Black Sabbath

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

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.

This is great stuff, had never heard this early album in all one listen. RIP Ozzy you legend.

Ozzy!

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.

Excellent choice. RIP Ozzy. Love The Wizard.

Ozzy died yesterday. Just over two weeks after the farewell show too. He’d said in the past that he wanted to die onstage and he came as close as he could. I’d never listened to this in full before and I’m astonished at how ahead of its time this was. This is heavy, dark shit. Towering riffs, blistering arrangements, and a commanding lead vocal performance. They even have a song with the same name as their band and it’s not corny! The first true heavy metal album ever made and it holds up, which is high praise. Maybe I’m being extra generous because of Ozzy’s recent passing, but I think this fucking knocks.

After the death of Ozzy Osbourne (RIP) it's Black Sabbath's debut. The opening title track is incredible, sets a really foreboding atmosphere for the album and the lyrics are explicitly evil and referencing satan. This must have blown people's minds in 1970 I'm less impressed by the fact that this was the first real heavy metal album, and more just by how good the music is. Tony Iommi's guitar playing is amazing, the riffs rock but even more than that, it just has a real heavy and doom-mongering vibe. I don't normally like really long songs with loads of noodling but I loved Warning. Very good album

R. I. P. Ozzy Imagine being gifted this album the day after he passes

Black Sabbath, in my opinion, not only created metal, but created multiple genres of metal, and only within the span of a couple years. Their first three albums in particular are an incredible run of innovation while maintaining the highest quality of song writing. Black Sabbath, their first album blows the doors of its hinges. Sometimes I try to put myself in the shoes of a first time listener in 1970 and I can't even comprehend it. It's heavy in a way that was previously unheard of. Every riff is iconic. Every melody incredible. Ozzy's vocals set the bar for metal to come. Even the more bluesy tracks, which stand out on this release, are full of incredible life and performances. And all that's not to even mention how Sabbath pathed the way visually and lyrically for this sound. Has to be a top ten all time debut. RIP Ozzy. *Heard before

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.

Ozzy died yesterday. RIP thank you for making some amazing music!

so good. Iommi is riff god Will I listen to again: 100%

RIP Ozzie

Yes, please.

RIP Ozzy ❤️ I liked this album but not as much as Paranoid - this one is 4/5 for me.

R.I.P. Ozzy. Main man at the helm of this usually-random project must have paid tribute after Ozzy's death yesterday. OK, I'm now a Sabbath convert. Slo-mo heavyweight blues. Fast does not equal heavy. Ponderous (but tight!) rhythm section absolutely pinning it down on the slow build, while your guy riffs like a mf, double-time over the top, equals heavy. Embryonic new genre, still quite close to stuff like Cream, rather than later, speedier, more machine-metal offerings. Certified quality. Eldritch.

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

Nice, anyone else get this album the day after Ozzy died? Coincidence? Maybe

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

first time listening, pretty groundbreaking for that time

Even if Ozzy hadn’t passed the day before, this would still rate five stars. Fucking straight-from-hell metal blasting the incense-and-peppermints scene to smithereens. The songs have only intensified in power since their debut. Long live the Madman of Rock and Roll!

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

Truly an iconic album that fully deserves five stars, even though it has one clunker (Evil Woman) and meanders just a little bit on the second side. Black Sabbath followed by The Wizard is just an insanely good opening ten minutes, and enough to secure this five stars even if the rest of the album was just silence. This album set the template for everything from doom/ sludge/ stoner metal, to... well heavy metal full stop. It's difficult to pick out any one element that makes this so good, but if I really had to, I would pick the bass guitar.

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!

love that this website gave us this album for today. RIP Ozzy

Seriously?!? Is there any question how amazing AND absolutely influential this album is.

5/5. A pure classic that defined a new genre of music that only started coming into its own like 10 years later, when those teenagers listening to this were inspired to create Heavy, Black, Thrash, etc. Metal. Even now, there is a sense of rawness that only adds to the energy. It does lean more heavily into rock/blues but there is still that darkness throughout that gives the album the respect it deserves. RIP Ozzy. Best Song: N.I.B. (The whole third track if not just that one), Black Sabbath, The Wizard

This, right here, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the beginning of Metal. The title track heralds a new era. It's true that there still are many Blues influences on this album, and not all of the songs are as good as they could be, but this one started it all. 4 stars for the music, add half a star for the sheer iconic influence. 4.5/5

No comment…..historic

Sad

Solid, points for having this sound in 1970; nothing sticks out as a banger though

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!

Classic - Rip Ozzy

First track still outclasses all other doom metal songs

One of the best bands of all time for a reason.

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.

Great album from the king of darkness

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.

Love this album. The classic first Sabbath that scared as many as it thrilled. The album that launched a million bands and provided the blueprint for all heavy metal-dom. RIP Ozzy.

One of my favorite albums of all time and my #1 favorite album featuring misheard lyrics. A legendary album for many reasons, few albums have influenced music as much. Even as it ended up birthing an entire genre of music, its heavy blues influences makes sure it will forever stay one of a kind. Rest in peace, Prince of Darkness

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!!

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.

Don't like heavy metal

Not into Heavy Metal genre!

Not a metal fan. Even Black Sabbath.

The beginning of something new that terrified the establishment. I love it.

Wonderful Album!!!!

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.

Amazing

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.

This is one of my all time favorites, Not a bad track on it. Ozzy, may he rest in peace. This is what I grew up listening to.Toni Iommi is amazing. Bill and Geezer, one of the best rhythm sections ever.

The birth of heavy metal. Heavy guitar and lyrics that haunt.

Overated

cool doomer vibe ig, title track was atmospheric. Like the parts with singing in The Wizard but not so much the harmonica sections. Warning is my favourite i think 50/100

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.

Masterpiece. Randomly chosen by the app the day after Ozzy's death making a very poignant listen. A genre defining record with some absolutely fantastic tracks. The Wizard has long been a favourite. Will make this my first 5 star rating since starting on this journey.

