UK Vertigo
6059.010): A. Paranoid; B. The Wizard
1970-09-18 LP PARANOID (UK
Vertigo 6360.011): A1. War
Pigs; A2. Paranoid; A3. Planet Caravan; A4. Iron Man; B1. Electric Funeral; B2.
Hand of Doom; B3. Rat Salad; B4. Fairies Wear Boots
1971 Sg (UK Phonogram DJ 005): A.
Children of the Grave; B. (Status Quo)
Roadhouse Blues
1971-07-21 LP MASTER OF REALITY (UK Vertigo 6360.050): A1. Sweet Leaf; A2. After
Forever; A3. Embryo; A4. Children of the Grave; B1. Orchid; B2. Lord of This
World; B3. Solitude; B4. Into the Void
1972-09-25 LP VOL 4
(UK Vertigo 6360.071): A1. Wheels of Confusion; A2. Tomorrow’s Dream; A3.
Changes; A4. FX; A5. Supernaut; B1. Snowblind; B2. Cornucopia; B3. Laguna
Sunrise; B4. St. Vitus Dance; B5. Under the Sun
1972-09 Sg (UK Vertigo
6059.061): A. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath; B. Changes
1973-12-28 LP SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH (UK Vertigo 6366.101): A1. Sabbath Bloody
Sabbath; A2. A National Acrobat; A3. Fluff; A4. Sabbra Cadabra; B1. Killing
Yourself to Live; B2. Who Are You; B3. Looking for Today; B4. Spiral Architect
1975-07-28 LP SABOTAGE
(US Warner Bros BS 2822): A1. Hole in the Sky; A2. Don’t Start (Too
Late); A3. Symptom of the Universe; A4. Megalomania; B1. The Thrill of It All;
B2. Supertzar; B3. Am I Going Insane (Radio); B4. The Writ
1976-09-25 LP TECHNICAL ECSTASY (US Warner Bros BS 2969): A1. Black Street Kids;
A2. You Won’t Change Me; A3. It’s Alright; A4. Gypsy; B1. All Moving Parts
(Stand Still); B2. Rock ‘n’ Roll Doctor; B3. She’s Gone; B4. Dirty Women
1978-09-28 LP NEVER SAY DIE! (US Warner Bros BSK 3186): A1. Never Say Die; A2.
Johnny Blade; A3. Junior’s Eyes; A4. A Hard Road; B1. Shock Wave; B2. Air
Dance; B3. Over to You; B4. Breakout; B5. Swinging the Chain
1980-04-25 LP HEAVEN AND HELL (UK Vertigo 9102.752): A1. Neon Knights; A2.
Children of the Sea; A3. Lady Evil; A4. Heaven and Hell; B1. Wishing Well; B2.
Die Young; B3. Walk Away; B4. Lonely Is the Word
1980-08 LP LIVE AT LAST (GER NEMS BS 001): A1. Tomorrow’s Dream; A2.
Sweet Leaf; A3. Killing Yourself to Live; A4. Cornucopia; A5. Snowblind; A6.
Children of the Grave; B1. War Pigs; B2. Wicked World; B3. Paranoid
1981-11-10 LP MOB RULES (US Warner Bros BSK 3605): A1. Turn Up the Night; A2. Voodoo;
A3. The Sign of the Southern Cross; A4. E5150; A5. The Mob Rules; B1. Country
Girl; B2. Slipping Away; B3. Falling Off the Edge of the World; B4. Over and
Over
1982-12-01 LP LIVE EVIL (US Warner Bros 9 23742-1): A1. E5150; A2. Neon Knights; A3.
N.I.B.; A4. Children of the Sea; A5. Voodoo; B1. Black Sabbath; B2. War Pigs;
B3. Iron Man; C1. The Mob Rules; C2. Heaven and Hell; D1. The Sign of the
Southern Cross-Heaven and Hell (continued); D2. Paranoid; D3. Children of the
Grave; D4. Fluff
1983-08-07 LP BORN AGAIN (US Warner Bros 1-23978): A1. Trashed; A2.
Stonehenge; A3. Disturbing the Priest; A4. The Dark; A5. Zero the Hero; B1.
Digital Bitch; B2. Born Again; B3. Hot Line; B4. Keep It Warm
1986-01-28 LP SEVENTH STAR (US Warner Bros 9 25337-1): A1. In for the Kill;
A2. No Stranger to Love; A3. Turn to Stone; A4. Sphinx (The Guardian); A5.
Seventh Star; B1. Danger Zone; B2. Heart Like a Wheel; B3. Anfry Heart; B4. In
Memory
1987-12-08 LP THE ETERNAL IDOL (US Warner Bros 9 25548-1): A1. The Shinning; A2.
Ancient Warrior; A3. Hard Life to Love; A4. Glory Ride; B1. Born to Lose; B2.
