Black Sabbath

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

rest in peace ozzy :(

Kings of darkness🤘🎸

You already know it’s gotta be a 5. My favourite Sabbath album Edit Apr 22 2026: 5 --> 4

R.I.P. Ozzy! Although it feels odd to say it based on his commercial and artistic relationship with the occult. Still, considering all of his contributions to music, I do hope he finds real peace and eternal rest.

RIP ozzy

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Pretty solid, interesting early metal album.

Legendary.

3.86

Got this on the day of the Prince of Darkness' death, so safe travels. Regardless, his image as the darkest and heaviest versus how tame and standard rock this sounds today will never be not funny to me. Liked it quite okay.

The title track is probably my favorite Black Sabbath song, I love how eerie and dark it is. And the "Oh god please help me" line just feels so desperate. Sadly, I don't think the rest of the album really holds up that well. I think it is the weakest of their first 4 albums, a lot of the songs are just too bluesy and a little cheesy. I am glad they stuck with the darker themes on their future work. That being said, this is still a really good album, and I also enjoy N.I.B. a lot. I also like The Wizard for what it is despite sounding more like a Led Zeppelin track. RIP Ozzy. High 4.

Pretty good, surprisingly so. I never really realised that Black Sabbath are closer to Led Zep than Metallica. 3.8/5

My third favorite Black Sabbath albums of the three I have heard. Still a solid album just a bit below the bar set by the other two. Also getting this the day after Ozzy’s passing, the game is rigged. 7/10

The influence in helping start a genre makes it worthwhile to be on the list alone. What a moody album cover, it's awesome for the sound and vibe being so unique.

Doesn't feel like this one came up randomly. Today is July 23rd 2025. Okay it didn't. Great album cover. The Wizard was one of the earliest things I learned on the harmonica. It's a solid song. More of a blues feel overall. Bonus inclusion of the jaw harp. Everyone is doing a great job. Love the run time. I just feel Paranoid is a tighter album.

3.9 2x solid album all the way through. the day after ozzie died, i get this album. hmm (confirmed it was a manual push to all users).

RIP Ozzy I guess you can say high to Lucifer for reals. Paranoid is the better album, this one's ok.

It’s not my kind of music, but so glad I listened. It’s ground breaking and first of its kind. Ozzy’s voice is like a haunted party

This is my first full Black Sabbath album listen. I’m familiar with their hits, but not much else and wouldn’t say their music was my cup of tea. The musicianship on this album is incredible and Ozzy’s voice is otherworldly. I have a love-hate relationship with the lyrical content, which is why it wasn’t a five-star album for me.

Ok this cannot be a freaking coincidence. First Brian Wilson passes away and a Beach Boys album pops up. Now, Ozzy Osbourne passes away and a Black Sabbath album is up? This has to be on purpose. Not that I'm complaining. I am not a heavy metal fan per se but I do like some good rock and roll. I can appreciate why this album is such a banger.

Gewoon heel goed

Timely suggestion on yesterday's album. I've listened to this before, I like it a lot but not my favourite of their albums. Still really impressive for the era it released, plus the band still remains pretty unique.

4/8

Iconic. Classic. Almost impossible to truly judge based on how influential it was.

Great Album I love Toni Iomis riffs and Ozzys voice is bang on. It has stoofd the test of time and gives its own dark edge to Rock. A real classic album that everyone should listen too at least once. R.I.P the prince of Darkness Ozzy a true showman on and off the stage.

Getting this a day after Ozzy dies is wild. Or perhaps we all were assigned this? Who's to say.

I listened to this album like 5 times trying to have thoughts lol. I think the problem was the first half was so lackluster. But wow those last three tracks are solid. Vocals not a fave, but some really nice instrumental bits. So, I think that means a 4. Unfortunately this is also one of those albums that I would have loved at the time released but now can't listen to it without thinking of all the albums released since then that I'd rather be listening to now.

Classic 🤘 RIP Ozzy

Gotta give it at least a 4 star for style points and just overall iconic sounds. Ozzy was a master at his craft, will never be another artist like him.

Title track is great and hugely important. Did this the same day as Vol 4 on Ozzy's death, not quite as good as that one to me but it's up there. Just meanders a bit.

More interesting than some of the other stuff coming out around this time, music for the weirdos. That said, later Sabbath is just better. I don't want to call this dull, or that time has passed it by, but despite being more varied than contemporaries, it's not that...I'm struggling to find a word that's not "interesting", so I'll say it didn't grip me. Still a good album, though. RIP Ozzy, 55 years of being a cultural force.

