Reviews (page 12 of 16)
Good but not as good as vol 4
solid album, might need alot of listen, but i get the influence of black sabbath
3.5 I much preferred this album over Vol. 4, the other album of theirs I listened to. Feels a little closer to what I imagine metal to be, or more rock-y and fun. Still waiting for something to really feel like hard metal. I didn’t realize until reading, Black Sabbath is where Ozzy Osborn came from
it has 8 songs ill listen to them on my way home the first four werent my favourite but i really liked the last few Warning was my fav
Not as good as Paranoid unfortunately. Still, it's fine... I wouldn't have a problem listening to it again.
3/5
Eh… nothing stood out
Black Sabbath has retained a lot of their technique but l like the vibe of this album. Its hard to pic a favorite track because the motifs I really liked hearing were across all of the tracks, and they were all very long and me
While I don't mind the instrumentals, I do find the tracks a little bit bland, but not bad. It's enough for me to give a few listens but not much of a favorite.
Feels like this is them discovering a whole new thing. I like this early stuff that doesn’t get too “metal”
I can define see why they are one of the most influential bands in rock history. Not my cup of tea but guitar solos are incredible
once again just not my thing but obviously people like it highlights: Wicked World
Debería escucharlo otra vez
I am very new to this genre of music so I will avoid rating but as I can not skip rating this album due to the website fk up.
Ooky spooky Halloween
Maybe more of a 3.5
pretty alright. Nothing jumped out crazy
Pionnier du heavy metal, évidemment, le premier son envoie de ouf avec son aspect lent et profond, mais j'ai moins accroché sur la suite, des sonorités que j'appréciais moins et des musiques que je trouve passables Son impact est inquantifiable mais d'autres (notamment Paranoid, dans la même année) ont poussé la chose plus loin pour la rendre plus poignante et appréciable
Put aside some of barmy lyrics it's pretty good.
Yeah pretty good! A solid three stars.
Very good but severely overrated
Important for metal but overall quite mid. Love the drumming tho. Blueprint of all metal that comes after this. Iconic.
The album is . . . less enjoyable (musically) and less interesting (lyrically) than either Paranoid or Vol. 4. But you have to respect the band’s early, settled commitment to this sound. And, of course, how it helped christen heavy metal music.
Y.. no es icónico, pero es excelente para haber sido los los iniciadores.
Not massively into any of the tracks, but the guitar playing, many of the riffs and the bass lines are really good.
Don't mind the music of Black Sabbath, love the guitar. For me, not a fantastic album, song by song, but enjoyed it as a whole. Actually quite like The Wizard, Behind the Wall of Sleep and Evil Woman. Could be a 4 or 3.5 rating.
had to be wild hearing black sabbath for the first time. "n.i.b." slaps. the rest is ok. but big points for kicking off doom.
Songs aren't all available on Spotify in my area rip :(
Me parecio bueno, temas copados. Pero ninguno me impresiono digamos. Si rescato el dato de que se grabo en un solo dia y el disco que dio inicio al heavy metal. Sin embargo, me parece "normal"
Better than I anticipated.
(4/7) liked the instant Halloween vibes at the beginning but skews a little too jam heavy for me
I know all the usual Sabbath songs so it was fun to listen to a bunch that I'd never heard before. I can definitely see why they're so influential.
Highlights: The Wizard, Behind the Wall of Sleep, N.I.B. I never heard any of the tracks from this record so it was new to me. Wizard was interesting because I didn't expect this mix of country and metal. Otherwise it kinda felt relatively familiar - be it familiar in the context of Sabbath or familiar in general. For the latter I have already given the country example, but I can also say that N.I.B. sounds a lot like a Clapton track. So it isn't as metal and dark as I expected it to be. Warning singlehandedly killed side B for me. Overall it was ok, but not something special. Highlights will remain inrotation.
Again more approachable than I thought!
It's just the same motif stretched over 40 minutes. Only giving it three stars because it's a decent motif
Classic album. Don't like metal generally but this was Rocky enough for me. Timeless
Pretty good tbh. Wipes the floor with that god awful Deep Purple album I heard a few months ago. Ozzy’s lyrics are… rudimentary… but it doesn’t detract from what is a solid collection. Best: The Wizard. N.I.B Worst: Warning
Fine not really my thing
Ozzy is the man!
It's amazing that this was in 1970. The guitars are wonderful. That being said, I'll probably give their later stuff a try instead of replaying this one
Not bad. I thought the other Black Sabbath album, Vol. 4, was better though
ganz cool, teils ehner langatmig, nüt wo bsunders blibt, songstrukture?
Favorite songs: The Wizard, Wicked World
Inte min favoritgenre men go gitarr och ett hyfsat album
it's good even if I don't want to listen to it
It's good. Not as cool as No. 4 or Paranoid, but I like it.
