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Zach's Album Reviews
Topic Started: Feb 3 2007, 02:58 PM (263 Views)
TheSmashedGuitar
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Love Will Tear Us Apart, Again

So yea. I'll be posting album reviews in here. Read 'em if you want, comments would be lovely.


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Album: “Paranoid” – Black Sabbath
Genre: Heavy Metal/Classic Metal
Year: 1970

Personnel:
Vocals – Ozzy Osbourne
Guitar – Tony Iommi
Bass – “Geezer” Butler
Drums – Bill Ward

Track Listing:
1. War Pigs/Luke’s Wall
2. Paranoid
3. Planet Caravan
4. Iron Man
5. Electric Funeral
6. Hand Of Doom
7. Rat Salad
8. Jack The Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots


Introduction:
Black Sabbath. The name itself is dark, eerie, yet strangely appealing. The group were once called Earth and played the blues, but one day Geezer Butler the bass player claimed he saw the devil. This led him to write a song warning against Satanism, which began a new direction for the band. They changed their name to what it is today and with renewed popularity in local pubs they recorded their debut album in less then twelve hours. It was moderately successful, but the band’s second album would be the breakthrough. Originally called War Pigs after the opening track, the record label changed it to Paranoid because they were afraid of the pro-war population’s wrath. Even so, the album’s lyrics deal much with the evils of war and other surprisingly dark subject matter.. Their debut (aptly named “Black Sabbath”) was dark and very different from others at its times, but it still contained many blues influences and some leftover trends from 60’s rock. “Paranoid” however, would set the standards for what is now called Heavy Metal and launch the band into super-stardom. The songs off this album still get popular radio-play today, and “Paranoid” is regarded as classic even by non-metal fans.

Music:

Boom. The album opens with murky power chords and a slow thumping baseline, complete with sirens in the background. It sounds like something out of a horror novel. Then it all stops except for the high-hat on the drums. The singer talks of corrupt leaders and war between dark screams from the guitar. His vocals are not technically amazing but have a echoing and desperation in them that draws you in. Bill Ward is genius on the drums here, keeping the beat playing the guitar riffs on the drums. Ozzy’s lyrics get even more cynical, proclaiming that generals are “making war just for fun” and are reaping the benefits while the people suffer. Tony’s guitar solo is haunting and brooding, unlike most bombastic and happy guitar interludes of the day. His unique use of the minor scale to create a sense of gloom is one of the revolutionary things about “Paranoid.” On the last verse Ozzy tells use the generals pay for their crimes, but only when the world is doomed and “Satan laughing spreads his wings.” The outro to this song is called Luke’s Wall, and it more dark chords and riffs that add an epic feel to the song. The sound is unbelievable. Geezer’s basslines provide lurking sound like that of a monster, unlike the common “thump-thump-thump” of most bass players. A thunderous build-up ends this brilliant and popular song, War Pigs.

Next is Paranoid. This was the album’s “filler” track, but it turned out to be there biggest hit. The muted riff on this song gives the song a rough edge, while Bill keeps the beat and Geezer fills in-between the chords, Ozzy’s vocals and lyrics are filled with visions of depression and a loss of self control. Although the word paranoid is never sung in the song, the atmosphere tells you all you need to know about the plight of the storyteller.

Now the album takes a dramatic change in Planet Caravan. Soft, jazzy chords play while bongo drums and soothing bass carry the tune. There is an echo effect on Ozzy’s voice, and the whole song feels like an acid trip-gone wrong. He sings of traveling in space, a strange topic; yet the mysterious vibe overwhelms you throughout the song. Tony’s brilliant solo shows he is versatile in playing jazz guitar, not just pounding, heavy riffs.

Closing the first side is another famous track, Iron Man. An apocalyptic drum beat plays while droning guitar sounds and the eerie “I am Iron Man” line plays in the background. Next instantly recognizable main riff comes in with Bill again mimicking it on the guitar. Ozzy sings about a man who foresees the end of the world and on his way back in time he turns into an iron giant. People distrust and abandon him, causing him to destroy the world in a furious rage just as he foresaw. The subject matter echoes of science-fiction and tragedy. The middle breakdown section shows more of Tony’s frenzied and gloomy soloing while Geezer provides thundering bass grooves to support the rhythm of the song. The ending is another crescendo of scary chords and solos much like the ending of War Pigs.

Ok, side one is over. You flip the record and start side two of this incredible album. You are greeted with the freaky wah-wah riff. All three instruments echo each other, while Ozzy sings in a menacing tone about nuclear annihilation. The effect on the listener is crazy, invoking visions of fear and death. It’s like musical horror film; dark, powerful, frightening and cynical, but magically powerful and mysterious. After an interlude where the drums build up speed and then the rest of the band kicks, chants of “electric funeral!” sounds in a robotic voice before going back to the haunting riff. One more another round of Ozzy’s spine-chilling melody before the song ends.