Almost all metal is descended form this album

I get a kick out of how normal this sounds to me now vs. how it must have sounded to people when it was released. I really liked this one!

classic. not the best of the albums, but better than I remember

Interesting and innovative; good choice for today to mark Ozzy Osbourne‘s passing.

Along the same lines as my comments for the other Black Sabbath albums I've been served on this site, this was really good. In fairness, I was quite looking forward to this as the previous two albums were so much better than expected. Getting this album the day after Ozzy died is either (1) prophetic, or (2) a result of an algorithm - I'm going with (2).

Not my fav Black Sabbath album, but solid nonetheless.

RIP the Madman! Prince of Darkness. This one is killer, the first foray into metal. Not quite perfect but really damn close. The opening salvo is haunting as hell and an apt introduction to the band. The Wizard is one of the most badass stomping blues horror numbers ever (should have been on the Sinners soundtrack). Only knock is that the middle sections get a little too jammy. Split those songs up and drive em hard! But damn, this is badass

It's a little too random that this was given to me the day after Ozzy died. Are they fishing for higher stars? It's wild how this band came pretty much fully formed even by their first album in 1970!!?? It's great. I think their later albums were a bit more solid, but man this feels like it came out of nowhere. I mean the Beatles were still a band when this came out. Incredible.

The undisputed cornerstone of heavy metal. It is actually fascinating to discover how much of this album's musicality is actually built upon blues and jazz musicality. I love this album, but I still think the second half drags for too long. Solid four-and-a-half record.

RIP Ozzy Osbourne (1948 - 2025) I thought in honor of a legend, I would go back to a classic. I have heard this album before, but not in great details, however this is the birth of metal, so this is an important album. It's hard to believe this album is 55 years old, it still holds up so well. It's atmospheric and psychedelic, such a great album. I often forget just how good instrumentally this band was. I know people like to complain how evil and demonic bands like Black Sabbath were, but honestly it feels so camp and theatrical; there is a reason why this band is so recognisable and creative, they paved the way for so many different genres. Standouts: Black Sabbath, The Wizard, N.I.B., Warning

Sad to see Ozzy go. Nice album, not too heavy.

Fantastic. Heavy guitar and a groovy rhythm section. Ozzy's vocals on this are very good still, unlike on later records where I find it almost unbearable. I prefer this to Paranoid and it's not even close.

4.5

lite för långa jam-sessioner och ksk inte perfekt låtskrivande, dock en grym aura

Long live the Prince, and long live Black Sabbath.

Legendary

This cannot possibly be co-inky-dinkal. Brian Wilson departs, "Smile" spins up next in my list. Ozzy departs and THIS is next in my list. Hugely influential of course, without necessarily being the leading exponent of the art. If you'd spent the 60s listening to the Archies and Roy Orbision then WOW were you in for a shock

4.3/5 - Great album, moodier/more fun than I expected and way ahead of its time.

It was good, didn't really do too much for me personally other than a few moments that I really enjoyed. Standout track for me was N.I.B. This was my first metal album and I think it made it finally click for me, I'm going to check out more metal fore sure including black sabbath.

Not what I’m used to but a good start. Definitely love the guitar riffs and not super heavy metal which I like.

Very groovy, love the bass and guitar, not something I would typically listen to but quite nice.

Outstanding groundwork for a genre I’m not often a listener of. Simple but strong.

How could I have missed this album? It’s so good! I always thought Black Sabbath wasn’t for me. I was wrong.

Early OZZY. an absolutely classic.

great album. not something I normally listen to.

can be a snoozefest, but is generally nice to listen to

This is a super iconic album for obvious reasons so I need to give it respect. I'll be honest if I didn't know the backstory and this was just a random album I would be a little underwhelmed. All in all though this was an enjoyable listen. The drumming was very innovative and fun, and the bass+guitar were good. Weird that I'm getting this album right now RIP Ozzy

While not my personal favorite Sabbath album, it was crucial in creating metal. So its importance cannot be ignored.

Ozzy's voice is just amazing. Love the bluesy vibes. You can definitely hear the beginnings of heavy metal.

Fucking awesome timing with Ozzy having died yesterday… but honestly, a nice album, I really like „N.I.B.“ and „Black Sabbath“. „Warning“ is also cool I’d give it a 3,7 (rounded up to 4)

A timely album to listen to being it's a day after Ozzy's passing. The album that started it all for him and what a musical career he had! I never was a Black Sabbath or Ozzy fan. Although, I have come to appreciate his music and definitely get pumped up every time I hear "Crazy Train" at a football game.