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.

This has some of the best guitar I have ever heard, along with the Haunting vocals of Ozzy this is the easiest 5 star album I've heard

★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

Genre: Heavy Metal Black Sabbath are true forerunners. These guys played a massive part in not only developing the sound of “heavy metal”, but they also laid down some of the genre’s most essential listens. The title track, Black Sabbath, is a quintessential example of what heavy metal can do, musically and emotionally. Ozzy’s vocals (and harmonica), Iommi’s guitar playing, Geezer’s bass, and Bill Ward’s drumming all throughout are still regarded as examples of what to do right on a heavy metal record. Up and down they’re challenging the form while making sure to respect the rock and blues that made their sound possible. A wonderful record. RIP OZZY :( 5/5

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.

🙏

Had to dig through my album stash for this. I've been listening to Black Sabbath for just about 40 years, since I picked up a cheap cassette of *Black Sabbath Live at Last* at K-Mart. Their first seven albums have followed me ever since. Still, this and *Never Say Die!* might be the albums I've listened to the least, so I'm glad to give it another few spins today.

Great album. Highlight NIB

Det skulle selvfølgelig være i dag. Farvel Ozzy.

Rip Ozzy <3

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

When I saw this on my project today, I thought I was going crazy due to Ozzy's passing, but I think a lot of people got a Black Sabbath album. This album was part of a crazy four album run (this, Paranoid, Master of Reality, and Vol. 4) that absolutely revolutionized music forever. Picking up where Jimi Hendrix left off, this album really helped create an entire genre of music that is still popular to this very day. While lyricism is very simplistic, the instrumentation even today is unbelievably amazing. The mix sounds like a record that could be made today. While not the first work that is considered to be heavy metal with Helter Skelter by the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix's guitar, I would say that its influence stems from Black Sabbath being the first band to solely be a heavy metal act. My only complaint is that the album is a little short with it only having 5 songs (even though two of them is almost 10 min long), but other than that, I think it is one of the most influential and important records in music along with Paranoid. Considering they recorded this all in one day (October 16, 1969), I think that it still holds the standard for the classics. It is even more crazy that this album was able to evolve music forever. This is why I would say that it deserves 5 stars. RIP Ozzy, we love you and thank you for giving us such amazing music! Favorite Tracks: Black Sabbath, The Wizard, NIB Rating: 5/5

enjoyable but nothing really stood out to me cool rifs though

Cracking album. RIP

Not a fan of heavy metal.

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

5/5 RIP Ozzy.

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.

Wow, so much better than any debut by their peers.

Solid. Classic sound from them. Kinda crazy this popped up right after Ozzy died but maybe that's not coincidence.

Honestly, amazing great riffs, great atmosphere one of the best debuts of all time RIP ozzy

Alright album. No real standouts but no bad songs either.

Uhh... Duh.

After the very sad news yesterday of the death of Ozzy, there was no other possible album to listen to today than this first Black Sabbath album, a testament and begging not only of a band but of a whole musical genre. The gothic atmospheres, fantastic solos, and the recognizable voice of Ozzy, which matches perfectly the sound of the album, make of this first heavy metal album an all time masterpiece that shows the greatness of a band like Black Sabbath. And, wherever Ozzy is, long life the Prince of Darkness, because a legacy like his never dies.

Good. I’m always surprised at Black Sabbath’s musicality. The drums sound like they’re the ones used on the Flintstones theme.

Black Sabbath

Pulling this album the day after Ozzy passed almost makes me question the randomness here but I will just enjoy the synchronicity. I am far from a heavy metal person but there is something undeniable about early Sabbath. I can't imagine what was going through people's heads hearing this for the first time 50+ years ago. Yet it still has this crazy energy and yet slowly creeping doom that takes you another world even today. Only my maybe second listening to this album but I enjoyed the hell out of mt playthrough this morning with the added emotion of hearing the start of such an original career with the hindsight of how the last chapter was written.

good

And just like that, a new genre was created. Legendary.

8/10 RIP Ozzy

Genre defining metal classic.

Foundational

Quite an interesting album. Not too guitar wanky, more than just straight up metal. 3.5

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.

Very important and influential album

Ozzy Forever

The album that started genres. This album is always on heavy rotation in my life, along with many other Black Sabbath albums. Legendary and was always going to get played a lot today, on the day after Ozzy's sad passing. The algorithm did well!

I gave this a spin last night as a pertinent tribute to our newly departed musical legend. I feel that there's little else to say about the quality and enduring influence of this album that others haven't, or won't, come to mention in their reviews. This is one of those albums that I perhaps only listen to a couple of times a year, much like with the other "golden run" Sabbath albums, however its impact remains unabating whenever I decide to drop the needle onto this one. My journey into Black Sabbath came reasonably late, after my love for all things heavy metal had already developed over a number of years before I finally gave their catalogue the time it deserved, but that did nothing to lessen how vital their music felt to me despite my pre-exposure to more extreme subgenres. Absolutely essential. RIP Ozzy 🤘🖤

bruyant

amazxing

Wow. Very apt selection the day after he died. 10/10.

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!

According to Ozzy Osbourne's obituary in the New York Times, Black Sabbath got their real start because they figured, "people pay money to get scared watching horror movies -- why not music too?" Fucking genius. This album rules, and it's a shockingly complete genesis-of-genre attempt. Horrific, demonic, heavy, dank, and utterly ROCK solid. RIP Ozzy. Fave songs: The whole album.

NIB is easily on my top 3 Black Sabbath songs, this album is nuts.

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.

It's good, but lacks the hooks of some of their other records

I kind of get that people might not like Ozzy's voice, but if you can't listen to it musically and find genius you should just give up and go home. Sabbath did better albums including with Dio but contextually this has to be 5 stars

Wizzed

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

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

Great album. Ozzy's voice is on point.