Hand Of Doom, the next song, is Sabbath’s take on the drug topic. Starting off with a brooding bass line and Ozzy singing in an accusing voice, the rest of the band comes in with a bang and increases the volume tenfold. This loud/soft dynamic works so well throughout the song. Complete with little interludes of muted and explosives riffs, the power of the song comes at you like a freight train. Ozzy sings about a heroin user from an observer, chronicling the drug abuser from the start of his smack days to his death. It echoes “Heroin” by the Velvet Underground, but it is a completely different song. After a final verse of screaming vocals from Ozzy, the song ends with the same bass line as it did in the beginning.

Rat Salad is an instrumental that is similarly structured to Cream’s “Toad” and Led Zeppelins “Moby Dick.” However, it carries all the trademarks of Black Sabbath: haunting main riff, eerie, screeching solos and Bill’s unique “riff-drumming” style. He shows off some impressing fills when its his turn to solo. It ends with the riff and then we proceed to the final song on the album.

The intro to the final track is called Jack The Stripper and is fairly short, fading in with a muted riff and some ominous chords, solos and apocalyptic drum fills. Then Fairies Wear Boots begins. The frenzied riff kicks in before the band softens up with their muting. Ozzy sings about spotting a strange site, some fairies wearing boots and dancing with dwarves. He tells us “fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me.” This seems like a no-nonsense song or one inspired by an acid trip, but it is actually based off an incident where Ozzy got beat up by Skinheads and no one believed him. Tony lets of a screaming solo and some riffs before we get back to the verse. Ozzy talks to a doctor who says he’s seeing these things because he’s stoned and drunk. In the real-life incident, that is why his friends didn’t believe him; he was high at the time, though he insists the confrontation happened. The song ends with a minor-scale riff before the song, and the album, ends.

Final Word:
This album is superb. Everyone should own. Even if you don’t like Black Sabbath or the heavy metal genre in general you should still own it. It’s one of the first albums of the 70’s and one of the most creative and unique. No one sounded like this in 1970, no one. Ozzy’s haunting melodies and dark lyrical subject matter, Tony’s doom-filled riffs and screeching solos, Geezer’s dark and pounding bass, and Bill’s unique drumming style and apocalyptic fills create one of the finest albums of all time. So go out and get it if you don’t have a copy; you’re missing out.


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Kira
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Hate me, do it and do it again.
It's okay. Led Zeppelin blow them into nothingness when it comes to the hard rock genre. Maybe it's because I think Ozzy is a terrible vocalist.

Great review, though.
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The human whose name is written in this notebook shall die.
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St. Thomas
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i love katie
First and most important metal album. It's legendary. "Paranoid" and "Iron Man" are true classics. The rest is brilliant. Never got this good again, although Master of Reality comes close.

Love to see more reviews.
-thomas

last.fm
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LedZeppelin222
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I'm the taxmaaaaaan
has anyone ever heard people sing the words "i am iron man" to the main riff of the song, the riff that plays with the first words of the song, "has he lost his mind?" i always hear people sing that. but the only time the words "i am ironman" are in the song is at the very beginning. i always thought that was funny
anyone for tennis?
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GodNickSatan
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One of us cannot be wrong
That was a really good read. I think "Paranoid" would have to my favourite Sabbath album, and probably my favourite 'metal" album of all time. Like you said, there was nothing that sounded like this at the time. Although I found your review interesting, it wasn't completely accurate. You mentioned Ozzy's lyrics throughout the review, when really they're mostly Geezer Butler's lyrics. I think Geezer wrote all the lyrics on this album, and most of the lyrics throughout Sabbath's career. However, Ozzy did write the lyrics to "Black Sabbath" on their first album after Geezer mentioned seeing Satan to him, so there are some songs that Ozzy did write, but I couldn't tell you which ones. But anyway, good review and keep them coming! You're right with saying everyone should own this album.

And Dean... really, what's so bad about Ozzy's vocals? I personally like them.
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JeorgeMcStarkey
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NorwegianWood65
Feb 3 2007, 06:10 PM
First and most important metal album. It's legendary. "Paranoid" and "Iron Man" are true classics. The rest is brilliant. Never got this good again, although Master of Reality comes close.

Love to see more reviews.

Is Paranoid the first metal album? Black Sabbath, my friend. Once they put the needle on the first song - "Black Sabbath", they were just like, "Oh. Shit." Is this the most important metal album? In the sense that it was the birth of the metal genre (along with Black Sabbath), sure. Very influential.

Anyway, good review. Love to see you spreading the word for such a great album. Don't only get this album, get their first six (at least five) albums as well.
Click? VH
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St. Thomas
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i love katie
Shit, I meant first metal band. I still say most important metal album however.
-thomas

last.fm
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