Way better than I expected. Many of the songs were what I remembered being "proto" metal that I'm less interested in, but there was a lot more on the album that I genuinely enjoyed.

RIP Ozzy

This was my introduction to Black Sabbath in a more thorough sense. I had never heard anything other than the famous track Iron Man. The first chords of the opening song drew me in from the start and I realized there was a much more varied sound to Black Sabbath I had yet to discover. If anything, this album has edified for me why Ozzy Osborne is both celebrated and controversial. Truly an artist who paved his own path and lived life to the fullest. Black Sabbath is an album that hopefully sets the stage for much more transcendent music Black Sabbath library.

Wow. Strange this would come up now. 😞

Enjoy it!! Listened to this years ago when it first came out.

It’s all right but I’m not a big fan

Origins of Hard Rock! Loved it

Not bad

Rest in peace to the prince of darkness. Compared to contemporaries, I can see why metal was so groundbreaking back when this was released.

Its the beginning of metal sound.

RIP OZZY

RIP Ozzy! :( The album that started metal. Wow.

RIP Ozzy. Good album, some strong rock songs and some strong instrumental moments.

Gammal ozzy stenhård.

Ground breaking

Passend, dass mir das heute vorgeschlagen wird - pünktlich zum Tod von ozzy. Paranoid gefällt besser, aber kann man schon mal anmachen.

The album is so short? Only 5 songs and 39 minutes. I LOVE THE GUITAR. Ozzy has a really unique voice. I understand the hype.

RIP Ozzy. Good and hugely influential album even if it’s not close to paranoid or master of reality.

RIP. I was never the biggest Black Sabbath fan, but I enjoyed them

This one is pretty good. I like the flow of the album and like musically is good and interesting. Vocals fit perfectly.

Mostly good stuff, a couple of tracks that have meandering guitar solos that serve no purpose other than apparently to just drag the song out.

This isn’t my favorite Black Sabbath album but I do still like it!

Very rare do you get to listen to something and go “This is the genesis of a genre”.

Ungdomsminner. Holder seg fortsatt godt.

To be honest, this album was much better than I imagined! I had never listened to it before, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. RIP Ozzy

Groundbreaking for it's time, still good nowadays

Giving me this right after Ozzy dies is some kind of conspiracy

Just a damn good album. RIP Prince of Darkness.

Shocked, but I loved this!

Black Sabbath. the album values the instrumental passage as much as the vocal - love it. There's a kind of cohesion, sonic vision, depthful exploration within a sound that these 60s and early 70s albums have. It makes for a very dreamy listening experience. rip Ozzy Osbourne, a life of sound. Best tunes: black sabbath, the wized, n.i.b, evil woman warning

From today's perspective, the album is a 3.5/5. Still holding up, which is impressive given its age. But imagine listening to this in 1970. Some fuckers have just invented Heavy Metal and you are holding it in your hands, unaware that this will help to establish an entire culture.

Not my usual jam but I can get into the mood. The shows must have been sick. RIP

Prince of Darkness sets the stage for a new genre. The opening eponymous track (song, album and band name!) is iconic and opens a new world of music. The riff over the last minute and a half is stellar.

This was probably manually pushed today, in honor of Ozzy's passing. Black Sabbath was a very heavy band, a possibly bordering what I would normally enjoy, but I love their main hits, and their guitar solos are always great. Overall, not a bad album, although it doesn't have any of those hits that we've all heard of. I would say pretty nice and in honor of the Prince of Darkness himself - you will be remembered.

Fun album. Nothing stuck out like Crazy Train, but it was solid all the way through.

OK, a bit dated

Rip ozzy

MY NAME IS LUCIFER PLEASE TAKE MY HAND The instrumentals on a bit of finger are epic

I bought this on CD 20+ years ago, listened to it once, found it boring, and haven't touched it since. Now I think it kinda rules?

Ca commence très fort avec le premier son Il aurait pu aller chercher la cinquième étoile mais des sons qui ne se démarquent pas assez

The first half holds up to today’s standards. Incredible opening track, worth 4 stars alone for that.

RIP.

Forged the foundation along with Hendrix for so much heavy Pysch

this was rad... that opening song is perfect

RIP in hell ozzy!

A classic for a reason.

This shit rips. What else is there to say? It's a classic for a reason.