Pretty much defined what heavy metal should be. I know a lot of bands came before that were like proto heavy metal, but Sabbath did it right. I type this with a heavy heart as Ozzy Osbourne passed away yesterday, July 22rd 2025 and I think everyone got this album on their list if they had not rated it already. Great album, the beginning of a really solid run of amazing albums from Sabbath. 5/5

Yesssssssss

OK. Ozzy died yesterday. Ima loves Black Sabbath. I gave him a vinyl record yesterday because I had bought it in Dublin. Everything, within these 24 hours, revolves around Black Sabbath. And I loved listening to this album, to be honest. I didn't expect to like it that much, but I did, and it is a great feeling.

What an album, perfect day to listen to it after the legend passed away. RIP ozzy

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.

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.

Standouts Wasp Behind the Wall of Sleep Bassically N.I.B.

You can't write war pigs and a letter supporting Israel

Didn’t know any of these songs, but very decent album

RIP Ozzman

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.

Crap

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.

I grew up afraid of Ozzy. A lot of music was criticized in the 80’s for its bad influence and he was the poster child. The Blizzard of Oz album cover, the use of religious icons and mentions of satan in lyrics, the blood and gore, the bat decapitations and rumors of puppies thrown to audiences for slaughter before the band would go on, even the “bad boys” in scouts who played his music on repeat during campouts - all reasons for young me to stay away. Of course, his family would later go on MTV and he would prove an endearing, humble, and earnest father and grandfather - talk about cognitive dissonance. It wasn’t until the mid 2000s when I saw a tribute band with some friends that I gave Black Sabbath a listen and discovered I had been missing out. I cannot imagine how foreign this album must have sounded in 1970 - the song Black Sabbath is one of better album openers ever. Is this really their debut? This is an amazing album throughout, the music is fresh, surprising, and harmonizes well - Ozzy’s vocals are arguably the weakest component but I can’t imagine it being anyone else. It just fits. Favs are those with long guitar interludes - Black Sabbath, Wall of Sleep and Warning. IMO this is their best album and its hard to believe it’s 55 years old. I watched the “Back to the Beginning” concert 3 weeks ago and was moved to tears by the tributes, the sincerity in Ozzy’s words and voice, and the love for and from his original band mates. It’s on brand that he would pass so soon. RIP. And thanks for being a part of this creation. 5/5

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

Rest in peace Ozzy. Would’ve rated this a 5 before, and I still will now.

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.

Long live Ozzy!

RIP Ozzy

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.

An imperfect album but the one that started it all. RIP Ozzy.

This was so loud for it's time. Probably blew your grandma's wig off. 9/10

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.

En av de sterkeste debutalbumene gjennom tidene. En ny sjanger blir så tydelig etablert og på en så inonisk måte. Tre toner - en oktav og en tritonus - utgjør det første, ekte metall-riffet i historien, og står fortsatt som det ondeste av dem alle. Grunnlaget for så mye tung musikk blir lagt utover dette albumet. Selv om Ozzy ikke helt har funnet stemmen sin ennå, guider han oss gjennom plata på strålende vis. Mye av blues-innflytelsen er fortsatt veldig tydelig i flere låter, så albumet er også en fin bro mellom 60- og 70tallet. RIP Prince og Darkness

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.

A true metal classic. RIP Ozzy.

A bit heavy for me

O Ozzy partiu ontem e hoje reouvi o álbum onde tudo começou. 'Back to the beginning', né? Icônico é a palavra que define tanto este álbum quanto a voz que marcam o nascimento de um gênero musical. Descanse em paz, Ozzy, quem mostrou que devemos perseguir uma vida fora do ordinário (extraordinária é a palavra, não?).

Never paid much attention but a nice surprise.

Changed the game

ozzy was a zionist and for that .. one star

"When i was a kid, an older friend had the first two Black Sabbath albums... i hated them on first listen... and i've stayed true to form ever since... are there some good musicians playing? yes... some unique, evil riffs? yes... but i never got into "costume" acts... unless it's a cowboy hat and a Nudie suit... please lay off the cos play, K? of course i understood Led Zeppelin... and Deep Purple were pretty good, and could really sing and play... but these guys? nah... RIP to the so called prince of darkness... out of tune, fake scary, wimpy drivel... one star."

Fantastyczny

Amazing

Fantastic! RIP Ozzy!!

I’ve only listened to this album about 1000 times before so…yeah this is a great one. Love to hear that blues influenced sound with Ozzy’s haunting lyrics.

