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On 2017-6-8 at 6:58 AM, Skull_Kollektor said: Perfectly understandable opinion.

Me, I think if I had to pick just ONE album of theirs, it would be... "HEAVEN AND HELL"!

From an historical and pseudo objective point of view I would say that their single most relevant record is their self titled debut, nonetheless "HAH" to me is a perfect album and one whose songs move me so much. The performance is stellar, the songwriting is otherworldly and diverse, the lyrics are intriguing, meaningful and yet foggy and prone to misunderstanding (which I love)... besides I love the fact that it is a "prove 'em wrong" kind of record. What does this Dio guy think he's gonna do? He's done without Rainbow, nobody will hear from him again. Where do Black Sabbath think they can go without Ozzy? They'll be gone for good... WRONG!

I also love the fact that Ozzy too somehow inexplicably managed to put out an equally outstanding album.

I deeply love the original Black Sabbath, but thank God they split from Ozzy after "Never Say Die"! I couldn't be more grateful for that.

It was definitely good that Ozzy ended up leaving Black Sabbath - for both parties.

Look at the songwriting and production in 'Heaven and Hell' compared with 'Never Say Die', it's like a completely different band playing completely different music. Then look at 'Blizzard of Ozz' and you have the same thing, totally different style of music to 'Never Say Die'. It's just weird, and I think they all just needed the balls to stop trying to write a 'regular' Sabbath album and spread their wings a bit. 

Although in relation to Ozzy, having Bob Daisley and Randy Rhoads writing the songs certainly helped...

A lot of people are head over heels in love with 'Heaven and Hell', and while I really like it, I just don't feel that passion. I much prefer 'Blizzard of Ozz'. 

 

I've never been able to get into Ozzy's solo career. His vocals sound like shit IMO, and while the music is occasionally good, it can't hold my attention for long. It's got a really glammy vibe that undermines the good riffs and solos for me, probably equally in part to Randy's ties to Quiet Riot and Ozzy's desire to go more mainstream. I'll take Sabbath without Ozzy over his solo career any day.

 

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  • 4 months later...

I've never been that into Sabbath, but I really like Paranoid, have the super deluxe box set. I like the first Sabbath album but it has way too much filler in there, they should have waited until they had more good songs to record an album. Haven't really heard much else by them. What would you recommend I listen to next?

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I've never been that into Sabbath, but I really like Paranoid, have the super deluxe box set. I like the first Sabbath album but it has way too much filler in there, they should have waited until they had more good songs to record an album. Haven't really heard much else by them. What would you recommend I listen to next?
Start from the beginning and just work your way through! Enjoy.

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Requiem's Top 10 Black Sabbath Albums

 

10. Cross Purposes (1994)

The first thing any astute Sabbath fan is going to notice about my list is the absence of both 'Mob Rules' and 'Dehumanizer'. And while I do like those albums I tend to find them really overrated, especially the latter. Tony Martin, however, now there's a 'cat' who never got the praise he deserves. This album is a stylish gem that was lost in an awkward era, but what a great album. Fantastic production, great dark songs, wonderful vocals. For someone whose songwriting was forged in the 60s and 70s, Iommi has an amazing knack for writing 80s sounding albums, even in 1994. Unfortunately I don't own this as I'm waiting for the bumper deluxe re-release, if Iommi would ever get around to it, like he's suggested from time to time. 

9. 13 (2013)

Mastering aside, I think everyone involved did a really good job of this. It could have been a lot worse, put it that way. Those first two tracks are amazing, and the trippy 'Zeitgeist' is great. I really dig this album; I think it's excellent. Pretty ballsy doing this album but it's all good. 

8. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)

Obviously a top notch title track, but I think people tend to over-inflate this album a little bit. 'Sabbra Cadabra' is awesome of course, and actually as I look at the track list I realise that most of these songs are excellent, but there's just something about it that doesn't quite hold together. Still, it's a classic, no doubt about that. 

7. Black Sabbath (1970)

Some will be shocked to see this at number 7. It has brilliant songs, no doubt, and of course the title track is one of the greatest moments in metal. But there's also a lot of bluesy jamming out on this that I sort of sit uncomfortably through. I often put Sabbath on when I'm cleaning the shower, and I always feel despondent when one of the less exciting tracks from this album comes on. By the way, this has their best album cover. 

6. Headless Cross (1989)

Fuck yeah. Tony Martin, Tony Iommi, Cozy Powell. Cool line-up; great big gothic songs; cornball 80s posturing, it's all here. This album is really dark and a lot of fun. The Tony Martin material is so underrated and, unfortunately, swept under the carpet by a modern marketing machine that wants to pretend that Black Sabbath is only with Ozzy Osbourne. 

5. Heaven and Hell (1980)

Ok, I can't deny this album is amazing. Every song is killer, the production is excellent, the vibe and atmosphere is first class. Dio of course does a sublime job and there's definitely that x-factor of freshness here that you just can't fabricate. It's definitely the best non-Ozzy album. 

