Reviews (page 7 of 16)
sick
Fantastic stuff. So much energy and creativity - for all their awesome heaviness there’s also so much musicality, which of course is why they are legendary.
No tenía fe por ser del genero Metal, pero me sorprendió.
L’ho ascoltato in sottofondo mentre lavoravo ed è stato piacevole. Molto strumentale, liked it
Enjoyed this a lot. Never really listened to black Sabbath before despite thinking they'd be my kinda thing
2026.01.05.
A great mix of blues, hard guitar and great melodies and what a harmonica!. My favourite is N.I.B .
1. Black Sabbath - 2009 Remaster: the instrumental is so otherworldly im levitating. the sinister eerie vibe is really cool. not too much of my style ngl. 7/10 because its simply not my style. 2. The Wizard - 2009 Remaster: again, the instrumental is amazing. this one is definitely more interesting to me. 9/10. 3. Behind the Wall of Sleep - 2009 Remaster: i like the instrumental and also just the vibes. i like how it talks about what i captured was a kind of nightmare and the instrumental really helps the sinister aura grow. this one is definitely shorter than the two before. still, i like it just about as much as The Wizard. 9/10. 4. N.I.B - 2009 Remaster: the start was AMAZING i genuinely jumped out of my chair. the lucifer part definitely made me fully sure that each song in this album is related to the eerie, creepy concept. 10/10. 5. Evil Woman, Don’t Play Your Games with Me - 2009 Remaster: i also really like this song. it is definitely more leaning towards my comfort zone when it comes to music. 10/10. 6. Sleeping Village - 2009 Remaster: i’m pretty sure each song is strategically placed in cronological order to tell a story and it is just SO creative and amazing i’m glad i discovered the album. this song is good. it barely has any lyrics, still it is pretty reasonable since the village is sleeping, therefore there’s nothing too relevant happening. the instrumental eats. 8/10. 5. Warning - 2009 Remaster: the way the last song merged into this one really made it feel like a musical in a great way. i definitely get why people speak so highly of this album. the lyrics are really deep and genuine which is something i look for in a song. the guitar solo left me in awe. it is really long, maybe too much instrumental for my taste. still i really like it and im open-minded towards it. 9/10. 6. Wicked World - 2009 Remaster: the topic this song discusses is a really interesting aspect and it is unfortunately very true. i really like this song. 10/10.
Ozzy's voice is on point in this album. The guitar work is amazing. I had only listened to a handful of Black Sabbath songs before this, so I was pleasantly surprised when listening to this album. I'd give it a 4 stars.
Another artist I've long wanted to get into but never made an effort. I really liked Black Sabbath! Heavy and dark, lots of bass, so much emotion in Osborne's vocals. Really captures that evil sort of sound while remaining sort of refined? The songs are not too noisy is what I mean. Sick guitar solos. I'm learning I love rock that retains its bluesy DNA.
Might be the first heavy metal album I've listened to front to back? And it's epic. Definitely had a misconception of what this might sound like. "Black Sabbath" sets an ominous, "doom and gloom" type of tone. Church bells in the background? First song on their first album, what a cool way to intro your sound. LOVE "The Wizard" - the harmonica solos are sick. Sort of blues-y? Catchy guitar riff and memorable solo in "N.I.B." - cool song from Lucifer's POV. Overall Rating: 7.5/10
не розумію чому раніше не слухала цей альбом, імбуля, звучить дуже цікаво. хоча багато треків надто схожі між з собою, maybe i just dont know ball
Very heavy for 1970's rock. If you like doom metal, listen to the first track. Cool bass solo in N.I.B.
As a Jesus Christ Superstar lover I loved this… the opening track felt so much like JCS.
Erste mal Black Sabbath, banger
black sabbath goated. nur ein listen tho also vielleicht nicht so stronge opinion aber mochte die slowen mehr grungy songs sehr
Never listened to it before and thought it was a lot of fun
I love a bit of Ozzy shouting at me in the morning. Better than Berocca. This album pretty much kicked off heavy rock.
A couple of slightly washy songs but plenty that I enjoyed 7/10
Yes please, love this album. Can't beat a bit of Sabbath
1st listened on 12.29.25 and first impression was good. I liked it. Was a bit surprised it’s only 5 songs but still about 40 mins long
Listened
Fire
Black sabbath As someone who dislikes metal and especially heavy metal, this album is very easy to listen to. The beats are in a way very rockish? and easy to enjoy. I especially like the bells on the first song ‘black sabbath’ The lyrics are easy to understand which is an important factor for me. The vocals are an absolute chefs kiss, this album is an masterpiece. As someone who’s not into this genre of music, it’s very fun to listen to different genres and to step out of my comfort zone for a while 4 stars!
I’ve listen to this before, it’s really good. I love how it sounds gloomy. My personal favorite tracks on this album are “Black Sabbath” and “Wicked World”
it's kinda cool. not any song I dislike, just a couple that I'm a bit unbothered by, like the first track and also Warning, which is ten minutes and definitely feels like it. I did enjoy it generally. very strong and defining debut album
Nice álbum
I must say I only recently spent some time listening to Black Sabbath, pretty much thinking it wasn't for me because a bit too "hard" on the spectrum. But diving in I found some tasty licks and some very memorable tunes. Though I prefer their next opus, this is a worthy entry and will be returned to. For anyone who's thinking it's not gonna be their bag, it's worth a listen you may be surprised.
Much written about - birth of genre etc - but stands as a great rock album by a jazz drummer, guitarist with a hampered hand, a bass player who put horror fiction into lyrics and Aston’s village idiot turned most iconic star on vocals - what a combination. And they still put an acoustic number in there…..
Obviously an extremely important album plus it kicks ass. The title track is absolutely chilling. That song being the opener is not only perfect as the introduction to the album, but also a perfect introduction to the genre as a whole. I'm so jealous of MFs who got to experience this album back in 1970. Favorite track: Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath has an awesome and mysterious sound. N.I.B. is my favorite of the album, great guitar riff and solo.
Ah when blues rock became metal. I'd like more metal albums to have this heart lighted blues elements. The first half was perfect, the 2nd half was a bit boring - 4 stars.
A classic. 7/10
I liked this more than I expected. Not my genre.
This was a surprise! I wasn't expecting to hear blues influences among the meavy metal guitars. It's rife with incredible guitar solos and drawn out musical interludes. The lyrics are harsh and paint the picture of a world in crisis.
8/10
World changing. I used to think this album was a glimpse of what Black Sabbath would become, but it is a powerhouse record that is among the best first releases ever. Not only introduced the band, but created a new genre. Great sequencing. First 3 tracks come out swinging.
Best wel nice
Didn't listen to much black sabbath before this was a great introduction
In a ga bah!!! Had not listened to this all the way through! Solid!!!
I never heard this before and it is awesome 4 to 5 stars.