Rest In Peace Ozzy Osbourne. His passing feels particularly surreal, everyone's said it, but he truly seemed on some level like he couldn't die, like he's almost felt more like a mythological figure than a man at times. And, as I have already said on my Vol. 4 review (fantastic album by the way), Black Sabbath is a band that has been in DNA for as long as I remember. In fact, I was fortunate enough to see them on their 2016 final tour, and it is, to this day, a cherished memory, so this has some weight to me. I cannot overstate the importance of this album to me and to metal as a whole. And, while I know that discussions occasionally re-emerge about how Helter Skelter, or 21st Century Schizoid Man, or Sunshine Of Your Love is *really* the first metal song, but honestly, after listening to this again, it really isn't close. These are all great songs, and they were all on some level important to the development of rock as it approached metal, however I think I can say with a degree of confidence that the first strum of Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath off of Black Sabbath may be the exact moment of Heavy Metal's birth. No one was doing this: the iconic tritone riff, the thick, truly ominous atmosphere with that rain and ringing bell and everything, Ozzy's wailing, the lyrics, and the sheer *weight* of it all coming together were truly unmatched. Even the album art adds to this perfectly, it's legendary, and honestly still eerie today. And if that first note was the birth of heavy metal, then the drop into the huge, epic ascending riff in the second half of this song is the christening. If rock as a whole couldn't keep up before, now it was *certainly* left in the dust. And even though a couple tracks here kind of feel like they maybe have a pinky toe left in the '60s, especially The Wizard, and Wicked World, everything here still carries the feeling and tone set out on this first song, at least on some level, and all without a real drop in quality. I think it also helps that a lot of what I'm picking up on these songs is Sabbath's blues and jazz influence which is pretty much always in their music, so it feels pretty natural. And, additionally, at this time, Black Sabbath was an incredible band, and they really kept it up for like 6 albums. Ozzy was of course the face here, a distinct voice and presence to latch onto, and the ground zero for the metal frontman. Tony Iommi's style honestly sounds fully formed, his riffs are huge, his solos are distinct and awesome, and he locks in very well with the rhythm section. Speaking of which: Bill Ward brought a lot of the jazz here, I honestly think he may be kind of an underrated drummer, his fills are like insane here. And Geezer Butler, holding it down on bass, adds some real thickness to this sound, and is one of the most influential bass players in the genre's history for good reason. The only songs I haven't mentioned yet are the suites. Wasp/Behind The Wall of Sleep/Bassically/NIB has some of the album's greatest moments on it. Behind The Wall of sleep is classic Sabbath, but the real attraction here is bassically into NIB. Geezer Butler shines on Bassically, laying down a sick bass solo before dropping *seamlessly* into NIB, which has like the best bassline in metal. And good thing too, because the song is like 75% bassline by weight. And this album closes with A Bit Of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning, which is also fantastic. The intro here sees Sabbath playing around with their sound palette a little, and the rest of this track can stand with the best of them. Of particular note is the guitar solo, which lets Iommi just tear it up for an extended period of time, and it really showcases his unique talents as a guitarist. This is just fantastic, and frankly it's incredible that this manages to be this good while writing the rulebook for heavy metal. This album truly stands alone among music at the time, and it shows why we are still talking about Sabbath today. RIP Ozzy, you will be missed.

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.

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.

Just a little bit weaker then paranoid. But still amazing rip ozzy

Heavy. Lots of Cream sound

5/10

Great album. More bluesy than one might expect.

It's a 4 star but I couldn't give it any less than 5 on the day after Ozzy's death. This is the album that started it all. The legend.

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.

Just not my thing at all.

Iconic. RIP Ozzy.

Solid album. Good, but not the best that Sabbath had to offer

A Black Sabbath Album one Day after the death of Ozzy Osbourne? Is that a coincident or did the Prince Of Darkness himself send this to me? RIP Ozzy!

At the youthful age of 14 I hadn't quite figured out who I was or what I liked. I do know that I was a blue jeans, black concert tee and flannel shirt wearing freshman in high school who hung out with other kids I probably shouldn't have. We did typical stuff like smoke dope, sneak off campus for lunch, and on weekends we would go to the battle of the bands at the local roller rink. Our music was druggy stuff like The Doors and, of course, heavy metal. Even then I didn't really care much for heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and others who I wasn't even interested enough in to learn or remember their names. But then there was Black Sabbath. They were different than the others. Rather than playing a mile a minute, their songs were almost in slow motion, like moving through quicksand. They were dark and gloomy with the obligatory satanic imagery and drug references but they were also just so fucking cool. Ozzy had a voice like no other, Tony's SG played bluesy riffs and tasty runs and the solid rhythm section could power through anything. This I liked, and I listened. Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, all in heavy rotation - all on cassette of course.. But it was the first album that really got a hold of me, titled simply Black Sabbath. I mean, the opening track just crawls right out at you, the thunder and rain, the ringing bell and then that main riff kicks in, slow and steady, Ozzy sets an eerie and ominous scene and it's moving like sludge - until it isn't. Tony kicks in and things start to get a little crazy and then holy shit that ending just floors me. I think that this is the probably the finest overall collection of songs they released. I can certainly do without "Iron Man" and even "Paranoid" but "The Wizard" is just a killer tune that I don't know if they ever matched again. I guess they recorded this in a single day, virtually live in studio, and I think that immediacy and intimacy comes through and makes this a landmark recording, and the start of a whole new genre of music. An essential album for sure. On a sad note, everyone doing this challenge got a Black Sabbath album today if they still had one unrated. Of course this was to honor the passing of Ozzy Osbourne who passed on July 22 at the age of 76. I know his health wasn't good so it brings me joy to know that he got to do the big final concert just a few weeks back. They never made anyone else like Ozzy, am not sure the world could hold more than one.

Actually not THAT interesting. It’s bluesy and hard rocky but also lacks focus and is a little bland

First two Sabbath albums are pretty much perfection. On the self-titled here, you can hear the blues, the rock, and even a little bit of progressive rock. All of the musicians involved were musical geniuses. The atmosphere in this album is like no other, and I don't think anyone else could capture it this well. I don't go back often to this album, but I genuinly love it. Especially the opening track. Rest in peace, Ozzy.

Amazing album, I listened to this yesterday just as I heard Ozzie passed, it’s such a shame. Amazing art, it’s wild to think they knew how to be this heavy back in 1970. Inventing the genre, being a bunch of practically 18-year-olds coming up with music like this is amazing. I’m excited to listen to the entire stretch of their catalog, This is an easy, five stars.

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,

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

The greatest.

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.

First of all RIP Ozzy, the world lost the GOAT. I can’t imagine hearing this album in 1970, that would have been absolutely wild. The sludginess of Geezer’s bass is amazing, Tony Iommi’s Riffs are unstoppable, this album is the first true metal album and is a masterpiece.

I saw them at Hammersmith Odeon in London 1977 as part of their Technical Ecstasy tour. My friend who I went with was so overboard with the band that it put me right off them. I did enjoy some of their music quietly by myself, though I don't like heavy metal in general. I think that this 1001 album generator is not so random, why else would this come up on the news of Ozzy's passing. RIP mate, respect.

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.