This was alright. I preferred Paranoid, but this still rocked out. Was a bit surprised to hear harmonica amongst the dark sounding rock of most of this album. NIB is the only song that sounded vaguely familiar. (3)
This might sound bad but besides the opening track it’s kind of… boring? It feels wrong to say it, but it might have to do with the spotify mix being thin. I wish I had a punchy first pressing or something, but there’s so many great early Vertigo label albums that this pales in comparison to.
🎧I know, this is the album that birthed heavy metal, and nothing else at the time sounded anything like it, and it’s a bonafide classic. I don’t think it’s that great. Give me Master of Reality or Vol 4 or Paranoid though, and I’m a happy camper.
This wasn’t buns I just don’t think I like death metal/hard metal. The harmonica threw me off
All fundamental metal sounds charming in retrospect. Great to hear Ozzy singing like he doesn't know what he's supposed to sound like yet. 3.5
meer genoten dan gedacht
Ik ben niet vaak in de mood voor dit maar het is wel goeie
Black Sabbath was still looking for their sound, they found it on their second album. Still, it had hints of the great music to come
It is not my cup of tea. I find it too..might I say boring?
Again a three star rating. I liked it more than I thought I would. I do have to say that I loved the album cover. 16 year old me would have bought this for the album cover alone. It was an ok listen, a couple of songs that I liked, a few that I didn't like. Overall, it wasn't a bad listen but not anything that would put on the turntable again
6/10 - some good rock but nothing that I'd go crazy for
classic
Not my album but the best slow metal album i have heard. Typicly not my type of speed but i did like this.
Good riffs, heavy and dark atmosphere. Too slow for my taste. I also only now realise that Jack Black sounds a lot like Ozzy.
It rips! Okay, NIB rips….
Sighted as hugely influential to birth of heavy metal so met with trepidation. Pleasently surprised how much I enjoyed it, particularly blues influences and 70s feel. 3/5
1st time I have ever listened to Black Sabbath and much better than I expected.
this one was alright
Still a banger.
Album cover harddd lot of riffs thats for sure. Haven't decided if I like this or not. so its pretty iconic however not my vibe
The sinister vibes are strong, the playing is fantastic, and the medleys are a bit of disjointed mess, making this my least favourite of the three Sabbath albums I've gotten here
I appreciate the blend of grittiness with the heavy and dark atmosphere of this album. Black Sabbath deserves props for pioneering a genre, and being so iconic in the heavy metal scene. Although, I perhaps feel that the historical significance and influence is lost on me as a listener, being personally not a fan of this type of music, I feel like this album could grow on me. This was definitely true of my second listen, and hopefully the same could be said of my third.
Can appreciate the music but just not my taste
It doesn't really compute to me that this came out in 1970. Ozzy was a creative visionary!
black sabbath - last minute switch was good wicked world - cool ragtime beginning interesting profiles thru the song
As far as instruments go these were impressive, it was good idk
Ну хз. Озии легенда и т.д но блять какая то хуйня. Я понимаю что тогда такого не делал ни кто но блять залупа какая то
The Wizard - sounds like a group of wizards and demons and warlocks and aliens all having a party in a barn I liked it a lot more than I expected to, I would definitely listen again.
Solid album. Liked the jazz and blues influences and really liked the harmonica on Track 2. Can see why it’s so influential, but didn’t blow me away personally.
I actually really liked this album, especially the song “sleeping village” and “warning”
Metal will never be my favorite genre but I thought this was pretty good. I especially enjoyed the guitars. I added “Black Sabbath” to my Generator playlist.
Great sleeve, great tune.
I like this one but didn’t listen yesterday. Seemingly no time and just not in the mood. It’s great to be aware of my moods!!
Is pretty good but enough Sabbath in this list now.
Woah
La primera no me gustó, pensé en dejarlo. Lol Pero las demás canciones, 🙏🙏🙏 Me encanta el bajo, quiero aprender a tocarlo después de haber escuchar este álbum
Noen bangers, f.eks. The Wizard, men litt ujevn.
Pleasantly surprised by the album. Had a real dark soul sound to it. An intro to metal if you will. Probably won't listen to it again, but might look into additional Black Sabbath albums.
Really good
After reading the reviews, I was expecting something powerful and amazing. Had I missed something? Well, the album was okay. The intro to the first track was great, in particular. But it didn't really grab me. In that respect, I was a little disappointed. 3/5
Classic heavy metal and very well written guitar parts and solo riffs and melodies. It was a bit boring at times but overall it was still an enjoyable listen and I can tell even with just this album how much influence Black Sabbath has had on metal. 7/10, Favorite song: Black Sabbath
Expected to hate. Actually enjoyed.
Actually liked this. Not everyday music but fun to explore. Didn’t know a harmonica could rip rock music like that
En 1970 esto tuvo que ser el cague y la bomba al mismo tiempo. Me ha gustado como suena, aunque no me haya impresionado ninguna canción en concreto. De todas formas me guardé la primera "Black Sabbath". Otro para la cultura musical.
