PARANOID

Looking from the perspective of 1970, Paranoid must be considered as (Heavy) Prog album, and according to what Ozzy Osbourne once said in a interview, that's how it was meant by the Sabs themselves. The music is not as complex as some other bands' from that year but it's surely very innovative and thus beyond the mainstream Rock - not to speak about Planet Caravan which influenced by Django Reinhardt, one of Tony Iommi's influences, is very jazzy. Heavy Metal as a genre was not established in 1970, even not really forming before Paranoid, so looking from the perspective of that year, the album can't be considered as a part of that genre. So historically speaking, Paranoid can't be seen as something else than (Heavy) Prog. And maybe the most correct thing to do is to consider the whole very early HM as a part of Prog. Ion Lord of Deep Purple had indeed Progressive ambitions as well, and what about Uriah Heep? - Anyway, 5 stars to Paranoid when playing the tracks (on programmable CDplayer) in the order: 2,1,4,3;;5,6,8,7.