It’s okay! Didn’t love as much as other BS albums though.
really cool sound i like the vibe they went for
Fucking Amazing. If you like Black Sabbath you need to listen to this
Banger, rip Ozzy. Loved the guitar and vocals
I first met George Sinnott this past summer… He would play Ozzy Osbourne every time he got the ox cord at work. The first time I thought it was a bit of a joke than the second time I thought OK he’s a fan. The third time was fitting because that was the day Ozzy Osbourne died. George knew something I didn’t but now listening to this album learning the history and how it was released on Friday the 13th… I’m definitely someone who appreciates some good showmanship in any medium. Rest in peace… prince iof darkness
This is an album that defines heavy metal. The sound of rain and bells lead perfectly into the ominous Iommi guitar sound setting a doom ridden tone that incapsulates Black Sabbath’s sound. Ozzy was a great showman, but that doesn’t do him justice. Even on a slow song such as Black Sabbath he is so engaging. Cards on the table, the Wizard is my favourite Sabbath track. I’m a sucker for a well placed harmonica (see also songs featuring banjos). The drums are insane on this and somehow it maintains the sense of doom whilst also being relatively upbeat and fun. N.I.B provides more great riffage ‘oh yeah’. It provides a great a great rhythm to it as well snd man that ozzy vocal would fit happily on many of the late 60s/early 70s pop hits (if not the actual lyrics) The fun instrumentation continues with the introduction to sleeping village, which appears to feature a mouth harp before those trademark riffs come in. Warning takes showcasing the guitar virtuosity too far for my liking and into guitar wankery but i do kinda enjoy the more bluesy stroll that comes out the other end and the eventual return to the song (even if it does sound a bit like These boots are made for walking)
Nice
Very solid album! Love the fantasy/satan theme-ing. feels very true to Black Sabbath’s legacy.
I just recently listened to Paranoid all the way through for the first time and thought it was great. This one isn’t quite as focused. But still quite good. Much jazzier and jammier than expected. Maybe a little much in places but impressive.
4.5
So much quality for a debut!
Favorite Song: black sabbath Notes: I truly enjoyed this album so much. It was easy to get lost in the music, almost a little frightening as it felt you were deliciously following this guitar to the mouth of the devil. The rock and blues influence shines through as they splash their own sound into what will later become metal music. Absolutely mesmerizing. My only notes is that I could do with a bit more lyrics, but even then, I do love instrumental tracks. Score: 9/10
This album helped define the metal genre. It is also tuneful and melodic. The vocals, now haunting, serve as a fitting testimony to all involved.
8 - GOOD
So funny that this was considered metal! It's a good album, melodic and rhythmic but clearly still rock/metal. RIP Ozzy.
Not the biggest fan of the lead singer (even if he had his moments) but the instrumentals are something else. Transcendent guitar solos especially in the final track. Favorite Track: Wicked World
Some of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time.
Day 5: Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Black Sabbath: (9/10) The Wizard: (7/10) Behind The Wall Of Sleep: (8/10) N.I.B.: (9/10) Evil Woman, Don’t Play Your Games With Me: (7.5/10) Sleeping Village: (9/10) Warning: (10/10) Wicked World: (8/10) Average: (8.5/10) 4 Stars
I really like this album. While it doesn't have the punch and popular songs of his other albums, it still provides a great flavor of what Black Sabbath is. Short, powerful lyrics; hard rocking guitar solos; empty space left for feeling the music; and hard rock. It's a pretty good album to listen to, albeit short. A couple of the songs tend to linger a bit long with the guitar solos, but it's not unenjoyable.
Long live the prince of darkness
classic, listenable, not amazing
Album 19 - Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath - 4/5 I’m just a casual fan of them so I don’t know that I have anything to offer beyond what other reviews have said: Holy cow, imagine hearing this in 1970 when there had never been anything like it before. Huh, they were pretty bluesy on that first record. For all the greatness that is there, there is something about it that seems unfinished. As much as I enjoy “The Wizard,” after I was done I just found myself humming songs from Paranoid. But I’m glad I pulled it today… helped me get through a stressful parenting day, which I think would make Ozzy smile.
Every time a Sabbath album passes in the generator, I'm always tempted to hand out the next five out of five. They really have such strong albums. It's mainly because of my undying love for Paranoid, an album which I think is even slightly better, that I'm unable to give the top score, even when it's probably deserved.
4 Stars for self-titled song alone.
GREAT album. Really strong debut album from Sabbath. Love the guitar riffs along with Ozzy's voice (RIP), and Bill Ward's excellent drumming, and ALSO the bass. Top tier guitar strumming on Warning and Wicked World. I love metal, and this is among the top heavy metal albums out there. 4 stars.
Classic metal album
It’s great
Has that great rock feel Great album, but not their best
Rip Ozzy. Its a good album and the start of one of the greatest bands of all time but its easily not their best work compared to, Paranoid or Master of Reality. Still good overall 7/10.
The more Black Sabbath I listen to, the more I like them. This is their fourth album I’ve listened to, and I find it easier to listen to them now than during the first time I listened to Paranoid. I’ll have to revisit that album and maybe even change my rating. Anyway, this album rocks.
Brooding, dark and theatrical.
Favourite track N.I.B
As a debut album this massively sets the tone for what was to come for Black Sabbath. It’s punchy, heavy & rich with the haunting metal sound that defines the band. Despite this it really doesn’t hit the same heights as the follow up album “Paranoid”, with a number of the tracks here sounding great but not leaving the same impression. In short, I don’t think this album is as memorable, despite being a strong debut album.
Was solid. Groundbreaking. Evil woman was kind of lame to me though.
Dark, heavy, it sets the mood and later the music comes. the first opening Riff and that very dark tone, is what makes this as groundbreaking as it was over 50 years ago, still an amazing record.
This is a foundational album. The birth of metal. To come up with this sound in 1970, while the world was largely still into psychedelia, is impressive.
The blueprint for all metal to come after. Still holds up and one of my favorite metal albums of all time only passed by Paranoid. 9/10
Black Sabbath is always great
A short but impactful opening to heavy metal as a genre providing an important base layer for their later, more noted work. A must listen album.
Loved it. This album was cool. I loved the sounds and just amazed that they could produce something that sounds like this back then. I liked the long "double songs," although it would be hard to really just listen to each one without the other.
Velmi dobrý album, bál som sa že to bude nejaký metál ale nakoniec fakt príjemný tvrdší rock a dobrá gitara
Owned it
Wow. I am by no means a metal fan, but this album was stunning. The guitar alone is enough to make this a 4-star album. Reading that Ozzy was 20 years old at the time this album was released was equally as jaw-dropping. How did such a young mind create a perfectly ominous, intricate and revolutionary album?