This is not peak Black Sabbath but it’s pretty good, I loved the western folk rock within it. However we all know that when one becomes paranoid it becomes peak from within.
first time really listening to black sabbath and this was pretty good. Don't have much to say just pretty good
Pretty good. I now understand the appeal of black sabbath and recognise their impact.
I'm giving it 3 stars just because I can tell from listening to (most of) it that it was ground breaking and significant to the genre. I held myself to getting through one song and got through more of it than I ever expected to, but yeah, not for me. Won't be going back to this.
Great guitar riffs, love the moodiness of it all. Not the best album of Black Sabbath lyrically, but I do I think that it's a pretty good introduction to the world of metal.
Highlights: Black Sabbath, N.I.B. Lowlights: Everything after Evil Woman I didn't hate this album by any means, but it definitely is not something I'd listen to when I want a metal album. I enjoyed the first half very much, but the second half felt like they were just adlibbing to me, and most of the time it didn't really work. It was very interesting to hear how their sound started however and comparing it to what they became was fun.
*1970. Debut album. *Pretty standard Black Sabbath sound. *As always, lyrics are abysmal. RATING - 6/10
3/5 can see the vision but on first listen sounds very samey with some nice solos and licks best: NIB
Surprised my positively. Not my genre of choice usually, but this was good.
7/10
Not that my music but done interestingly
1) black sabbath - feels like the opening to a van helsing-esque film mixed with phantom of the opera; scares me a little, not sure if i would opt to listen to this again by choice though i’m always a fan of a good electric guitar section & the ending to this song rightfully hits that 2) the wizard - is that a harmonica i hear? i feel like this would be a great song for the sinners soundtrack. i kinda like this a bit more than the first song but i still don’t think i’d listen to it again. 3) wasp / behind the wall of sleep / basically / N.I.B. - i fear i like this one quite a bit.. lotsssss of guitar & bass, no other notes just 9+ min of pure chef’s kiss goodness 4) wicked world - wasn’t wowed by it but it’s alright 5) a bit of finger / sleeping village / warning - a lil scared again , just too long for my attention span
I liked this album, it combines like sort of heavy with gentle and slow music. I saved a few songs but it seemed to me like most of them were too much alike
Yeah its ok not a big Ozzy fan
Pretty good but not the best Black Sabbath album
Consistently good except for Evil Woman. A super solid debut, the album as a whole lacks the focus of their later work but there are some great songs on here. Warning is a great extended jam, with The Wizard and Sleeping Village really impressing me. As a whole, it is lacking that extra oomph for me to give it a 4. Highlights: The Wizard, Sleeping Village
Maybe just me today, but I got less out of this than the other Sabbath albums we've had. Still a cut above any other metal on the list. 3.5*
lots of instrumental moments, good vocals in a old rock way, not many chorus and very spaced out verses, overall would listen to again maybe for background, good guitar and harmonica moments, definitely about the time in the lyrics, drums standout too
A little too raw for me, I like the layer Black Sabbath stuff more, but the riffs are very sick.
If i'm being honest, this is probably my least favorite of the first four Black Sabbath albums. Still a very important release regardless. Best tracks: Black Sabbath, The Wizard
Cool
3.8/5
wicked world is decentttt and very quick listen, two songs were unavailable. (?) ☕️
Thought it would grab me more then it did... but still very decent album but just not THAT memorable
It was not really my style back in the 70's and it's still not. The album does have a few moments I enjoyed. I would probably rate it between 2 and 3. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and give it a 3.
Pretty good, good vibes/instrumental parts would listen again
My favorite songs off this album were: the wizard and the last one.
3/5. I liked it but I don’t think I’ll listen to it again
There is a definite blues influence to this, and maybe some jazz, but they went in a new direction with the harder sound and the awesome rhythms and cadences. Great album. Warning did bring the rating down a star. Way too long, too bluesy and an overlong guitar solo.
Heard before and have the vinyl but never really listened to it more than a few times and probably didn’t pay much attention after the title track. Terrific album, didn’t realize how much like blues and classic rock this album was, was expecting a lot more gain and distortion and much louder drums. That was a big problem I had with other albums (albeit they were more metal, maybe even slash or whatever it’s called): drums were drowning out everything else. Didn’t have that problem here. Really enjoyed every track. Iommi’s the man - I guess I just didn’t know. Crazy to think he was playing with half a finger also. Really great time, played along for most of album. Definitely going to listen to more Black Sabbath in the future. Likely the first 4 first per Murphys advice
i don't hate it but i don't love it either
Not what I would usually listen to, atleast not anymore, but not too far from it. I have listened to some Black Sabbath albums before. Not all that interesting but okay as background music.
bardziej takie dla mojego taty, ale spk
Ihan jees. Pitää kuunnella lisää Sabbathia. 3/5.
N.I.B
This was alright
Not too shabby
all good, just not really my thing
Can’t deny the influence - set one hell of a stage. Won’t be rocking out to this likely again, but I respect it.
