VOLUME FOUR

As the title so aptly implies, this is the fourth LP by the great, classic Heavy Metal band Black Sabbath, released 1972. Apparently the result of a cocaine-fueled era for the band, getting the stimulant delivered to them by speaker cabinets, Vol. 4 is considered one of their classic recordss (perhaps despite this? haha). The album has such notable fans as Frank Zappa and John Bonham (for "Supernaut", specifically) and Henry Rollins (specifically for the opener, "Wheels of Confusion"). I hadn't listened through this album in something like 10 years, so for that alone, I was excited.

"Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener" starts off our album low, slow, but sure. The main riff is real nice, rolling along with Ward's drum. The track picks up around 2:30 with a sort of more triumphant feel. In the middle section, I feel this is in some way stylistically glancing at Deep Purple with some of the riffs. The song just drives forward and onward, consistently so. In its final minutes, the rhythm once again shifts to the original roll, with some really cool keyboards under the driving beat. Mellotron responsibility is shared between Tony and Geezer, so who knows, but also who cares. Awesome.

And then it's the big and positively looming of "Tomorrow's Dream", with some of the grooviest, beefiest instrumentation they've done to this point, which is saying quite a lot really. The chorus is really strong. It is then followed by a new riff and a mellotron note that swings upward. Not the strongest, but still grood. Next, on "Changes", we have something we have not heard once before from them: a piano-led ballad?! I had no recollection of this song until the chorus haha. Pretty nice vocal performance by Ozzy. The string setting on the mellotron, the only other instrument played, causes the track to hang in the air. And with it, I never expected there to be something by Sabbath that would in any way cause me to think, 'Oh, sure, this is like The Moody Blues.' Haha. The chorus is lovely, but the song isn't much.

Next, starkly juxtaposed, is the unsettlingly sparse, super-tape-echo on the short "FX". Very interesting. I can't give it any high marks, though, as it doesn't act as an interlude or as any other function, so... it just feels kind of random and lost in the grand scheme of things. Next, the aforementioned "Supernaut", and of course this is beloved by Zappa and Bonzo! So heavy, so groovy, especially with the fun rhythmic breakdown in the middle section! Of course. Very fun song. Again, especially in this final half, big beeves. Next is one that I'm just a tad more familiar with, "Snowblind", with a very, again, familiar main riff and (at times excellent) vocal delivery from Ozzy. Simple though. The most (and only?) exciting part is after minute 3, with a total rhythm overhaul. This section lasts for about 30 seconds, but it really is satisfying within the overall composition.

One of the better songs throughout for me is "Cornucopia". She's a big'n. Solid main riff and interesting compositional flavorings. But more interesting still, a surprise even, is the acoustic and heavenly "Laguna Sunrise", a real scalp-tingler. Frisson, baby! I hope it isn't contrarian, but this is the least Sabbath-esque song and it's one of the best ones on here haha. I definitely hear a deeper Zep connection with it. Next, "St. Vitus Dance", a very fun song. Sort of hypnotic in its slight rhythmic oddity(?). And finally, we have a very signature Sabbath song to close us out, "Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes"; very doomy, but then, agreed(?), that main riff, in its simplicity even, feels like a sign of what's to come: for them as a band, but also for all of Heavy Metal. Awesome. Big shift around minute 2, but... it's not my favorite. It returns to the original riff after minute 3. I guess I'm a little sad it ends this, in my opinion, weakly. Is what it is.

Good but not great.