Again, not a random generator. RIP Ozzy. Not my personal favorite Sabbath album, however, gets bonus points for introducing such a groundbreaking and influential heavy sound that has been imitated for over 50 years, spawning several rock sub-genres. The influence of this band, album and sound cannot be overstated - and it all started here.

Recorded in one day back on the 16th of October 1969 Black Sabbath's S/T debut album was unarguably the birth of Heavy Metal and as such one of the most important albums ever recorded. I want to say so much more but I know there is absolutely nothing that I can say that hasn't been seen better endless times. So, I'll ramble on a little and then finish getting ready for Comic Con in San Diego. The album cover art to Black Sabbath's debut album used to scare me silly as a kid. That yellow witch just standing there made me turn me head anytime I saw her in my dad's record room. I still find it very unsettling at 23. I think I always will. Few album covers have ever fit the music within so perfectly. I got to see Black Sabbath twice with my dad in 2013 and 2016 both times they were great & played 3 or 4 songs from the debut album. Yes, I have the best dad in the world. Out of well over 100 concerts/shows that I have attended (a big chunk of them with my dad) I enjoyed Black Sabbath as much as The Who (my favorite band after The Beatles) and almost as much as The Rolling Stones just last year in Las Vegas who were on absolute fire. What a great album on a great label (Vertigo Records) if you have any interest whatsoever in hard rock/heavy metal you need this album. You should also check out other bands on Vertigo Records. There are better Heavy Metal albums (by Black Sabbath themselves and a few others) but none are more important than the one with the scary yellow witch on the cover.

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 😔🤘

A classic and I respect it. Rest in peace Ozzy.

What is this that stands before me? Why, it's nothing less than the birth of heavy metal! The Beatles had yet to release their last album, Britain still used non-decimal currency, women couldn't vote in Switzerland and Black Sabbath went and did this. Obviously the whole album is necessary (although a bit formless and noodly, coming directly from their jam-heavy shows), but really everything I say here revolves around one song in particular - that opener. That tritone. That riff. That other riff. There are two periods in music - before Black Sabbath was released, and after. Favourite tracks: Black Sabbath, NIB, The Wizard

Excellent listen.

I didn't so much care for this either.

Tell me this generator isn't randomized.

Less hard than I thought it would be. Interesting. I can see how the harder subgenres flowed out of this.

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.

The day this album showed up for me was 23rd July 2025. The day after Ozzy died. Quite fitting coincidences. The album is also really good.

A true classic. So well done.

So somebody has flicked the switch on the day of Ozzy's death and everyone has a Sabbath album to listen to. A nice touch. I've been a little lax with 5's recently and this is my third Black Sabbath album, the other two both getting a 5. If I was to be ultra critical I don't think this is quite up there with Paranoid and Vol 4. However how can I give a debut album of this quality, and an album which gave birth to a whole new genre of music a mere 4? I can't.

Today is the day after Ozzy died and 18 days after his final show. A million bands owe their existence to this album.

Fitting…

Okay.

Really cool and innovative for heavy metal. Really enjoyable. R.I.P to Ozzy Osbourne as well. 4 stars

RIP Ozzy 💔

Das Debütalbum der britischen Band Black Sabbath wurde im Oktober und November 1969 in den Regent Sound Studios und den Island Studios in London aufgenommen. Die vierköpfige Gruppe, bestehend aus Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler und Bill Ward, gilt als Mitbegründer des Heavy Metal. Musikalisch bewegt sich das Album zwischen Blues-Rock, Doom und Hard Rock. Charakteristisch sind die tief gestimmten Gitarrenriffs, langsamen Tempi und düsteren Klangbilder. Der eröffnende Titelsong „Black Sabbath“ gilt als stilprägend, insbesondere durch den Einsatz des Tritonus-Intervalls. Weitere bekannte Stücke wie „N.I.B.“, „The Wizard“ oder „Behind the Wall of Sleep“ zeigen den Einfluss von Blues, ergänzt durch eine zunehmend dunkle Klangsprache. Das Album markiert einen Übergang von britischem Bluesrock hin zu einer härteren, schwereren Ausdrucksform. Aus heutiger Sicht lässt sich darin eine frühe Form des Heavy Metal erkennen. Die Produktion ist eher roh gehalten, was der Atmosphäre zugutekommt. Das Album zeigt eine stilistische Eigenständigkeit und eine klare künstlerische Ausrichtung. Es ist weniger auf virtuose Spieltechnik als auf Stimmung und Struktur angelegt. Auch wenn es noch hörbar in der Rocktradition der späten 1960er Jahre verwurzelt ist, wirkt es durch seine Themenwahl und Klangästhetik ungewöhnlich und in Teilen vorausweisend. „You can’t kill rock’n’roll – it’s here to stay.“ Ozzy, Ruhe in Frieden und mach’s laut da drüben!

Rock icon

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!

I imagine it was inevitable that this album would appear today, and I suppose many people found this as their album of the day. As it happens, on hearing of Ozzy's passing, I had started a Sabbath deep dive, something I do every couple of years. It took me a long time to get Black Sabbath. In the late '70s, a friend put together a heavy rock mix tape with "Iron Man" and "Paranoid" on it, and I liked them, but the first Black Sabbath record I bought was Heaven and Hell, on which Ronnie James Dio sang. I heard the Live At Last record which was put out to compete with H&H and it wasn't good, and I therefore considered early Sabbath as monolithic and relatively monotonous. What did I know? "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath from Black Sabbath started a new genre. It would be difficult today to find a metal band who didn't owe at least something, even indirectly, to Sabbath. They were responsible for the creation of Heavy Metal, even if they were not trying to. They took the heavy blues of Cream, jazz influences (especially in Bill Ward's drumming and Tony Iommi's guitar. They were heavier than anything else, primarily due to the great riffs, particularly in Geezer Butler's bass doubling Iommi's guitar. They were progressive and inventive, much more than they were given credit for. Sabbath would make better albums. My favourite varies depending on where I am; Masters of Reality if I am in a Doom Metal mode, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or Sabotage if I'm feeling spacey and proggy. But this is where it started and, if you don't know the band, this is where you should start. And Ozzy Osbourne was a singular and unusual talent. The number of band's who turned out for his, and Sabbath's last hurrah, planned as such but now irreversible, pays testament to his, and their, influence. RIP.

