NEVER SAY DIE!

One of the most underrate Black Sabbath albums, and with good reason. Lead singer Ozzy Osbourne was taking a turn for the worse, as he would later be consumed with alcohol and drugs, and the band altogether were lacking the creative and innovative ideas that they were having a few years back. Though the albums tracks are nowhere near as bad as the ones on Technical Ecstasy, the album overall is not essential listening.

1.Never Say Die - Easily one of the best and most rocking tracks on the album, is completely different from anything Sabbath has ever done before. Crunching riffs that don't really sound very heavy are combined with some of Ozzy's best vocal performances. Great drumming and excellent bass playing, as Bill Ward and Geezer Butler totally rock. Some decent and revitalizing lyrics are injected into this four minute pop song. (9/10)

2.Johnny Blade - One of the most hated on the album is actually one of my favourites. A totally spacey dose of synthesizers is added to a totally trippy riff. Don Airey adds some great moog riffs and synth fills. The shuffling beat, augmented by Osbournes average vocals, is made possible by the great playing of Tony Iommi, who shows his place in the band. Some terrible lyrics that are barely standable, only made wanted by the great music. I just don't understand the hate towards the track. (8.5/10)

3.Junior's Eyes - Originally from the past vocalists writing, Ozzy had to recreate everything with the track. This leads to some subpar and uninspired playing, though groovy basslines and heavy effects on guitar playing are added for good measure, just don't add up. Terrible vocals from Osbourne, as he just says it with a whiney and annoying voice. Terrible lyrics about Osbourne's past, nothing but a dull track. (5/10)

4.Hard Road - Another hated favourite of mine. Though the lyrics are honestly terrible, the playing of the track is energetic, to say the least. Ozzy's vocals at their most whiney, might seem like a bad track, but on the contrary, it's very good. Excellent bass playing from Butler, and the drumming is heavy and are played in an almost garage rock type of way. A lost gem. (8.5/10)

5.Shock Wave - What the hell? After some new and synth-dosage to the max direction, this horrible track shows up trying to rock. The vocal harmonies are probably the worst I have ever heard from Osbourne in my life, as his lazy ass trys to come up with a decent vocal melody, but ultimatly fails. A good guitar riff wasted from Iommi, as the riffage in the track is classic, but is a failure due to nature of the vocals. (6/10)

6.Air Dance - We get back to the new direction with a poppy underrated jewel, as the shining guitar riffs and steady drumming and acoustics are set to the top of the mix. Osbourne's melody is great, but the way he sings it is very unemotional. Even if Ozzy can't get it right, Airey does. Great piano work is on the track, which sets an almost jazzy emotion. One of my favourites. (8/10)

7.Over to You - A rehash of Hard Road, almost identical in tone andplaying, cannot surpass the greatness of that track. One of the worst of the bunch, as the unconsistent playing and vocal performance really hits the band hard. At least Butler and Ward add some great rhythm to the track, as it would be wasted by the nonsense of the lyrics and the totally wannabe symphonic chorus that really suck. (4.5/10)

8.Breakout - An oddity, as it could have worked out better with the sludge of the drumwork, but has an almost happy feel to the guitar riff. The slowed down drums don't work with the jazz of the horn section, and is one of the worst experiments in the history of the band. (0.5/10)

9.Swinging the Chain - After a really bad track, we get a "nothing special" track. Bill Ward fronts the track, and adds some good vocals, at least they are much better than anything Ozzy has done on the album. The music isn't really complex and sounds the same as anything else from the album, but the new vocals refresh the dated. A decent closer, but it can't really connect. (6/10)

An album I have mixed feelings about, as it's a good album, but also has the worst track of the Sabbath's history on it. I have to give it 3 stars for it's good songs, but it is ultimatly inconsistent. I think you should check it out, only if you are willing to be slightly dissapoint from what came before (Except Techincal Ecstasy) and after it.