1.Black Sabbath=6/10 2.The wizard=7/10 3.Behind the wall of sleep=8/10 4.N.I.B=7/10 5.Evil Woman, don’t play your games with me=6/10 6.Sleeping Village=7/10 7.Warning=8/10 8.Wicked world=7/10 Overall: 6.5/10
It is good, but not their best. Or maybe just not as much to my taste. I think it needs more listens from me to give a thoughtful review.
Some decent rock, that was fine
Not bad for a debut for a whole genre
Again not my favorite genre but undeniably performative and inspirational album to a class of rockers
It’s not exactly my type of music, but it grew on me as it went on
There weren't really any stand out tracks to me, it all felt a bit meh
I didn't like this as much as other Black Sabbath albums. It's alright.
Great execution but just not my cup of tea
Good, not nearly as good as Paranoid but everyone has to start somewhere.
I think Ozzy had the perfect voice for this style of music and I enjoy little hints of his accent coming through every now and again. I also liked the heaviness of the guitars. I didn't enjoy this quite as much as Vol. 4 though, I think because the songs felt a little less focused to me. Still a really solid album that I don't have much to say about. 3/5
It’s good! I hadn’t realized how closely early Black Sabbath resembled some 60s/70s era bands, like zeppelin, cream, and others. All the members have great chemistry here, and the riffs are insane. Ozzy does some great vocals and the bassist is great as well. The drummer really surprised me, I heard a lot of jazz and alternative genres in his playing. The thing is, it’s not my jam. I feel like the jammy 14 minute tracks are just not my thing from these dudes. The only song I really saved was Wizard. Pros: great riffs, good musicianship early sabbath is historically important Cons: jam tracks are boring, the shorter tracks are good but still too long, the opening track is not my fav but it established the vibe for Black Sabbath’s career which is important.
ozzy's voice is genuinely annoying
Good on Sharon for her support of Ozzy and his shenanigans. R.I.P. to the Prince of Darkness.
I had the same reaction to driving in the snow this morning as Ozzy being told he is the chosen one
Let‘s try my patented nostalgia-goggles here. Nostalgia-goggles ON: this is an absolutely fundamental classic and the seed of a budding genre, albeit rough, edgy, and chaotic. Revisiting this mess gives me goosebumps. Nostalgia-goggles OFF: this production is wobblier than the moon landing footage and feels like it has been recorded inside a steel bath tub by guys who were so stoned, drunk, tripping, or all of the above simultaneously that they had to relearn in real-time how to pronounce vowels or switch cords. Revisting this mess gives me goosebumps.
Mantengo que es un grupo sobrevalorado y que no soporto a su cantante. No obstante, este disco es mejor que el anterior que escuché (creo que se llamaba vol. 4).
A little slower than expected but still fun.
The start of it all. Was pretty low-key compared to where things went!
Iconic but not fully developed yet as its a first album. There are better BS albums
3.4
I don’t understand why this is on a list of greatest albums. This album is notable because of how mediocre it is. It’s only interesting because it’s before Black Sabbath found their sound later that year with the paranoid album. Why is this on this list?
I’m not really a metal fan, so i almost dreaded listening to this when i saw it come up. Luckily, i was pleasantly surprised. Not really a crazy, insane, screaming metal, but more melodic and can almost listen to it while doing something else, which is nice for metal. I could absorb it while doing homework but not be distracted, which is rare for the law loud genres.
Bigg riffs, off-center tuning, guitar and bass overlays, occultish lyrics (with the occasional ode to Gandalf); this is a self-assured, fully realized debut that sets the template for future legendary Black Sabbath albums. As their songwriting matures, they earn their place in the pantheon. But it's all here at the beginning, made even more impressive since they only had 12 hours and they recorded most of the songs live in one take.
Oui pas mal mais pas fou
Gut, das Album mal gehört zu haben. Interessante Riffs. Klassischer Rock. Man hat einige Riffs auch schon in anderen Songs von später gehört.
I actually think Black Sabbath has some good music. This is a solid 3, but I can't quite give it a 4.
Nice, dark og syret
What's this metal obsession with Wizards?! Great licks and Ozzy has a surprisingly good voice.
Meh
Just good fun riffage
meio chatinho, mas acho que eu ia gostar mais do outro album deles (paranoid), vou dar uma escutada dps
Hell of an introduction. Not quite as good as what’s to come. But solid
More blues Rocky than I anticipated. Still not bad i guess
Better than I thought
Metal classic. The scary mean blues all electrified and made doomy. Huge riffs. Some less than great songs on side two, but I remain a fan.
A little silly, but obviously they were onto something.
Hot take, I never liked this album that much compared to Paranoid. I always said this album walked so Paranoid could run. I see the similarities, but it's just missing something I can't put my finger on....
Not my cup of tea. Standard rock riffs and guitar penis extension, but it was not terrible. wont be listening to it again. 3 stars
Solid, and technically promising, and for sure they stayed something entirely new, but it's meh for me. Not the albums fault
Not bad. Vocals have a haunting, gothic quality to them that I like. But it just doesn’t really connect with me
It certainly wasn’t the Black Sabbath album I would have chosen but as their first studio album you got a glimpse of what was to come.