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

Not much to say, Great record, 5 stars, RIP Ozzy

Pretty much defined what heavy metal should be. I know a lot of bands came before that were like proto heavy metal, but Sabbath did it right and scared the crap out of hippies. Gotta love them for that. I type this with a heavy heart as Ozzy Osbourne passed away yesterday, July 22rd 2025 and I think everyone got this album on their list if they had not rated it already. I love it. Great album, the beginning of a really solid run of amazing albums from Sabbath. RIP Ozzy.

Overall: 10/10 Well, this is a big one for a lot of reasons. First of all, this is the first metal album ever. Sure, there were songs in the past that had similar vibes and elements of what would become metal, but this was the first full album that really captured this dark and doomy tone thag would go on to define metal. You couldn't ask for a perfect pairing of killer riffs, chunky low ends, the most amazing jazz inspired drumming you'll ever hear and wailing, awesome vocals. Speaking of the vocals, the reason this album came up in the generator today is because Ozzy Osbourne, that awesome vocalist, died yesterday. It's truly something a lot of us knew would happen someday, but it almost doesn't feel real. Realistically, the fact that he even made it to 76 years old is almost a miracle considering his hard lifestyle. He just always seemed like one of those celebrities that would never die. RIP Ozzman. One other thing: the drumming in The Wizard blows me away every single time I hear it and I can't believe a human being came up with it. Incredible stuff from the endlessly underrated Bill Ward. Fav Song: The Wizard Least Fav Song: Sleeping Village

Didn’t mind this, RIP Ozzy

What an debut album this is btw. Riffs a plenty, big drums, big vocals. RIP Ozzy! 🥰

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

RIP Prince of Darkness

100/10. Oh, my...this will be exceptionally painful to review. Today is 23 July, 2025. Yesterday was 22 July, 2025. Yesterday, the metal died. 22 July, 2025 started off oddly. I overslept, and I woke up past noon. The air in my bedroom was dry, and I only gained the ability to speak until around one hour after waking up. For breakfast, I had my usual serving of scrambled eggs on sourdough bread, and a cup of black coffee. After enjoying my breakfast, I decided to go watch the Eurovision Song Contest 1999. Over the course of several weeks, I've been re-watching every single Eurovision Song Contest in chronological order, because I plan on ranking every single Eurovision song from my favourite one, to my least-favourite one. I started with the first competition from 1956, and every day, I would watch the proceeding competition. Yesterday, it was my turn to watch the 1999 competition. So far, my favourite entry is the Slovakian entry from 1994 (Nekonečná pieseň - Tublatanka). Anyway, I watched the performances of all of the entries from 1999's Eurovision Song Contest. During interval acts, I usually multitask, since I usually find them a bit boring on their own. I decided to open Reddit, and get my daily dose of news. I wanted to check out some of the latest news regarding Black Sabbath, which is one of my favourite bands. Immediately, I read something that I believe was along the lines of "In honour of Ozzy Osbourne, what are your favourite songs of his?". I was a bit confused. A couple of weeks prior, Ozzy Osbourne got honoured at a final concert. Then, I saw another post about Ozzy Osbourne's memory. I thought to myself: "He's not dead, is he?". Then, I saw an absolutely dreadful headline. It's a headline that I hoped that I would never have to read. "Ozzy Osbourne, dead at 76". In that moment, I immediately began screaming. Then, the screaming turned into sobbing. It felt as if my heart sank to the floor. My soul hurt. Every centimetre in my body was shaking. I was numb. I felt broken. I sobbed like a baby. I locked the doors to my room. In a manic state of mind, I messaged some of my friends. I couldn't type coherently. I was in a massive state of shock. Some of my friends were concerned for me because of how horribly I was taking the news of Ozzy Osbourne's passing. I have never met Ozzy Osbourne. However, he meant a lot to me. I am a huge fan of his music. Black Sabbath is one of my absolute favourite bands. I love Ozzy Osbourne more than I love my own father. Ozzy Osbourne is one of my absolute favourite solo artists. To me, and to tens/hundreds of millions of people, Ozzy Osbourne is a hero, a legend, an idol, and the one and only Prince of Darkness. He is the face of heavy metal music. Nobody was ever like him. Nobody is like him. Nobody will ever be like him. There was only one Ozzy Osbourne, and there will only ever be one Ozzy Osbourne. I wanted to believe that Ozzy Osbourne would never die. I knew that he was not in good health, but I wanted to believe that he would truly never die. At the beginning of the year, I pleaded for him to survive 2025. When Garth Hudson died, and while I was mourning his death, one of my friends told me that this was a sign that Ozzy Osbourne would survive 2025. I prayed that his words would age well. I thought to myself: "If somebody must die in 2025, please do not let it be Ozzy Osbourne". Ozzy Osbourne died before 2026. I am extremely grateful that I got to watch Ozzy Osbourne get inducted into the "Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame". I wanted to watch "Back to the Beginning", but I didn't want to spend $30 on tickets to watch the event live. Anyway, the fact that that event happened is a true miracle. Initially, I lied to my Mama about why I was crying when she asked me why I was crying so hard. I told her that one of my online games accidentally got deleted. She then tried to make me feel better, and said something along the following lines: "It's okay. You can bring it back, can't you? Worse things can get deleted. For example, people die.". Then, I thought to myself: "Oh, crud.". This was a case of somebody dying. Eventually, Mama read the news of Ozzy Osbourne's death herself, and she asked me if I heard the news. Then, I confessed to her that I had been lying about the reason why I cried. Luckily, she wasn't upset with me. I ate some food to stop feeling so hungry, but my stomach was still shaking, and it felt empty. I felt empty. I spent the day listening to Ozzy Osbourne's music, and sobbing. Even when one of my peers performed an Ozzy Osbourne impression, I began crying. I don't know if I've ever cried as many times in a single day before. Perhaps the last time I've cried this much was when I was a baby. I've lost count of how many times I've sobbed today. I'm mad at the world for letting Ozzy Osbourne go. I'm also grateful that the world gave him a chance at all. Everything reminds me of Ozzy Osbourne. No death has ever impacted me the way that Ozzy Osbourne's death has. Ozzy Osbourne conquered music. Ozzy Osbourne even conquered reality television. Now, the world feels silent. It feels like everybody, from die-hard Black Sabbath fans, to people who only knew Ozzy Osbourne for being a long-haired man who once bit the head off of a bat. I do not feel okay with the fact that the world is just going to carry on without Ozzy Osbourne. I'm apparently supposed to accept that an enigmatic force that's been blazing for half a century is now gone. If Bob Dylan, Phil Collins, or Peter Gabriel die before the year ends, I might have an actual heart attack. The effect that Ozzy Osbourne's death has on the world of metal music is like the effect that Michael Jackson's death had on the world of pop music. I suppose that now, the Prince of Darkness has been crowned the King of Darkness. I'm glad that I was able to learn about him, and listen to his music while he was still alive. Ronnie James Dio died when I was still a toddler. Wow...I am still in so much shock right now. Sorry for writing numerous paragraphs in mourning. Anyway, I have yet to talk about the music in Black Sabbath's self-titled album. Black Sabbath's debut album is truly exceptional, and has gone down in history as one of the greatest, and most important albums of all time. Black Sabbath single-handedly invented metal music. Without this album, there would be no Metallica, Iron Maiden, or Judas Priest. I am eternally grateful for this album's existence. The bell sounds at the beginning of the title track probably make everybody get chills. Absolutely groundbreaking. All 39 minutes and 23 seconds of this masterpiece deserve the utmost praise. Every song is brilliant. Every note feels like it's in the right place. Long live metal music. Thank you, Ozzy Osbourne. You may be gone, but you will never be forgotten. Thank you. Mulțumesc. Merci. Tak. We love you. 🖤🪦🕊️🤘🏻🩶