You Love For Me Has Just Got To Be Real 1001 Albums Generator 133 (10/06/2025) What a perfect album to get just as the weather is starting to cool down in Arizona. I just felt cold for the first time in months this morning and the Halloween lights are being put out, so of course Black Sabbath's self-titled debut felt like the perfect vibe. From the rain and church bells that open the album before Tony Iommi's iconic slow tritone riff blasts in, this album screams autumn. As great as the opening track is, The Wizard may be my favorite. I love that it's inspired by Gandalf (these fucking nerds), and the harmonica is so fucking epic. Then we get to the first of two "songs" that are really medleys of shorter songs from the original release. I really wish that they didn't do this because these songs are great standalones, but sometimes I just want to listen to one without the others. As cool as the riffs in Wasp and Behind The Wall Of Sleep are, sometimes I just wanna listen to the genius of N.I.B. The second of these probably constitutes my least favorite "song" overall. Warning is amazing, but A Bit Of Finger and Sleeping Village are not the most interesting. In the middle of these two medleys is perhaps the most underrated song on this album, the rockin' Wicked World. This song mixes the heavy and more psychedelic elements of early Sabbath the best, although the Iommi solo that interrupts the song when everything else cuts out is a bit out of place. Overall, while Black Sabbath would certainly hone their craft later, their debut remains a unique piece of art in their discography that would go on to inspire thousands of metal acts that came after them. 4.5/5, rounded down to 4 bc it's not as good as Paranoid or Master Of Reality. Favs: Black Sabbath The Wizard N.I.B. Least Fav: Sleeping Village
Прото всего на свете. Отличный альбом, архаика только добавляет очарования.
Absolutely classic.... imagine hearing this for the first time in the 70s, it would have blown your socks off
I feel like I have to give a 5 due to its seminal status. Rounding down to 4. Much bluesier, rock-and-rollier, Zeppelin-er than their following albums; a product of the end of the 60s rather than the start of the 70s
Much better. Interesting how bluesy it was compared to Paranoid and, presumably, their later work. Will listen again.
Had this album on my individual one before I packed that in. It's good, not as good as Paranoid, but decent. The fact I've bothered to listen to it again is a pretty positive sign. Gave it a 3 last time, will go with a 4 on the new ranking system. It's about a 7/10
Very rocky and super guitar heavy but a good listen
I had only listened to later Black Sabbath albums, so I was happy to finally visit this one. The ingredients were definitely all there. I enjoyed the album, but I didn't like it as much as later works. Still really great.
Great album, rocks a lot. I think metal has changed a lot since this album, but I like this version of metal.
Cuh-lassic! Paranoid is the better album, but this is still very good
I love Black Sabbath. Evil Woman is literally the only miss on this album, everything else is top notch. Fave track is N.I.B which apparently stands for Niggas In Barcelona
*listened before the project* As fantastic as usual though I prefer paranoid
Top track: N.I.B. / Wicked World
This is my first real dive into the metal genre, as I've never been that interested in it. To my surprise, I really liked this one. The instrumentals are absolutely great, and the album cover is incredible, too 4.5⭐
Excelente álbum, hasta ahora es de los que más me gustó de Black Sabbath. Siendo un primer álbum de los años 70 suena muy bien, todos los instrumentos están claros. Me gusta la voz de Ozzy en este álbum. La temática del álbum está buena, sin ser conceptualmente pretenciosa. Aunque algunas veces utilizan recursos demasiado bluseros que alejan al álbum de la tématica más oscurista que pretenden lograr. El trabajo de la guitarra es muy bueno, sobre todo los solos duplicados en paneo.
Classic albums with an undeniably massive impact. However, the band sounds like it still has to find its footing a bit; therefore, it lands at a 4/5 rating.
An absolutely wonderful fusion of heavy metal and psychedelic rock! 4*
Can see the huge impact they had on the metal genre. Enjoyed
First four songs here were good, especially N.I.B.
Good Songs: The Wizard, Behind the Wall of Sleep, N.I.B, Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games with Me), Sleeping Village, Warning Mid Songs: Black Sabbath, Wicked World Bad Songs:
3.5. Laying the building blocks for their sound but waiting for the song writing to catch up
Great first album. Liked the lyrics. Very listenable
fucking awesome why did I only get to this band after ozzy passed. first beach boys with brian now this
Recorded in just 24 hours, Black Sabbath's self-titled 1970 debut is a cornerstone of rock and metal. While the band would fully hone their sound on their next album, "Paranoid", this record is a raw and thunderous statement that has influenced countless artists. Overall, "Black Sabbath" is an essential listen and it is rightly seen as a foundational album for heavy metal, and while the band's sound would evolve, their debut is a powerful first attempt. I've owned a version of this album since 1979 or so, and even though I wouldn't place it in my top five Ozzy fronted Sabbath albums (it's arguably the "weakest" of their first six albums), it's a testament to the band's incredible early output that this is still an excellent listen and a wonderful debut. Four stars. Would I listen to this album again? - I do, regularly Would I buy this album? I did. "Black Sabbath" From its ominous intro to the crushing main riff, it is full of menace and foreboding. An instant classic, it remains one of the heaviest songs ever recorded and set the stage for metal. 5/5 "The Wizard" This bluesy, harmonica-driven track shows a different side of the band. Often overlooked, this song highlights the band's versatility right from the start. 5/5 "Behind the Wall of Sleep" With a galloping rhythm section and psychedelic undertones, this song feels very much of its time. Ozzy Osbourne's vocals are particularly eerie here. 4/5 "N.I.B." This is simply a classic rock song, heavy yet with a melodic swing. It features a great riff and memorable lyrics, making it one of Sabbath's best songs ever. 5/5 "Evil Woman" 3/5 "Sleeping Village" 4/5 "Warning" This sprawling blues jam, which originally closed the album, is a showcase for Tony Iommi's impressive guitar work, letting him improvise and shine. 4/5 "Wicked World" Like "Warning," this is another improvisational blues jam that lets Iommi's guitar loose. This wasn't on my original copy of the album. I first heard this on the compilation album, "We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n' Roll", and it's a fantastic, energetic track. 5/5 Total - 35 Average - 4.4 88/1001
Those gentelmans heavy metaling hard for the futures gen. Cover art doomed af
I had never heard the album from start to end before. I enjoyed it very much. It was heavy and intense and somehow melodic. For me, this is 8 out of 10. mini0n 10/09/2025
I am not a fan of heavy metal, per se, but I am down with the vibe of Black Sabbath's Black Sabbath.
Not my thing but you can’t deny the beauty in this album.
Listen. If you are going to give me a heavy metal harmonica track about a badass mute sorcerer, I'm going to LIKE it ok? The title track is moody as hell (no pun intended) and N.I.B. slaps hard enough to maybe convince me Lucifer is just a misunderstood romantic (that ending guitar solo tho!). We get some killer jazz drums and guitar on Wicked World, plus the anti-capitalist vibes are evergreen here. Did I mention they wrote a whole song about wizard who just spreads good vibes??? Is it a perfect album? No, but it's one hell of a debut, and can you imagine how awesome it would have been to listen to this thing in the early 70s while you discover D&D 1E with your friends?
Amazing to think about this album coming out over 50 years ago… immediately recognizable, still holds up as a great heavy metal album. Loses some points for the “jam session” quality of some of the back half of the album. Title track is the standout track for me.
It's raw in a way that I can appreciate. It has the feel of good isntrumentalists still finding their way. Experimenting and having a good time with a cohesive end result. It's fun and 40 years later I listened to this in high school the way I might have a newly released album. This, in its hay day, would have been incredible. It really started so much of the satanic panic that it was probably the main reason I couldn't play Pokemon as a kid. (I mean, I did, but parents didn't like it).
