BLACK SABBATH

I was quiet amazed when I found out that no one had noticed yet that the sound of Black Sabbath is a downright copy of Blue Cheer. The Blue Cheer made their debut in 1968 called Vincebus Eruptum, which is two years earlier then Black Sabbath. Blue Cheer had a sound as dark and heavy as this record: well, maybe even a bit more heavy.

A difference between Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer is that the Black Sabbath is less blues influenced. I say less, because this debut of BS is still a lot blues influenced: In the Wizard there are still mouth harps used and N.I.B. and the whole second side is still written with the blues chordschemes. Another difference is the image Black Sabbath used on their folding. This satanic imagery was new with witches and reversed crosses. The necklaces Black Sabbath wore on stage and dark clothes were also the same as with Blue Cheer. This debut record of Sabbath is the only record with these satanic imagery till Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

I'm more fond of the first side then the second. The first side has the great doomsday sounding titletrack and some other nice tracks. The second side has some long solosections, but they seem directionless and naiev like BS needed to fill the record. Well, this record has some historical value, although it was not as groundbreaking as some has mentioned before me. The follow up record Paranoid is a more steady effort with more solid songwriting like "Warpigs".