A very solid early metal album. Not cheesy, great instrumentals and Ozzy had a great voice 😥 enjoyed a fair bit. 4/5

The first metal album, and still one of the best. A perfect masterpiece. RIP Ozzy!

Meh-tal.

The album that began it all for hard rock/heavy metal and it still holds up.

Excellent but they have better

Poetic justice, the first album after Ozzy passes is his first album. RIP Ozzy.

Not completely finished but birth of a genre. Rest in power

-1 star for being recognizably an inspiration for Spinal Tap.

As soon as I learnt of Ozzy’s death I wondered if there would be another tribute selection on here as there was for Brian Wilson. I had my own tribute last night but went for Paranoid and Master of Reality instead of this as I have always considered them the best two Sabbath albums and still do even after giving this album a listen in memory of Ozzy. It’s odd how Ozzy has gripped the Nation’s and even half the world’s attention as he was far from a good role model. But he had a great and one of the most distinctive rock voices and this will be his legacy. He ended up being a national treasure and will always be so. Would be crass to criticise this album on this day. Suffice to say I listened today with a smile on my face and if any album does that it deserves 5 stars. 5/5 23/7/25

RIP :(

What a surreal coincidence—spinning Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut just a day after Ozzy Osbourne’s passing. RIP to a true icon. I’m not usually drawn to heavy metal, but I’ve always appreciated Sabbath’s influence. Listening to this album, it’s easy to see why it's often credited as the birth of heavy metal. In 1970, this was the heaviest, darkest sound the world had heard—and it still hits hard today. Tony Iommi’s guitar work is especially striking. The riff on The Wizard is phenomenal—bluesy, menacing, and brimming with attitude. Favourite tracks: N.I.B. and The Wizard—both absolute standouts. Least favourite: Honestly, there isn’t a weak track here. Album artwork: Haunting, eerie, and perfectly aligned with the music’s ominous tone—I love it

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

So great. Love those first four albums so much. What a legend Ozzy was!

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

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

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.

sentiment aside (RIP Ozzy) this isn't that great an album, most tracks sound the same and whilst distinctive his voice grates.

🤘

7-24-25 date of rating. Not sure if it was coincidence or not but Ozzy died 7-22-25. I gave vol. 4 a five star but I don’t feel this album is it’s equal but this album is still great. Probably honestly maybe a very solid 4/4.5 but for the Dark Prince.

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

The title track gives me chills. The imagery Ozzy is able to evoke is unlike no other. Rest in peace to a legend and the godfather of metal. Special should out to Tony lommi and Bill Ward. The lead guitar and drums on this album are fantastic.

The start of a genre. An utter masterpiece. RIP Ozzy, rest well the eternal Prince of Darkness

classic album r I p Ozzie

Ozzy wailing "Oh no, no, please, God, help me" brought an entire genre into being. Taking the blues rock power trio formula of the 60s UK bands and slowing it down, sludging it up, deepening the riffs, magnifying the latent sense of the menace and terror, Black Sabbath create an incredible feeling of ominous doom, of bleak despair, and black magic, capturing the folk horror affect flittering around the margins of late industrial civilzation. Ozzy and Tony Iommi get a lot of recognition, but listenting to this I'm struck by the power of Geezer Butler (who has to be in the bass pantheon with John Entwhistle, Jack Bruce, and John Paul Jones) - just pure thunder coming off his fingers as these basslines rumble down.