Nightmare; B3. Scarlet Pimpernel; B4. Lost Forever; B5. Eternal Idol
1989-04-01 LP HEADLESS CROSS (UK I.R.S. EIRSA 1002): A1. The Gates of Hell;
A2. Headless Cross; A3. Devil and Daughter; A4. When Death Calls; B1. Kill in
the Spirit World; B2. Call of the Wild; B3. Black Moon; B4. Nightwing
1990-08-20 CD TYR (UK
I.R.S. EIRSACD 1038): 1. Anno Mundi; 2. The Law Maker; 3. Jerusalem; 4. The
Sabbath Stones; 5. The Battle of Tyr; 6. Odin’s Court; 7. Valhalla; 8. Feels
Good to Me; 9. Heaven in Black
1992-06-30 CD DEHUMANIZER (US Reprise 9 26965-2): 1. Computer God; 2. After
All (The Dead); 3. TV Crimes; 4. Letters From Earth; 5. Master of Insanity; 6.
Time Machine; 7. Sins of the Father; 8. Too Late; 9. I; 10. Buried Alive; 11.
Time Machine (Wayne’s World Version)
1994-01-31 CD CROSS PURPOSES (UK I.R.S. EIRSCD 1067): 1. I Witness; 2. Cross
of Thornes; 3. Psychophobia; 4. Virtual Death; 5. Immaculate Deception; 6.
Dying for Love; 7. Back to Eden; 8. The Hand That Rcks the Cradle 9. Cardinal
Sin; 10. Evil Eye
1905-03-01 CD CROSS PURPOSES: LIVE (UK I.R.S. 7243.4.91314.3.9): 1. Time Machine; 2.
Children of the Grave; 3. I Witness; 4. Into the Void; 5. Black Sabbath; 6.
Psychophobia; 7. The Wizard; 8. Cross of Thorns; 9. Symptom of the Universe;
10. Headless Cross; 11. Paranoid; 12. Iron Man; Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
1995-06-08 CD FORBIDDEN (UK I.R.S. EIRCD 1027): 1. The Illusion of Power (Ice-T); 2. Get a Grip; 3. Can’t Get
Close Enough; 4. Shaking Off the Chains; 5. I Won’t Cry for You; 6. Guilty as
Hell; 7. Sick and Tired; 8. Rusty Angels; 9. Forbidden; 10. Kiss of Death
1998-10-19 CD REUNION (LIVE) (UK Epic 491954-9): 1.1. War Pigs; 1.2. Behind
the Wall of Sleep; 1.3. N.I.B.; 1.4. Fairies Wear Boots; 1.5. Electric Funeral;
1.6. Sweet Leaf; 1.7. Spiral Arctitect; 1.8 Into the Void; 1.9. Snowblind; 2.1.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath; 2.2. Orchhid-Lord of the World; 2.3. Dirty Women; 2.4.
Black Sabbath; 2.5. Iron Mad; 2.6. Children of the Grave; 2.7. Paranoid; 2.8.
Psycho Man (new studio recording); 2.9. Selling My Soul (new studio recording)
2002-08-20 CD PAST LIVES (Archival) (US Sanctuary 06076-84561-2): 1.1. Tomorrow’s
Dream; 1.2. Sweet Leaf; 1.3. Killing Yourself to Live; 1.4. Cornucopia; 1.5.
Snowblind; 1.6. Children of the Grave; 1.7. War Pigs; 1.8. Wicked World; 1.9.
Paranoid; 2.1 Hand of Doom; 2.2. Hole in the Sky; 2.3. Symptom of the Universe;
2.4. Megalomania; 2.5. Iron Man; 2.6. Black Sabbath; 2.7. N.I.B.; 2.8. Behind
the Wall of Sleep; 2.9. Fairies Wear Boots
2007-05-01 CD LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH ODEON (US Rhino Handmade RHM2 07735): 1. E5150; 2. Neon
Knights; 3. N.I.B.; 4. Children of the Sea; 5. Country Girl; 6. Black Sabbath;
7. War Pigs; 8. Slipping Away; 9. Iron Man; 10. The Mob Rules; 11. Heaven and
Hell; 12. Paranoid; 13. Voodoo; 14. Children of the Grave
2013-06-10 CD 13 (UK
Vertigo 3735426): 1. End of the Beginning; 2. God Is Dead?; 3. Loner; 4.
Zeitgeist; 5. Age of Reason; 6. Live Forever; 7. Damaged Soul; 8. Dear Father
2017-11-17 CD THE END: 4 FEBRUARY 2017 BIRMINGHAM (UK Eagle EREDV 1292): 1.1. Black Sabbath; 1.2.
Fairies Wear Boots; 1.3. Under the Sun-Every Day Comes and Goes; 1.4. After
Forever; 1.5. Into the Void; 1.6. Snowblind; 1.7. Band Introductions; 1.8. War
Pigs; 1.9. Behind the Wall of Sleep; 2.1. Bassically-N.I.B.; 2.2. Hand of Doom;
2.3. Supernaut-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath-Megalomania; 2.4. Rat Salad-Drum Solo;
2.5. Iron Man; 2.6. Dirty Women; 2.7. Children of the Grave; 2.8. Paranoid; The
Angelic Sessions: 3.1. The Wizard; 3.2. Wicked World; 3.3. Sweet Leaf; 3.4.
Tomorrow’s Dream; 3.5. Changes
