MASTER OF REALITY

Unlike the first two albums, I never quite dig into "Master of Reality". Maybe because of murky production and overtly dark sound, maybe because the songs started to show first sign of loss of creativity, or maybe due to silly "After Forever", which still sounds as the band wanted to repent their "Satanic" deeds from earlier records and show off their true religious nature to the public and the establishment. Manichaean battle between the Good and the Evil rages on, but is that a point?...

To be sure, "Sweet Leaf" is a classic ode to a mind-bending substance with Iommi's grinding guitars, while "Children of the Grave", bookended with two nice instrumental miniatures - folksy "Embryo" and classical "Orchid" - with its warning lyrics to the always ongoing "war" between generations still holds its power. Another good metallic stomper is the closing "Into the Void", while the remaining material is definitely pretty average, including a nice try to build upon the "Planet Caravan" foundations in "Solitude", but which ends up as a nice try with a flute.

Cover is good work of art so I can almost imagine it containing the words "Bauhaus" or "Bela Lugosi is dead" instead, thus anticipating the later Goth-rock or whatever trends...

PERSONAL RATING: 3,5/5

P.A. RATING: 3/5