One time, in an attempt to curb his excesses, Sharon bought Ozzy some chickens to look after. Perhaps unsurprisingly Ozzy soon tired of this and decided to get rid of them the best way he could. That way was to set fire to the coop, and then as the flaming chickens attempted to escape he stabbed them with a samurai sword. His neighbour at the time spotted the legendary Prince of Darkness standing in a flaming wreck, samurai sword in hand and surrounded by the corpses of smouldering chickens, and delivered perhaps the most British line ever: “Back from touring I see, John. Unwinding, are we?” 666 out of 13 - would stab flaming chickens with a sword again.

RIP Ozzy

I think we've all been given these today because of Ozzy passing, and it does somewhat skew my opinion of it, but this is really great. I had to do a double bill with Paraonoid afterwards. Hard to believe they came out mere months apart.

Really really enjoyable and fun. Amazing guitar. ITS THE PRINCE OF FUKIN' DAKNESS

It’s heavy. Almost a 5 star album. But I’ve heard the next few albums and they are better.

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.

Gutta krutt med gutta krutt. På vei til å finne toppform. Vippes opp til øverste hylle pga NIB. 4,6/5

Quite an appropriate album given Ozzy's recent passing. Man, the roots of metal are STRONG here. Crunchy bass, killer riffs, occult themes, and non-stop rocking. This is required listening for all metal heads. The Wizard, NIB, Wicked World, Sleeping Village. Awesome tracks. You need this in your life today. My Rating: 5/5

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

First things first, RIP Ozzy. Absolutely wild coincidence that I just got this album. But second things second, this album is pretty damn good. You open with Black Sabbath, a fitting first track to the band’s discography, both humorously and thematically. I mean, the start to this track is spooky as hell. The bells and thunder really set the mood. And man what a mood it is. Since the beginning, Black Sabbath were masterclasses in crafting this bubbling tension and holding that tension for minutes on end. Yet there is payoff, and when it comes, it’s sweet. On many of their songs, you’ll find a slow, methodical, haunting melody that holds you in your chair for perhaps minutes before hell finally raises in the most epic guitar solo you’ll ever hear. And let’s talk about those solos. Obviously, they’re amazing. The riffs are on point. And the nonchalant noodling on tracks like Wicked World gives no wonder to how Black Sabbath was such a breakout success. This is not just a band that prides itself on talent instrumentally (though the drums, singing, guitar, and HOLY SHIT WHAT A BASS SOLO are spectacular) but also care for the medium. They were pushing the envelope since it started being used. They took the heavy noise that Led Zeppelin pioneered, as well as their excessive Tolkien references, and pushed it far beyond what anyone saw possible, at least for that period. You got these visceral screams from Ozzy that fill you with dread, multi-part songs that keep you engaged in a way only Black Sabbath can do, and overlapping guitar solos that have you questioning the limits of rock. It’s almost as if you step into the recording studio with Ozzy and the gang, seeing their genius at work and their aptitude for exceeding any and all expectations. Also one last note: that harmonica (I think) on The Wizard is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard. Might be the best usage of harmonica in any song ever. And so with that I’ll conclude. Though they really perfected their sound on later projects like Paranoid and Master of Reality, that doesn’t negate the fact that this record slams. It is the perfect debut for Black Sabbath and their long reign of metal prowess. May their legacy never pass. RIP Ozzy miss ya already.

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

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.

Hell yes… I think this is my fav from them and of course it hit hard as hell today!! RIP!

I absolutely love the atmospheric of this SOB

new revelation just dropped: maybe black sabbath is my fav band...

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

#651. A pretty fantastic debut album. And not just a beginning for them, but also for a genre that I still spend the bulk of my time listening to. This album isn't particularly short, but it ends with you wanting more. It could easily have been 2 or 3 times longer without any complaints from me. 5/5: perfect.

Early heavy metal

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!

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.

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

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.

Great album. Enjoyed every second of it. RIP prince of darkness.

Absolutely epic.

Rest in peace the king of darkness. What's there to say that hasn't been said? This early album was extremely formative of not only Black Sabbath and Ozzy's career but the trajectory of the genre as a whole. The impression left will be forever felt and I cannot express enough how deeply he'll be missed.

It’s super tough to review this album the day after Ozzy’s death without getting all sentimental. Honestly, I’d never heard a full Black Sabbath album before, just their iconic songs, and I dug it so much. The first track (kind of like Black Sabbath³) sets up a whole atmosphere so slow it’d have TikTok kids skipping ahead before anything else. This is one of those records I’ll replay again and again, and I feel awful I didn’t get to it sooner.

Whose been in my room And taken my beers From my room Rip

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.

if i liked lord of the rings i would probably enjoy this...

um lmao! you know! not my style!

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.

😭😭😭😭

"Big black shape with eyes of fire, tellin' people their desire. Satan's sittin' there, he's smilin', watches those flames get higher and higher. Oh, no, no, please, God, help me." USA 2025 Listened to B4? Yes Tracks Already Saved on Spotify: All Standout Tracks: Black Sabbath, The Wizard, N.I.B. (91/100)

NEVER SAY DIE!

Wow. Fitting today since Ozzy died yesterday (RIP). First album from them also one of their best. Terrific.

Great riffage. First 2 tracks are especially awesome.

Very, very silly.

This album changed my world. My pop bought it for me on cassette tape in 1996 after he took me to see the movie Heavy Metal. Never heard anything like this before and it blew my mind. Every band I was in high school covered Sabbath songs after that. This album is absolutely perfect.

I mean, the album that kicked off a legendary run

The fucking bomb. The album that started a legend.

Un clásico pero no de mis favs

No podía ser otro día el que pongan black Sabbath 🥹. Por desgracia ninguno de sus álbumes es mejor que paranoid pero como álbum debut está top. Ole ellos por sacar un álbum con 6 minutos por canción de media N.I.B guitarraza constante, warning igual tremendos solos

is metal just not my thing??

Moody. Fun to hear this for the first time. RIP, Ozzy!

RIP 🤘

Perfect album

Favorite: N.I.B

Not as good as some of their other outputs but not bad at all.

Not as good as Paranoid imo.