2013/2014 Remastered versions. Some beautiful fingering. Like NIB the most.
Rad guitar solos, love the musicality
The first heavy metal an album, and what an album it is. So ahead of its time in 1969. Dark, minimal, great riffs. What’s not to love.
Low 4, identity of Sabbath was already well established on this record, solid drum parts and shades of bigger Sabbath hits
Trailblazing album. Is it Black Sabbath's best work? Not by a long shot. Does it still kick ass? Oh yes.
Ok
Sometimes folk, sometimes blues, always metal. I didn't realise there was so much in common between Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple - all forned in England in 1968. Must admit I was wishing for a bit of War Pigs towards the end there.
Helluva debut! Another great Sabbath album thats making me feel like I completely missed the boat on Ozzy while he was alive. Most of this Ive never heard beforehand. They must’ve cut up the medley tracks for radio play because there were pieces I recognized from rock radio stations growing up. Their sound went really far beyond metal - similar track diversity in Volume 2. Wicked World using a swing drum beat was simply fucking awesome. Amazing to read the Iommi fingers story and how hot their sound hit initially.
Riff city! I saw a review that said Sabbath is the Alibaba Express version of Led Zeppelin. Hard to argue with that. In a rabbit hole, learned that Bonham was best man in Tony Iommi’s wedding. This album popped up on a trivia league Ted and I play in a few days ago: The ominous line "What is this that stands before me?" opens the riff-heavy first track on a seminal debut album released on Friday the 13th in February 1970. The song, album, and band all share the same name. What is that name? Some more fun trivia, there are only few other well known bands that have an album, song, and band name all the same: Sabbath, Maiden, Motörhead, and Bad Company (only one to reach #1).
This is so evil i love it
Proper rock and roll
The Wizard is just such a great track. I think they got better in the next couple albums but this still rocks hard.
I listened to this album (or some songs of this album) before. But I never knew there is so much raw blues in it!
Reminded me of king crimson. Dark like a dramatic video game.
4.4
Funny how this is the grandfather of metal. Throw some Robert Plant vocals and you could probably convice me this was Led Zeppelin. 7/10
Incredibly influential album. Tony iommi absolutely shreds on this album. Very haunting and uncomfortable to listen to I dig it
Classic, loud, pure Ozzy. -3.5/5
Woooow… This is heavy metal, when it still was rooted in groovy blues. Like it a lot!
I like it, Picasso
Yes. Not my favorite sabbath album but still fantastic.
surprisingly good... I don't really like metal but I actually enjoyed listening to this album crazy riffs and not too much screaming
what do you expect me to say?
Awesome metal
Not a great album, but where it all began.
Rock
Some of the best Sabbath songs ever on here.
Surprised by how much I liked this one. There were definitely parts I liked less but overall I really enjoyed it. Very fun to me that The Wizard is apparently about Gandalf (also, hello harmonica!) Fav song: Black Sabbath - I enjoy the way it builds up Least fav: Warning
Enjoyed this one. Tad heavy on the metal at times but still good throughout. Also starts too medieval for me but brings it back. Specific rating- 3.9 Fav song- black sabbath Least fav- evil woman, don’t play your games
interesting how the songs are clumped together
Really good in a different way than I expected, didnt go "hard" per se. Favourite Song: Wicked World Honourable Mention: Sleeping Village
Great album
(3.5, rounded up because my Mom’s reaction is still hilarious) Points for cleverness, points for horror-movie marketing, and bonus points for making my mother forbid my brother from opening the gatefold in the house in the 70's because “the upside-down cross would invoke the devil.” The real win here is N.I.B. because it slaps, but also because my brother learned that riff on guitar when we were teenagers, and I heard it roughly 700 times a day until my brain rewired itself to headbang on cue.
First of all, RIP Ozzy. Starting off an epic Ozzy career binge, so glad I got both this and Vol. 4 in the past few days. On this listen I started with the European edition, which I wasn't familiar with as I had the North American album in Canada growing up. I'm probably biased by experience, but the North American version seems a little better to me, with Wasp being a better track than Evil Woman. Anyway, particular releases aside, this is the rough around the edges start of an amazing band, solo artist, and in many ways, heavy metal as a genre. It's not quite as polished as Paranoid that came afterwards. There are a couple of weaker tracks, but the high points like the Wizard, Wicked World and NIB more than make up for them. Black Sabbath the track is a doomed foreboding of the Prince of Darkness' 55 years of reign. Based on its influence on rock music, it probably deserves a 5/5. But compared to Sabbath and Ozzy's later stuff, it's probably roughly a 3.5/5 or so for me. I'll split the difference here at 4.
Short but sweet. The music is really the star of this album but ozzy is the kind of darkness and his vocals on this album show why. Evil woman is on rotation in my house the guitar is stunning.
Odd time to get this one generated for me - RIP Ozzy :( Not sure what took me so long to get around to listening to these guys, but they have some awesome stuff.
The birthplace of heavy metal.
This is a suitable first choice, given the passing of Ozzy.
RIP.
Não é ruim, mas não é super meu estilo. Acho que tem dias que ouvirei rs
The title track experimental approach feels special even to this day. I kinda wish the rest of the album followed a similar direction, but that doesn't mean what's in there isn't stellar. N I B is a gem with wonderful guitar work. Sleeping village, Warning and Wicked world are also highlights. Great album.
The og metal bluebrint
rip ozzy osbourne !!! the album was surprisingly amazing, I didn’t think that music of black sabbath would be my cup of tea but, happily, I was wrong
Actually really good, I should listen to more Black Sabbath
when heavy metal wasn't just noise
Love Black Sabbath!
Good. Not metallica good. 4/5
Man, this thing is just perfect. I was only a year old when this dropped, but seriously, this is a monumental debut. Every single song on it is killer. Ozzy's voice, Tony Iommi's riffs, Geezer Butler's bass, Bill Ward's drums – the whole band is just absolutely amazing. They came out of the gate fully formed and just laid down the blueprint for heavy. It's dark, it's heavy, and it's a timeless classic. If you want to hear where a lot of heavy music really started, this is it. No filler, just pure, unadulterated awesome.
3 stars if it was any old album. 4 stars for being the first metal album, ever. 4/5
RIP Ozzy. He was truly one of the legends. This is my last Sabbath album and can honestly say I like them much more than I thought I did. And I realize during The Wizard that people will deal with things in music they like that they will not in music they hate. This is a song about a wizard. If this was a different band these lyrics would overshadow everything else. These guys hate politicians...that's a message I can get behind. This album is better than I anticipated as well.
Second Black Sabbath album after never really giving them a chance outside their Guitar Hero songs. I may have to do a deeper dive one day. This one didn't have the star power that Paranoid did but still really enjoyed it throughout.
Genre setting! What a lead off in “Black Sabbath” (when the guitars really kick in and the second half). Totally rifftastic, this album is full of bangers: “the wizard”, N.i.B.” Sad to be given this just after Ozzy has died but this albums great!