4. Vol 4 (1972)

Funny old album, this one. It's got some of their very best songs in 'Snowblind' and 'Supernaut'. What incredible, spellbinding moments in metal. And it's also got some steady-as-she-goes type of chugs, like 'Wheels of Confusion'. 'Changes' is a pretty cool song if you avoid thinking about the various covers and re-records. I actually feel this album is a little bit underrated. 

3. Sabotage (1975)

This is a bizarre album and so much fun. You can sort of hear the band coming undone at the seams, and it looks and sounds like the classic 70s album. Opener 'Hole in the Sky' is just brilliant, as is 'The Writ'. For me though, the highlight is definitely 'Supertzar'. That track feels kind of weird and out of place, but it's really a suitable musical symptom of the weird stage this band was at. This is truly special album. Again, it's one of those albums that just works. You can't really control this type of genius. 

2. Master of Reality (1971)

The famous cough and 'Sweet Leaf' are close to the greatest moments in Sabbath history. The whole thing here is just a huge sounding album from the band in their prime. They really have it all going strong here. 'Children of the Grave' is a really good song but I think the band tend to overrate it, often playing it close to last and at every single show. I mean, it's good, but come on. 

1. Paranoid (1970)

Here it is. I think people nowadays tend to avoid putting this in their list because it's a bit of a cliche or something, but the fact of the matter is, this is easily the best Black Sabbath album. Look at the tracklist: 'War Pigs', 'Paranoid', 'Planet Caravan', 'Iron Man', 'Electric Funeral', 'Hand of Doom', 'Rat Salad', 'Fairies Wear Boots'. Every song is a work of unmitigated genius, awesomeness and fun. Look at these songs! And then look when it came out - 1970. What a moment in time. Ozzy sounds incredible, the air raid siren in 'War Pigs' is haunting even today, the lava lamp vibe of 'Planet Caravan' came out of nowhere. This is close to the perfect rock n roll album. And my favourite Black Sabbath song of all time is on it: 'Fairies Wear Boots'. Black Sabbath's best album, and you all know it. 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am also in the minority in that I relly like the album. The production is horrible...but in sort of a "B movie" style that lends to the overall creepiness that the cover introduces. Like it was a lone album living by itself in a shack in the hills....in fact, I did not like anything after it. It is the last Sabbath album i know

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On 10/9/2016 at 9:30 AM, BlutAusNerd said:

Maybe try some of their deeper and less radio friendly albums. My favorite is Master of Reality, but Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is also incredible. As a thrash guy, you'll have to hear Symptom of the Universe off of their Sabotage album, which was a precursor to thrash metal.

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Master of Reality is my favorite too. Although most Sabbath tracks with Ozzy are fuckin rad. Dio was good but I liked his work with Rainbow better.

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8 minutes ago, BlutAusNerd said:

I had it stuck in my head at work today. Rough around the edges or not, I has serious charisma.

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I think as a fan of punk rock it's the rough around the edges stuff that appeals to me most. Im a sucker for dark gritty shit. 

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Any BM fans dig the Rotting Christ cover of the Black Sabbath self title? I thought it was fitting. Unlike when Dark Funeral tried to cover Slayer.
Well, Dark Funeral sucks in general, so it's no surprise that their covers would be weak. Haven't heard the Rotting Christ cover that you speak of, but the Type O Negative cover of Black Sabbath is rad.

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25 minutes ago, BlutAusNerd said:

Well, Dark Funeral sucks in general, so it's no surprise that their covers would be weak. Haven't heard the Rotting Christ cover that you speak of, but the Type O Negative cover of Black Sabbath is rad.

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Yeah I agree. I also like the Sacred Reich cover of war pigs. 

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  • 4 weeks later...
Did you enjoy Sabbath with Ozzy or Dio or both and what is your favorite Back Sabbath album(s) I myself loved both singers and every album. When Dio came long he definitely brought a heavier element to Sabbath. Either way it was all awesome stuff.
I disagree completely, Sabbath was much heavier when Ozzy was fronting the band. Not that Ozzy himself had anything to do with that, but those slow, doomy riffs were at their heaviest on the first few albums. Dio is obviously the better singer, but the music was much more upbeat and melodious on the albums that featured his vocals.

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I prefer the Dio era of Sabbath and my favourite album is Heaven and Hell.  Paranoid and Master of Reality were decent but I must admit I don't really rate the other albums from the 70s - too experimental/just generally too bland for my liking.  I respect all that Ozzy did for the band and the genre as a whole but Dio was the breath of fresh air they needed.

 

Funnily enough I happen to love Ozzy's solo stuff.

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I prefer the Dio era of Sabbath and my favourite album is Heaven and Hell.  Paranoid and Master of Reality were decent but I must admit I don't really rate the other albums from the 70s - too experimental/just generally too bland for my liking.  I respect all that Ozzy did for the band and the genre as a whole but Dio was the breath of fresh air they needed.
 
Funnily enough I happen to love Ozzy's solo stuff.
Their first 6 albums were pillars of innovation and excellence. When Dio joined, it seemed like the jumped onto the more standard 80's metal bandwagon sound. Dio is a killer vocalist, but Sabbath had stopped pioneering at that point and just became one of the pack instead of the leaders.

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