BLACK SABBATH

The album cover alone is enough to send chills down your spine, but then you put the record on and soon realize that what you are listening to is even more bleak and haunting then the album cover is.This is such an influential record, this was unique for 1970. Certainly the dark and heavy sound led by Tommy Iommi along with the taboo lyrics about Satan and hell were both groundbreaking and shocking.

I like when a group has a song that is the same as the it's band name. IRON MAIDEN comes to mind and they were no doubt influenced by BLACK SABBATH. I don't know if a more terrifying song has ever been composed than "Black Sabbath". It opens with the sound of rain as church bells chime.Thunder claps are heard as some low end guitar comes in.The atmosphere is dark and eerie and is enhanced ten fold when Ozzy starts to speak those scary lyrics. "What is this that stands before me. Figure in black which points at me.Turn around quick and start to run. Found out i'm the chosen one. Oh Nooo !" And later "Satan sitting there he's smiling. Watches those flames get higher and higher. Oh no no please God help me !" The song takes off 4 1/2 minutes in. "The Wizard" features Ozzy on harmonica along with a great rhythm, both make this one of SABBATH's best songs. The next song is a suite made up of "Wasp", "Behind the Walls of Sleep", "Bassically" and "N.I.B.". I really love the tone of the guitar on the lighter passages before the heavy melodies come in. The guitar after 6 1/2 minutes to the end of the song sounds fantastic ! "Wicked World" has some great bass throughout from Butler as Iommi is having some fun. A calm comes in before some blistering guitar arrives. The final track is another suite made up of "A Bit Of Finger", "Sleeping Village" and "Warning". This is the longest song at over 14 minutes. Guitar and reserved vocals open things before the song kicks in before a minute. The guitar melodies are incredible after 2 minutes.They're back 4 minutes in with vocals just not as aggressive.The rhythm is terrific 8 1/2 minutes in.Then Iommi just jams, offering a variety of styles before the band joins in at 13 minutes.

4.5 stars, almost a masterpiece in my opinion.