OK, now I know these suggestions are at least partially rigged. A Sabbath album this close after the Ozzy news? Not that I'm complaining; I will listen to it and enjoy every second I can through the loss. And... It's really good. I've heard many Ozzy/BS songs before, but never listened to a full album of them like this. Started off strong and didn't let up until later on. The guitar work is heavy and leads the feel for the rest of the band on their metal journey. Ozzy is Ozzy, though you can tell he's not as Ozzy as he would eventually become. I was a little surprised at how bluesy portions of it were. I guess that was a big influence, but I usually just think about the heavier sound I associate with anything Ozzy-related when I consider BS. For me, the main negative of this album is that it ends with an extended jam session medley. The jam is mostly good, but goes on for a long time and has a couple weak points. The later middle part is probably its worst section, as the first half and last few minutes were pretty good. It causes the album to feel incomplete rather than a full work. Without that track it would run less than 30 minutes. Breaking it down a bit and/or adding something to that time could've made the album better (imo). Still, I really enjoyed it and would listen again. Regardless of any bias based on recent events, it's a debut album that set a tone for the band and its members that lasts decades later and that they continue to live up to. Not to mention the influence it would have on the world. All in all, I found it to be a very good album. Overall: 3.75/5
Very classic rock, on the heavier side, but still within my taste. Rest in peace Ozzy, for the life you led, you did live for a remarkably long time
Good album, lots of wibbly guitar, very 70's. Ozzy will be greatly missed
pretty epic
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970) | Heavy Metal / Doom Rock | Avg: 8.8 | Favorite Song: “N.I.B.”* This debut is the blueprint. Black Sabbath isn’t just the start of the band—it’s the start of heavy metal as a genre. And even all these decades later, it still sounds genuinely dark and menacing. “N.I.B.” was the standout for me, with its creeping intro and that massive riff kicking in like a slow, evil march. But honestly, every track holds its weight. The band was locked in from the jump—those sinister blues roots, the thunderous rhythm section, and of course, Tony Lommi’s game-changing guitar tone. What really caught me this time around was how atmospheric the record is. There’s this muddy, almost live-sounding quality that works in its favor—it makes everything feel raw and dangerous. The songwriting is tight, the performances are confident, and the pacing is spot on. Even the few slightly lower-scoring moments didn’t break the mood. It’s easy to see why this album kicked open the door for a whole new genre. It doesn’t just hold up—it still hits like a storm.
Not as heavy as I thought it would be. Interesting riffs, sounds more like an exploration, in a sense that it has drawn out tunes. Has a couple good songs
Decided to give this a listen as a tribute to Ozzy. Probably gonna listen to all the other sabbath records with him too. Good album, but not their best. Paranoid is much better. Sure this has classics like Black Sabbath, The Wizard, and NIB, and Behind the Wall of Sleep and Wicked World are underrated tracks, but it seems they put all the good stuff on side 1 and filled the back half with filler. Like why the hell would you end your album with a cover song with a long ass jam session in the middle with half of it being Tony Iommi just noodling on his guitar? And Sleeping Village has a cool intro and some good riffs, but they only have vocals in the beginning and the rest is just an instrumental. I can kinda see why critics like Lester Bangs and Robert Christgau didn’t like it very much when it was first released. Though I do acknowledge its influence to rock and metal as a whole,
A curated album to honor the passing of Ozzy Osborn. I thought this was a solid album and I enjoyed their jams.
nothing like some of the first doom metal to bask in my misery. I'm still in shock a little. What can I say that you don't already know? It's awesome, it's Ozzy, I am not recovering from this anytime soon </3
A good listen, starting to see some similarities between Black Sabbath's albums. Enjoyed it but didn't think it was quite 5 stars. Appreciated how some of the songs blended quite well from one into the next. Starting to see how Ozzy has his own distinctive sound that carries across albums, as does the whole band.
Came through on the day after Ozzy”s death…… great album, the music and themes tie together well. This is heralded as one of the first heavy metal albums but I like it a lot better than most metal.
The beginning of something very special, although overall this isn't a particularly special album.
A timely album for sure- RIP Ozzy. This is also one I have heard before- both my brother and dad used to listen to it. It's a great album for sure- Black Sabbath wereee pioneers of early metal. The sound is a fusion of hard rock, progressive rock, and metal guitar riffs. Some iconic hits too. Overall- very good album. Probably a 4.5, not quite a 5
Ozzy died yesterday and I get a Black Sabbath album to listen to today.
Revisited, really good
One of the most influential albums of all time. Still goes hard to this day. Also why tf does Spotify have the tracks all together instead of split up properly. p.s. RIP Ozzy. Favorites: The Wizard, N.I.B., Sleeping Village
I love the drums and bass here driving everything and I love Ozzy’s vibe and voice. The dark/horror themes are compelling and I’m sure ruffled some feathers back in the day.
We love you, Ozzy. Thanks for paving a much needed path in this world. That crazy relationship we developed with Ozzy and the many family trees of music he’s responsible for starts here. Thank you Geezer, Tony & Bill for your indelible contributions.
Very enjoyable, solid riffs.
Another album that surprised me by how much I enjoyed it! I think, though, early heavy metal is perhaps more palatable than more modern iterations… But now I guess I will have to explore and expand my horizons
RIP Ozzy Not my favorite Sabbath, but unbelievably strong right out of the gate. Defined (arguably created) a new genre from note one of track one. So self assured, so confident in what they were. It’s incredible.
Young Ozzy's voice is so good. This was way more melodic and funky than dark.
Noodly, but not in a bad way. Slow, but not plodding. Dark, but not cartoonishly gothy. Heavy, but not boring in the way a lot of heavy music can be. I learned a long time ago with Sabbath that I should hate this, but I really don't. I rarely choose to listen to an album of theirs, but I usually enjoy it when I do.
Classic. Junior high memories.
Excellent choice. RIP Ozzy. Love The Wizard.
Actually legendary
Black Sabbath rules. It's a bummer to me that this is how heavy metal started compared to how it evolved, as I like this a good deal and can't really stand metal in general. I wish the long compound tracks were individual songs, which is a common pet peeve of mine.
RIP Ozzy ❤️ I liked this album but not as much as Paranoid - this one is 4/5 for me.
From the moment i heard the news, I knew that i was gonna get Black Sabbath today and I'm glad i did because this album is genuinely great. Unlike some of Black Sabbath's later albums, this one leans way more into being doom metal with it having more dreadful vibes to it than some of the band's later releases. This album also feels like it has quite a different structure than the others with some of the songs being all lumped into one which does make the album feel shorter. The songs here are all really well done having a lot of the same enjoyment as their later albums. While i enjoy Paranoid and Vol. 4 more, i still really like this album. Best Song: A Bit of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning Worst Song: The Wizard Side note: Since this will be the last Black Sabbath album i will be listening to here i will rank them: 1. Paranoid 2. Vol. 4 3. Black Sabbath Also RIP Ozzy Osbourne, The genre of metal wouldn't be the same without you December 3, 1948 - July 22, 2025
Great riffs, distorted guitar, harmonica and a lot of tempo changes made this Heavy Metal album enjoyable enough.