Definitely heavy. The Wizard is probably my favorite.
I couldn't tell you what each individual song was like mostly because this might be the first recommendation that only works as an album. The whole thing is atmospheric and would be fitting for a Halloween party. Strong overall and had me checking out Black Sabbath's other stuff. For this being a debut album, it doesn't feel like it at all. This is a band that knew its signature sound from the get go and only perfected it over the years.
🩵
Apparently it was genre-defining, I guess you really had to be there to understand its full gravity. To me, it was ok.
I appreciate the guitars but not the singing.
OGs of metal
Suprised myself but how much I enjoyed this
70
3/5
Liked the overall sound just missing a few classics from paranoid
Was expecting something more. 3
Still something you can listen! After more than 50 years! Straghtforward without and frills and to much technics!
Ok
Paranoid is probably their best (well, my favourite) album, but this is very good. High 3s.
I enjoyed this alot, I think this Ozward Ozbourne is going places
I know that this album was pretty novel for its time as one of if not the first "heavy metal" albums ever. But now it sounds pretty tame and kind of goofy. There is some great guitar playing and Ozzy's vocals are always great....but it kind of bogged down on the long songs and my attention wandered. Still, it was a pioneering album from what I understand even if Sabbath would soon he hitting much greater heights.
It's pioneering for sure, but I didnt love it. A great start for the band but they definitely improve on and hone their sound in the following couple albums, this one is a bit less focused and engaging
Decent rock album. I wonder if this was revolutionary at the time and so many people followed suit that listening to it now makes it seem more middle of the road than it was?
I enjoyed this way more than I expected!!
Good, fun, rocking, and if I didn't go in blind knowing their later work it would get a higher score
Yeah fucking sick as fuck, first and and nib are mint. Let’s fucking go
This isn't my kind of music, but sometimes I wonder if these albums are an example of 'Seinfeld isn't funny', where I've heard all the influenced and therefore am but as impressed. Some great guitar licks though.
Didn't expect the voice, I'd say it didn't age well
Not as good as paranoid
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Black Sabbath - Nice ambient storm intro. Very unique singing voice. Kinda vague lyrics about “Oh no, Satan’s here, everybody run”. Tempo change at the end was definitely appreciated. 6/10 The Wizard - The harmonica is to this song what the violin is to Ocean Avenue. You don’t expect it, yet it works pretty well to the point where you can’t really imagine the song without it. A bit more interesting musically. 7/10 Wasp / Behind the Wall of Sleep / Bassically / N.I.B. - Best opening yet. Very groovy second section. Personal favorite drum stuff yet. A few seconds of swing there in the middle of that second section was pretty cool. Bassist showing off a bit towards the middle. Each instrument kinda gets its own moment. Great ending. 8.5/10 Wiked World - “Ok, what if our drummer just went as jazzy as possible for the intro and outro, and we kinda just, like, went along with it?” The drummer does indeed have chops. “And then what if we just went full ambient for that interlude between the second chorus and third verse? Oh, and we could just have our electric guitar person shred if he wants.” 7.5/10 A Bit of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning - Eh intro. A bit better second bit. Overall a bit slower and “heavy,” I guess. That section about eight minutes in is pretty good. The guitarist does indeed have chops. 6/10 Overall, 7/10. Not bad. To me, this is one of those rock records that you put on in the background and just vibe to. Probably won’t buy it on vinyl or anything like that, but if you do what I did and just let it take you on the ride, you won’t be disappointed.
Enjoyed more than I thought I would. 3.
Their debut. The key components are there but somehow mixed in with a few generic late 60s rock sounds, so for me it doesn't stand out like their later albums.and I don't think many songs here really stand out. Worth a listen though, and still cooler than most heavy rock.
Another Black Sabbath already?! Definitely did not enjoy as much as Paranoid, this was more gothic & gloomy. How did they have 2 albums ready to drop in 1970, as their first ones!
Over these last two Sabbath albums I have become passionate about Sabbath grooves. I've always been drawn to these songs, on this album it's the wizard, but I think now that this is what makes them special. On Vol 4 there are a handful. At times sounds like a funk influence and I think its because of Bill Ward on drums. Aside from The Wizard nothing really stood out. Good debut
A good and a look at one of the most controversial rock bands of all time. To me the best when Ozzy Osborne was lead vocalist.
7/10 Highlight: Black Sabbath
Pretty good album. It’s a lot of Black Sabbath and Led Zep recently so feels like it’s running together. I wish the medleys would have been separated, as the N.I.B. part is by far the best part. Top tracks: “Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Basically/N.I.B.,” “Black Sabbath”
--Black Sabbath...so this is metal? it starts kicking four and one half minutes in. The song is six minutes. I'm told this is proto-'Doom' metal. Not sure I like Doom metal --The Wizard...sounds very similar to LedZepp's Heartbreaker --Behind the Wall of Sleep...this also sounds like Heartbreaker. Decent bass groove in the back half --N.I.B....hello, Mr. Iommi, lovely to see you --Evil Woman...power pop. bass is great --Sleeping Village...more of a jam than a song. still good --Warning...over ten minutes long. starts out strong but it's not very cohesive. The back half could simply be Iommi warming up his fingers for all I know --Wicked World...another decent track that doesn't quite come together. This album is the sound of a talented band that is not yet totally confident in their abilities
Bättre än förväntat men inte min grej, svårt att höra och fokusera på lyrics bakom gitarrerna.
