BLACK SABBATH

Ok, many people may consider Black Sabbath a band with no strong relations with progressive music, but their importance and musical influence is undeniable. And, of course, I am a fan of this band !

Considering what was said above, I will make this review more as a hard rock than a prog fan. By means of musical contends, I think listeners must look to what is this album about, not to its heaviness or lack of progressive intense and structured moments.

The greatest attention must be set in the opener, a song that turns heavy only after a long, slow but intense overture. The story of rock was never to be the same anymore after that. Many people may propose Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple as heavy metal creators, or even go back to Cream or Hendrix; but the real roots of a whole way of creating and playing music which was to be called heavy metal meets its real beginning with this band and this album. The other songs ? At least very catchy, with Tony Iommy beginning to present his enormous creation of riffs and Terry Geezer Butler showing HOW to perform thundering bass lines.

Black Sabbath does not have the musicianship of Purple or Zep, but they are strongly important. A symphonic prog fan may pass all his life without knowing Black Sabbath whole discography, but this album is to be known at least by means of understanding rock and roll critical moments on its history.

Three and a half stars, rounded to four