I was a little young to remember this album coming out but my friends and I listened to "Sabbath" in high school. This album was not among the ones we listened to. In retrospective, this album is very good. I actually enjoy the side 2 more with their blues-rock approach as I now appreciate the genre. R.I.P. Ozzy
love that this website gave us this album for today. RIP Ozzy
The most surprising thing for me is how the album isn't always metal. Like Black Sabbath were pioneers of heavy metal but they liked a good bluesy jam too. The opening track is still a scorcher and it's also a delight to hear little bits from other songs that live on through hip hop samples.
Hell yeah. RIP Ozzy!
It’s easy to forget just how good of a singer Ozzy actually was, but he sells the fuck out of every moment here. I’d previously heard Paranoid a couple times (not enough) but found this just as flawless. I heard this in mono but thought the mix was extraordinary, so beefy and earthy. God I need to listen to more metal.
Haven't listened to this album in over 20 years. Was surprised at how very mellow it really is. The first half is quite lowkey. It picks up by NIB, but I always recalled it being much heavier overall. Ozzy clearly doesn't have the best range or tone, but he was super Committed to the vibe. And that carries most of the songs. Let's be honest though, if this came out today, no record company would have given them an advance or a second album. Times have changed and it has to a banger and a seller or you are done. It's great to go back and listen to the originals as they worked to create heavy metal. The next two albums got chunkier and scarier quick.
I didn't start enjoying Black Sabbath until later in life. I was more into punk and rock & roll as a kid. But this new style of music was revolutionary when it came out, and spawned the metal genre. Toni Iommi's guitar playing is still the essence of metal music, and I Ozzie's voice is still chilling to the bone. The 5 star albums from Sabbath came later IMHO, but this one is a classic.
Not my favorite Black Sabbath album, but still is enjoyable the whole way trough, and has som truly must-hear standout tracks.
Haunting album from one of the original heavy metal bands.
AHHHH the riffs!!! The damn riffs! I love the bass a lot. N.I.B. is such a stupid name for a song this good lmao.
Love The Wizard - the harmonica, the drums - killer! This album feels lie quintessential classic rock. It makes my brain happy. Some of the lyrics are...interesting Love the bass line in Wicked World THIS is how rock instruments should be played. Bravo.
5 songs, including some multi-part long sets. Black Sabbath is the hit, The Wizard I was also familiar with. Interestingly they released a second album this same year, Paranoid, featuring many of their biggest hits. This had to be shockingly different from anything releasing at the time, 1970. Apparently the album was critically panned, but very commercially successful. Considered to be the first heavy metal album. Beside Black Sabbath and The Wizard the only other radio length song (although Black Sabbath is >6 minutes) is Wicked World. The guitar tones are excellent and Tommy Iommi shines throughout along with Ozzy’s powerful vocal ability. Led Zeppelin influence possibly - they were contemporary so hard to say but this is some overlap with Zeppelin’s harder songs. Not surprising considering these tones were achieved mostly with the same gear - super cranked Marshall amps (because Fender amps were not available in the UK - an interesting history in the tones coming out of the UK in this period) and Les Paul guitars. Solid album.
★4.0 ブラックサバスのデビューアルバム。 1970年当時からすると、かなり先進的な音楽だったのかもしれない。 が、今聞くとそこまで…。 ボーカルのオジーオズボーンの声は、西洋では悪魔の声に例えられるらしい。個人的にはそんな感じはしないが、文化の違いか？ 楽器隊の演奏にハッとする曲が数曲。ギターはもう少しヘヴィな方が好みかも。9分近い長尺の楽曲も魅力の一つ。 RIP OZZY
Great album. Highlight NIB
Had this the day after Ozzy’s death - not really listened to Black Sabbath (or metal generally outside of the big hits Paranoid for example), but actually thought it was pretty good - hovering between 3 and 4, but given the timing gone 4
Good guitars. RIP
czy jest to moj album z okazji ze ozzy osbourne zmarl dzien wczesniej czy tak sie po prostu wylosowalo Tego nie wiem ale jest to album dobry
RIP Ozzy
Black Sabbath
good
And just like that, a new genre was created. Legendary.
8/10 RIP Ozzy
Genre defining metal classic.
I got this album on the day ozzy died. A great album which went on the inspire so many bands and artists.
I get it
4.5. Epic album, RIP Ozzy. Many hours of my senior year of high school were spent spinning this one. Not quite as good as paranoid but still incredible.
Don't need to say much. Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath. Rest in Peace, Ozzy, the prince of darkness. God I love sludge rock.
Being assigned this right after Ozzy died is wild. The birth of metal rock right here. Whole thing sounds like it was composed in a graveyard. 8/10
Getting assigned this one the day Ozzy Osbourne died was crazy. RIP Ozzy ur music was cool, sorry I didn't listen to it sooner. Wish the full album was on spotify :\ Best song: The Wizard (wizard bias) Notable(s): Black Sabbath, N.I.B
Still dark and heavy, rip Ozzy!
This is cruel giving me this the day after Ozzy died!!! But it's best to start at the beginning. The rain, the church bell, that tritone riff of doom that launched 10000 bands, Ozzy's frightful but matter-of-fact vocal delivery... Then a trip through their then-current live set, replete with jazz grooves and blues jams with a unique edge. Killer stuff.
RIP Ozzy I like this album a lot and didn't expect it to be this bluesy. The musicianship is great: Tony Iommi's riffs aren't as heavy as their later stuff, yet still pack a punch. Geezer Butler's basslines are incredible, and Bill Ward's drumming has such a unique groove. I was never crazy about Ozzy's singing, but you can't deny it's iconic. Fav tracks: "Black Sabbath, "The Wizard", "N.I.B." 4/5
Great album. Ozzy's voice is on point.
RIP Ozzy. I've always been familiar with black sabbath because of my dad's tastes. I've always liked behind the wall of sleep.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5. Honestly an INCREDIBLE first album from a band. I think I heard about the antics and “Satanism” of the band and never actually listened, and I was really wrong about that. Loved it.
Didn’t know any of these songs, but very decent album
Very cute and spooky!! I very much enjoyed the bluesy aspects of it. There is a certain rawness to Mr. Osbourne's voice here that seems to get obscured in the production choices of the (few) later tracks of theirs I have heard.
Cool
God, I can't imagine hearing this for the first time back in 1970. As has been said, metal may not have been invented by Black Sabbath, but it surely wasn't invented after them. In this debut, they still cling to a lot of blues roots, but the heavy riffs are still prominent, a foretelling of things to come. This album is more Zeppelin-like than, for example, what they'd evolve to by Master of Reality, which is more doom metal. Where I'd say the album is not that great is in the longer pieces. I really dislike the wide panning vocals in the "Behind the Wall of Sleep", and it drags a bit on, with the bass section before "N.I.B." (where "N.I.B." is maybe the best part of the album) just feeling like filler. The same "filler" happens in the last medley. Although Iommi's guitar licks there are amazing, and Page-like, they are not as musical or melodic as some of his other work, and it just comes across as noodling or showing off. Still, the album as a whole is ground-breaking and pioneering, still fresh over 50 years later.