The first thing that stood out was the vocals. They are strong, clear, and full of emotion, with a tone that cuts through the music. The guitar work is unreal, with solos that feel almost improvised, and the basslines are heavy and prominent. The instrumentation is simple on paper but fills the space in a way that feels impressive and powerful. I could hear a lot of blues and psychedelic influence woven into the early metal sound, which made it an easier listen than I expected for a metal album. Even though I didn’t connect with every song, the raw energy and musicianship kept me engaged and made it a solid listen.
Mixed reactions on this. The opening track was spooky and eerie, and I liked the song N.I.B. The rest of it didn't make as much of an impression. However, I love the album cover art.
Wait...what? Improvisational metal jazz on Wicked World? Not as metal as I had anticipated. I'm not a metalhead, so this is actually very listenable. Some nice blues walks/riffs. I kind of enjoy the almost rock-opera style the way the tracks are set up.
Liked about half of it, some really fun songs and then some where I could feel myself getting a headache. Obviously a hugely impactful album but not really my thing. Favourite song: Evil Woman, Don't Play Your Games with Me Least: Behind the Wall of Sleep
Few people get it right the first time, but Black Sabbath makes a compelling case.
Was expecting something totally different. I don’t know I was thinking the main singer was female. Not really my style of music
Solid album, sort of wish the songs were divided into shorter chunks cause some parts are a bit slow but really get going later on in the song. Fave song: Black Sabbath
Good album, I can understand why this in the 1970’s must have kicked ass. Imo a 3, maybe a 4 after a few more listens.
Gir meg ikke så mye, selv om jeg forstår at de har vært banebrytende.
Feels like I am inside the head of an old cowboy that had a heat stroke. This is a complement.
Not as good as paranoid but still pretty iconic.
RIP Ozzy
Unexpected long Selftitled (Band and Album) Titletrack is a great introduction and makes me curious of what comes next. Seconds track surprised me with the harmonica intro.
I enjoyed this much more than I expected. This is an album, songs don’t necessarily stand up in their own. I was surprised at the range and musicality.
Dad- NA Mom- 5 Mike- NA Lori- 7.5 Michael- NA Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 6.25
I don't think this is the first time I'll reflect on this during the project, I've thought about it with preceding albums and maybe even mentioned it, but holy wow did rock sound so much bluesier. These days it's all zip, and punch, and precision, and it seems mostly informed (rightfully so) by hip-hop and EDM (where for decades it was the other way around). I'm not complaining! Just... Wow at where rock has been and where it's going, and what sounded aggressive and even "scary" to preceding generations now sounds... Quaint? Not in a toothless way. But like yeah this is so woven into our musical DNA, it's no longer transgressive, and the only thing left is that it's good and fun and enjoyable and Ozzy. But it's normal! The "new" normal.
I see the vision on how this was different compared to the less "evil" sounds of led zeppelin, or deep purple, or the who. But just because I can recognize what makes it different from the times, doesn't make me like it now :p It's a lot of riffs and stuff, but felt kinda boring compared to modern metal/industrial stuff. 5/10
Iconic gen 1 metal, nothing special but nothing to sleep on.
I think I've only ever listened to Paranoid as an album, which kind of sounds dated at this point, so I wasn't sure what to expect. And I was pleasantly surprised. Weirdly, the things that I don't like about The Rolling Stones--when it skews to bluesy or even twangy--are what I liked most about this album. Still, the whole writing about "the occult" is kind of weird.
Great guitar work. The lyrics are much more poor and distracting than Paranoia. Still good. 3.5/5
I liked a lot of it, especially the title song. Solid throughout. Stand out song - Black Sabbath
RIP Ozzy.
Groundbreaking then, still solid now. But I simply don't like Ozzys voice. (Anyway R.I.P. Ozzy) 2,5
Ozzy dies and this album is served up a day later. Coincidence? I think not. Long live the Prince of Darkness!
Great Sabbath
I was not impressed with this album by BS. I do enjoy one other BS album, Paranoia? But this did not the unique features of some of the BS songs that fo grab me.
Can’t say I was ever a huge Black Sabbath fan. But I respect Ozzy and his contributions to music. RIP
Glad people enjoy this. It’s not that I hate it but it ultimately does nothing for me. Middle of the road dad rock. 3/5
I figured this would be coming after hearing about Ozzy’s death. Influential, but with all due respect, it doesn’t rate high on my list of music I enjoy.