Ça tombe bien, Ozzy est mort hier. Ok, la dernière toune est en train de jouer. Je suis surpris. Je m’attendais à trouver ça quétaine, Black Sabbath, surtout à cause de la réputation des gens qui écoutent, mais c’est pas ça (pour cet album en tous cas, peut-être que ça se gâte plus tard dans leur discographie). Il y a une influence blues pas désagréable du tout sur plusieurs pièces. Je ne pense pas devenir un inconditionnel de BS, mais cet album se laisse écouter agréablement.
So this was allocated to me on the day that Ozzy passed. Never given Black Sabbath much of a listen in the past. Not sure what I expected, but this isn't it. It was really bluesy and engaging. I see what the fuss is about now. Will listen again.
Not surprised to see this show up today. My daughter got it too on the day of Ozzy Osbourne's passing. I've heard a lot of Black Sabbath's music, but I've never listened to this album in its entirety. I’m guessing when this came out it was unlike anything else that was out there at that time. The dark and twisted picture it paints is very cool, actually. Speaking of cool, Ozzy's voice has always been one of the greatest in rock history. Not technically speaking, of course, there are others who have greater range for example. But it's just so different from other amazing voices and perfect for their group and this album. The title track is unique and just a great song. Nothing like announcing yourself to the rest of the world with that song. As a side note, I loved how Ozzy’s voice bounced back and forth in my headphones on Wasp (etc). The rest of the tune was excellent as well, much like a lot of this album. Just a fun record to go back and visit. It’s hard to imagine that it came out over 50 years ago. RIP Ozzy.
Out of obligation: Rest in power, Mr. Osborne, your influence on music as a whole will never go unnoticed. It's metal with harmonica solos, that alone makes this album great. On top of that, it's a self-titled album with a self-titled song. It's just funny to say "Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath on the album Black Sabbath." Past that, it's an amazing metal record. For how early this was in the creation of metal as a genre, it's still pretty damn heavy, especially that title track. Only real complaint is how much the latter half of the album drags on compared to the first half, but it still ends great.
Fantastic! RIP Ozzy!!
RIP Ozzy. Enjoy this little quirk the site has to honour people passing. Didn’t know this was the invention of heavy metal. What a fucking opener. Never really listened to a sabbath album before. But this is a hell of an introduction, to their name and style. Super clean production. Totally engaging. Great production, great vocals, great song structure and composition. It would be easy to attribute self-indulgence, with songs like ‘Warning’ but they just keep it fresh and engaging. Bravo.
Just a little bit weaker then paranoid. But still amazing rip ozzy
Metal with a harmonica feels so wrong, but sounds so right
Exceptional album. Classic, timeless, eternal. Farewell Ozzy.
Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy! Oh man, rest in peace! This is hard. Great album, bluesy, guitar driven and those drums…! Not quite at the Paranoid level, but so close.
Iconic. RIP Ozzy.
The fact that I got this album the day after Ozzy passed away is a bit eerie, but the perfect way to send him off! This is one of the few albums so far on this list that I 100% agree with being on this list, not because it is something amazing (which it was/is) but because how much this band and this album changed the course of music history. They brought metal to the forefront and never looked back. This album is really good but does get a bit shakey when given the test of time. I never really listened to BS outside of the hits and and few jukebox songs played in bars over the years but always enjoyed them. The influence of this album is right up there with any single album you want to say is the most influential. The influence of this album gets it 3 stars right off the bat and the fact that it still jams 55 years later, that is worth something too. I had to listen on YouTube becasue Spotify was missing a few tracks and wanted to make sure I got the full experience, but I don't know if it is just that it is older or if the sound quality of the particular YT channel I was on, but it wasn't the best quality. 8.3/10 119/1001
Throwback to when my uncle saw my Black Sabbath tshirt and told me to name 10 tracks to prove I actually liked Black Sabbath??? Literally who does that??? Anyways RIP Ozzy Osbourne thank you for inventing metal 😔🤘
Classic. Even without taking into account this is the first LP of an entire genre, its a great listen. Side A and the closer are great, the guitar tone inspired millions and even more with how great the riffs are. The rhythm section as always holding everything together, though the sound of the drums could improve. Birth of a genre and the legend that's Ozzy. RIP.
Fitting…
Really cool and innovative for heavy metal. Really enjoyable. R.I.P to Ozzy Osbourne as well. 4 stars
Another sad generation today. Like when Brian Wilson passed and I got smile, the world just lost Ozzy Osbourne so I get Black Sabbath’s eponymous album. This is likely because I’ve already their biggest album in Paranoid though. I’ll start off by saying I liked Paranoid more but this still goes hard. Often considered the birth of heavy metal, this album must have been insane when it first dropped. Heavy and strange, this is a great album!
Great rock album.
I guess RIP first of all, the album thing is definitely rigged to have this happen, which is ok. I once said that Black Sabbath was carried by Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi, but I think I've gone full 180 on that, as I think everyone in this band is doing as much as is possible with their instruments, even at this such early stage of their career. I can't really overstate how good the guitars are and how much influence Tony Iommi has had. The tone is so deep and heavy, but also builds on the blues guitars which had already happened before. If you actually listen to the basslines underneath, they are doing so much more than just following the guitar. I'm pretty sure Geezer Butler wrote lots of the words and ideas, and in some ways you can tell, as the bass is often the 'base'. The drumming is also insane and obviously the vocals. The only downside is that this is not as good as some of their albums to come, in hindsight. Favourite songs: all. Overall around 8/10
The first Metal album ever released. Everything about this is iconic to the nth degree: the atmosphere, the album art, Ozzy's vocals and lyrics, Iommi's guitar tone. The tritone that opens the album is Metal's mission statement. Eerie and filled with occultist menace. It's hard to imagine how popular music, and rock music in particular, would sound like without this album's influence. Key tracks: Black Sabbath The Wizard N.I.B.
Great stuff
A very solid early metal album. Not cheesy, great instrumentals and Ozzy had a great voice 😥 enjoyed a fair bit. 4/5
Excellent but they have better
Not completely finished but birth of a genre. Rest in power
RIP :(
Having relistened to them all somewhat recently now, I think this is definitely my third favorite Sabbath. I like Ozzy’s “underdeveloped” vocals, if you will, and dig the overall atmosphere. For all the props they get as individual performers, their ability and seeming willingness to leave a lot of space is extremely impressive and crucial. R.I.P. Ozzy, you were a legend. 4/5
Never having listened to this album before, I was really looking forward to it in the wake of Ozzy’s death. And it exceeded expectations, by a good bit. The opening title track was what I expected - dark, goth, mysterious. But then The Wizard blew me away. It was bluesy - a harmonica?! 🤯 It was classic rock. Not at all what I thought the Prince of Darkness would have cut his fangs on. And it just took off from there and never looked back. What a great album, rounded up for the debut success!
7.5/10
It’s heavy. Almost a 5 star album. But I’ve heard the next few albums and they are better.
RIP Ozzy. Surely not a coincidence this was recommended today. Great proto hard rock and impressive rhythm section.
RIP Ozzy A really good album, it's haunting, dark and occult like with a lot of great riffs. It's a bit simple at times. Best song: Behind the Wall of Sleep Worst song: Evil Woman, Don't Play Your Games Cover Check: Couldn't have fit the music better. Dark and gritty
Timely album to review with the passing of Ozzy. The opening is epic with bell and guitars. Pure bad ass sound that probably rocked your socks off live. After listening to this, you know why they're the pioneers of heavy metal.
That rocks real hard. I like The Wiz and the last track
Þetta kom á listann rétt eftir dauða Ozzy þannig að það hefur örugglega einhver áhrif en þetta er bara fjári góð plata. Ég hélt ég væri minna fyrir Sabbath en það er augljóst að svo er ekki
Wizard es un temazo
The first song is a mission statement. The new direction is apparent. When the album veers into heavy R&B, I like it less than the "scary music" they intended to make. There are plenty of other good moments but Black Sabbath (the song) is straight up bad ass. It sounds great echoing down my street in the darkness on Halloween. Beware children!
This album is the precursor to about 75% of the music I listened to in high school. At the time Sabbath seemed dangerous and transgressive. Now it seems nostalgic and comforting. Like wrapping up in a warm cozy Satanic blanket
Despite uneven production and occasional lyrical clumsiness, Black Sabbath holds together with a sense of terrifying cohesion. It’s a bold, unrelenting debut that not only launched a band but reshaped the direction of rock music entirely. In hindsight, Black Sabbath didn’t just push boundaries it established new ones. The critics were wrong. The darkness had come, and metal would never be the same.
Wonderful musicians.
😭😭😭😭
Great riffage. First 2 tracks are especially awesome.
Favorite: N.I.B
Really wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. A lot more bluesy and less heavy than I was thinking.
I went in fully expecting for this not to be jam. I found that the guitar playing was fantastic and Ozzys voice to be electrifying. Overall had a great time 4.3/5
RIP Ozzy.
This was solid. But like 3.5-3.75?
The description of the is album said that the influences of this were “horror films, the occult, and a bleak working-class upbringing in Aston, Birmingham”. I like that. I haven listened to much Black Sabbath but this was entertaining using headphones.
RIP Ozzy
RIP Ozzy! Not really my style, but there are some bangers on this, Warning for example
8/10 - big fan of this album, not quite as good as iron man, however still hits hard. RIP my goat
Nip is best tune on here. Enjoyed alot of the songs on here, lots of different types of genres and some interesting genre.
RIP Ozzie
R.I.P Ozzie
A fine album. You can hear the influence they had far and wide. Apparently recorded in just 12 hours. In 12 hours these days they would still be miking the drums. Not as accomplished as it's follow up but an excellent debut and set the path for things to come.
God knows I have controversial takes on a lot of bluesy boomer rock, but this album straight up fucks hard no rubber. Loses a bit of steam towards the end as we shift into slightly more common blues territory, but the entire first half carries it and then some. The performances are great all round, the musicianship on show on this album is nothing short of excellent. And the originality in the songwriting can't be understated (at least when they aren't just bluesing it up). But the main focus here is the fucking riff master Tony Iommi absolutely tearing it up. I mean the riff to Black Sabbath alone would go on to spawn countless sub genres. RIP Ozzy you zionist nazi fuck. Favourites - Black Sabbath, The Wizard, Behind the Wall of Sleep, N.I.B.
Likely the most significant album we’ve yet received based purely on influence alone. The band’s popularity to this very day, 55 years later, is astounding, and it all began here. Crushes you straight away with the tritone; the riff that essentially created an entire genre on its own. Unbelievably, despite this, nowhere the band’s most culturally significant riff - but certainly one of the most influential and landscape-altering pieces laid to record. Not jut the riff, but the long, progressive nature of the song, an opening title track on the album having no chorus, sparse moody drums, and lyrics referencing nightmares, satan, and the occult. Just pure heavy fucking metal, simply could not have asked for a better start to the ‘first’ metal album. Following this, The Wizard is far more typical, however it’s harmonica driven lead give it an certainly sharp edge. It’s unique in that it’s rarely used henceforth by the band (or any metal band for that matter), and while I usually detest the instrument, I feel it’s played perfectly and slots straight into the song, in lieu of a second guitarist. N.I.B. is also a great track, showcasing Geezer’s talent for driving a song with filthy basslines that shy away from the typical walking basslines that were more popular in rock/pop music up to that point. And of course, Ozzy stands the band out from their contemporaries with his droning, muddled line deliveries, that again bring an edge previously missing in much if hard rock of the late 60s and early 70s. While he isn’t here, nor ever really was, the greatest vocalist, his voice was perfect for delivering moody, depressing lyrics over thumping blues and minor scale riffs. The covers on this album are good fun, but ultimately it’s at its best when droning along with Iommi and Butler’s original riffs with songs about the macabre and mystical, as opposed to standard rock love songs. Sabbath took what Zeppelin, Cream, Deep Purple, and even late career Beatles were doing, and distorted it up, and made it sound evil. And while this album is utterly iconic, it’s so close to being a five, but with 2 covers, and a slight lack of direction at times, coupled with occasional recording errors that highlight a greenness and lack of cohesion in the band’s playing while still in its infancy, a VERY strong 4 feels fair. I’m annoyed it took Ozzy dying to finally get some more metal. Hopefully we’ll see some more soon. Black Sabbath (10/10) The Wizard (9/10) Behind the Walls of Sleep (7/10) N.I.B. (9/10) Evil Woman, Don’t Play Your Games with Me (8/10) Sleeping Village (7/10) Warning (7/10) 8.1/10
Amazing record. Loved the blues influence in "Warning". The performances were great. The lyricism was good, too. Rest in Peace, Ozzy. Favourite Track(s): N.I.B., Warning, Behind the Wall of Sleep Least Favourite Track(s): Evil Woman
This one has some pretty cool pieces that stick out to me. Nothing I'd listen to on the regular, unfortunately, but I can tell it's good stuff (and of course, very influential)
Great stuff! These guys were heavier than just about anyone at that time - if the entire album were as heavy as the title track, this easily could've been a 5.
Tungt och viktigt
If I had to personally give an opinion, then this would be much closer if not THE beginning of Heavy Metal instead of Vincebus Eruptum by Blue Cheer. And in terms of execution, it is quite strong for it's time even if some of the classics of the future to come definitely surpass it. As such, this album will receive a strong 3.5/5 which will be bumped to 4.
Pretty sick to hear one of the first doom metal songs off the bat which is completely contrasted when the second song kicks off with a harmonica. Black Sabbath and NIB are the highlights. Ground breaking record that stands up pretty well. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.
I actually hadn't listened to this album before, tho I recognized a couple tracks. I really enjoyed this. The tracks weren't overly complicated but we're catchy, had great tone and composition. RIP to one of the greats.
In retrospect it's quaint that such a foundational heavy metal album would involve this much harmonica. RIP ozzy