RIP Ozzie
Black Sabbath // N.I.B. // Warning // 3.5/5
It's decent, extra points for coming first. Still it's hard not to compare to the juggernaut of Paranoid. Rating: 3.4
Much better than I expected to be honest, much better. I don’t think I’ll ever be the biggest Sabbath fan, but I can defo see what they bring to the party! Rest in power Ozzy!
Sad
Solid, points for having this sound in 1970; nothing sticks out as a banger though
I know why he's called the Prince of Darkness now. Themes: Death, darkness, the world being doomed (and the people peacefully sleeping through it). Undeniably blasphemous, very sharp and heavy sounding, though some of the guitar solos feel a little like showing off rather than actually fitting the songs (especially on the last track). The two covers, both about evil women (which is a very boring and played out concept to me), feel out of place on an album that otherwise has more interesting ideas and concepts like an unsuspecting village being struck with disaster, wizards (drug dealers), using H.P. Lovecraft to philosophize about the connection between death and dreams, and, on what's probably my favorite track, the devil falling in love. The album cover fits this debut album very well as it looks like a dark figure suddenly appearing in front on an somewhat idyllic village home and disrupting the peace. It might be a little too heavy sounding for my personal taste, so I don’t know to how many songs I'll actually return, but it's a solid, very interesting debut.
Iconic album for early metal fans. Wasp is the best song on this album. So many bands try to imitate the sound. R.I.P. Ozzy
Ozzy fan, but hadn't really delved into Sabbath albums before now. Really cool!!
The birth of heavy metal. Heavy guitar and lyrics that haunt.
Blues rock de terror que lo empezó todo. Reconozco, valoro y aprecio la importancia que tiene, pero el disco se me hace largo. Pesado es la palabra.
Det skulle selvfølgelig være i dag. Farvel Ozzy.
enjoyable but nothing really stood out to me cool rifs though
Rating: 2.7 Very listenable and surprisingly fun for the “very first metal album.” It all kinds of runs together and there’s no one song that stands out from the other though. More likely to put you to sleep than to entertain you at all.
Solid. Classic sound from them. Kinda crazy this popped up right after Ozzy died but maybe that's not coincidence.
Alright album. No real standouts but no bad songs either.
Good. I’m always surprised at Black Sabbath’s musicality. The drums sound like they’re the ones used on the Flintstones theme.
Quite an interesting album. Not too guitar wanky, more than just straight up metal. 3.5
It's good, but lacks the hooks of some of their other records
it is hard to explain to how important this record is today. so many firsts, so many paths begin at this step. it is important to note how fast and how gigantic metal became as soon as this was out there. i'm sure some metal band no one has heard of was the real first, but as the whole world in 1970 goes, this was the birth of a whole wave of ideas and music. the structure used in this is still used as a template for the genre. its short, but has a couple of long songs. it has a cover that absolutely is meant to push the boundaries and shook the listener. no one was doing that shit back then. what followed this album was a new scene that treated them as gods. i want to say that i have never liked Ozzy, i think he is uncompelling but is around amazing and talented people, but he is appropriate for the vocals on this record. if i like anything from Ozzy, its this record and that's about it. it was a different time and all these songs have been committed to memory by those who understand it most. the couple of song titles combined to make this mini metal musical of songs, a format you still see today. the last 3 songs have strung-together quality that almost give off progressive vibes. it has been said a million times, but this is where metal comes from. RIP Ozzy, 3/5
Has some really iconic tunes on it. Worthy of a listen, especially in a mark of respect to Ozzy.
RIP OZZY 🤘Strong lyrics on this one but not as polished as future releases. Bass and drums on this album were out of this world. Though, over all , not totally for me but I appreciated it.
Standouts Wasp Behind the Wall of Sleep Bassically N.I.B.
Don't start here if you've never listened to Black Sabbath. These are almost ideas of better songs from later albums. It's fine, but not a stand out.
Surprise , surprise, Black Sabbath pops up the day after Ozzy’s death. Can’t say I’m too upset about this selection though, I haven’t seen a ton of classic metal through the generator yet… Anyway, I’ve never sat and listened to a Black Sabbath record despite listening to a ton of metal in highschool; it really should’ve happened before now, particularly as this band helped start the genre. That said, this record was a little slow to start for me. Or maybe it took a few tracks for me to click with it. I dunno, probably ought to listen to it again. The record did open up as it went on though, and by the end I was enjoying it. Tony Iommi is a player, and Ozzy is…Ozzy. 3.6/5
RIP Ozzy
A bit heavy for me
Never paid much attention but a nice surprise.
Legends. Pioneers. They inspired many others, and respect is given for what they accomplished. At this point in my life, a bit too harsh for my taste. A bit too dark. Do I hate it? No. Would I seek it out to listen to? No. RIP Ozzy. 3.
Heavy. Lots of Cream sound
5/10
Solid album. Good, but not the best that Sabbath had to offer
Actually not THAT interesting. It’s bluesy and hard rocky but also lacks focus and is a little bland
They figured out their sound on the first album. A lot of bands will tweak and change things but they laid down their sound early. Musically it's great, I could listen to them play for hours. The lyrics are kinda weak on this album. Well unless you want I just broke up with my lady type lyrics. Then it's spot on. Ozzy voice being so young is different. You can tell he is younger on this vs other albums just by his tone. Decent album,
i had high hopes for this one after the peak opening track. but then everything went downhill (relatively speaking). it was actually just okay. 3/5.
Groundbreaking for sure and the opening church bells do generate a bit of excitement, however, the rest of the album doesn’t measure up to the bands better works such as Paranoid and Master of Reality.
A classic and I respect it. Rest in peace Ozzy.
Less hard than I thought it would be. Interesting. I can see how the harder subgenres flowed out of this.
Okay.
RIP Ozzy 💔
Didn’t mind this, RIP Ozzy
Meh-tal.
-1 star for being recognizably an inspiration for Spinal Tap.
01) Black Sabbath - 7,5 02) The Wizard - 7,0 03) Behind the Wall of Sleep - 7,0 04) N.I.B. - 7,5 05) Evil Woman - 8,0 06) Sleeping Village - 7,5 07) Warning - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,43 (74/100) Current ranking: 281/618 RIP Ozzy
On the day of his passing. The Sabbath. Not a metal fan but i can appreciate cultural significance and greatness. I enjoyed this more than other sabbath as it still has its bluesy roots and quiet spaces. Is it heresy to say the vocals are the worst part of this? If you take away the character and the stage presence, his vocal is pretty weak.
🤘
Highlight: The Wizard. In a nutshell: the founding fathers of heavy metal. No-one heard anything like *this* in 1970. We can all agree that rock music and metal WOULD NOT be the same if Black Sabbath didn't exist. On this self titled debut, I could hear a little blues rock and hard rock as well as the roots of metal on here. The dark and unsettling vibes were established from the get-go. I'm thankful that Black Sabbath got to perform one last time in their hometown of Birmingham a few weeks ago. Perhaps Ozzy knew his time on earth was nearly up and wanted one last show to thank his fans and the band. Just like when David Bowie released Blackstar shortly before his passing. Rest in peace Ozzy. Overall: 5/10
I enjoy Black Sabbath, and this album had some more variety than Paranoid, which I appreciated. But I didn't get as excited for this album compared to Paranoid. The Wizard was probably my favorite track on this album with its blues inspiration.
hi guys thank you for allowing me to add my hot takes to this group! this is the first time i've ever really listened to black sabbath, and maybe honestly also the first metal album i've really listened to?? i am pretty on board with the general sound, other than the occasional repetitiveness. i would maybe be more into it if it was just instrumentals, and i am SO sorry ozzy osbourne, rip, please dont haunt me, but i do think the aspect of this that i can't get into is the vocals. i know he has a very iconic voice, but it is unfortunately not for me! album art is a 5/5, cool font, very spooky
My problem with a lot of metal is the vocal style. Ozzy doesn't have *that* kind of vocal style, but I still find his voice best in small doses. And with some tighter songs. I think Sabbath improved a lot after this album.
3/5 - Imagine bringing this record home in 1970 with this creepy ass album cover and the opening sounds of the rain and bells. This is a demonic, Halloween MOOD. It’s hard to believe a recording this thick with atmosphere is a debut, but the vision of what they wanted to be is clear. Like many, I’d probably listen to the follow-up Paranoid (from the same year) any day before heading back to the debut, but “The Wizard” rocks.
Confession. Never listened to this album and was never a Sabbath fan. This is a good album, I can hear how it influenced so many bands, even hear early queen in there. Geezer and bill were a tight and talented rhythm section and Ozzy was totally different. I always thought iommy was the talent but on this album he is the lesser of 4 parts.
Un clásico pero no de mis favs
Moody. Fun to hear this for the first time. RIP, Ozzy!
Not as good as some of their other outputs but not bad at all.
More nuanced than l thought it would be. Not bad but l won't be listening to it again l imagine
Enjoyed this more than I expected too.
It was okay I guess. I was sort of expecting to like it more than I did. Maybe my expectations were too high
I like when they go doom metal mode but not too into the bluesy stuff sorry gang RIP ozzy you loved trying to choke your wife to death i know you are looking up at us rn, hard to believe this came out before Led Zeppelin IV lol Fav song: Black Sabbath
Solid 70s metal/rock album. RIP the prince of darkness.
This is not as great as their other stuff, but obviously influential and still good overall. I can only imagine what people in 1970 must have thought upon hearing that first track. RIP Ozzy
RIP ozzy 🤘
I feel the pull of Satan! Seriously, fun debut album, always appreciate Sabbath's riff-driven rock, and Ozzy's voice is so unique.
3.5 stars
I've never been much of a Sabbath or Ozzy fan, but they were definitely pioneers of a genre.
I mean yeah this is the first heavy metal album which is pretty quirky but I do like how much other stuff they’ve packed into this album, it’s so so much interesting instrumentation and that’s pretty neat