Very appropriate to review this week, stands up well. Wasn't really into them that much at the time, but they were pushing boundaries. Good to hear again as the whole album rather than the usual selected tracks.

8/10 While there are a few bands that can claim to have laid the foundations for metal, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple being the two most obvious others, I truly feel like Black Sabbath gave metal it's soul with this album. The opening ambience of the rain, thunder and tolling bell that build into a crashing, heavy riff that lands on that disturbing, unsettling tritone interval that wavers as it rings. The devil's interval indeed. It's just so atmospheric, evocative and as heavy as a tonne of bricks. Singing about wizards, figures in black, Lucifer and all of those themes that will forever be entwined with heavy metal, Sabbath kicked the doors down with this and it's impact has been monumental. From a musical point of view, the guitar and bass create such a heavy sound, and there are some really fantastic hooks and riffs across this, and Bill Ward's drumming just drives and rolls it all forward. And then you throw Ozzy over the top of it all. Ozzy was never a great technical singer, but he was the perfect singer for this band and the birth of this type of music. He sings like a possessed madman. I remember an interview where he said he only ever heard people singing at home when they were hammered, so that's how singing sounded to him, which kind of tracks. Trying to listen to this impartially the day after Ozzy left us is difficult, but the second half of the album does lose focus and drift a little bit. That first side though. Wow. It's hard to really state him much of an impact it had. Hard to know if I'm trying too hard to not let emotion get the better of me, but it doesn't quite hold it's level enough for it's duration to get as high a mark as it possibly deserves when looked at on it's own. Black Sabbath - This track is so evocative. It's simple, but it's all about the atmosphere and broiling sense of doom that it brings. And then, after the slow burn and dread of the first section, it just bursts into life. Great riffs, heavy sound and a twist of psychedelia. Phenomenal. The Wizard - An absolute classic. Iommi's riffs. Ward's beats. Even Ozzy's harmonica. It's heavy and driving with a unrepentant push and pull between that calm and the storm. Every player gets their turn here too. There's definitely a more bluesy edge to this, but it's still building the base for metal. If Black Sabbath (the song) brought the thematic tone, The Wizard brought the musicianship. Behind the Wall of Sleep - A very Led Zeppelin intro and altogether this is more bluesy. But it's still got that darker edge to it. Less iconic than the two openers, but it still rocks hard and has some fantastic riffs. N.I.B. - More of a psychedelic edge to this one, but it still has that weight to it and it absolutely rocks. They never hang around on a section for long so there's always a sense of driving momentum and the little accents and fills they drop in all over the place, even Ozzy's little "oh yeah!"s just add so much flavour. Evil Woman - Geezer Butler gets his mention here. He's anchored everything up until now, but is more prominent here. It's a more standard bluesy rocker really and is one of the album's weaker pure songs. It's still decent, but loses something of the weight and atmosphere of the album up to this point. Sleeping Village - The unsung hero, producer Rodger Bain, gets in on the act with the Jew's Harp to add some boingy flavour. There's plenty of atmosphere here, particularly in the opening, but it's less focused and gets a bit sloppy in places. It's a bit more of a jam track and again, it's not bad, just not quite up there with the earlier stuff. Warning - Again, there are some great bits and pieces in here. Some really heavy, sludgy, driving guitars and some dirty rolling bass lines, but it's a little unfocused. It reminds me a bit of Hawkwind, but without as much instrumentation going on through the middle section to hold the interest. Wicked World - This is more like it again. Heavy, driving and atmospheric with another edge of psychedelia. The vocal recording has issues from a production point of view. Sounds like he's clipping the mic levels. Other than that, a solid way to finish the album.

Snelle inhaal review #7: Zo grappig dat dit ooit het begin was van Heavy Metal. Gaat nog steeds hard daar niet van en rip Ozzy ofcourse, maar voelt relatief zo tam. Eigenlijk geen slecht nummer te bekennen, dus dat is verder geen kritiek ofzo

Ik had eigenlijk geen verwachtingen van Black Sabbath, maar werd toch wel positief verrast. Het doet me toch wel veel denken aan de inspiratie van de oude huisband gorified abomination die we vaak luisterden back in the day, do you remember 420-serge-it?). De afwisseling van ingetogen stukken met opzwepende gitaarstukken verkoopt het voor mij wel.

Solid

Very atmospheric and will produced album. RIP Ozzy

RIP OZ!

Just so good and this was their 1st album.

Another fresh and timeless classic - the opening track still sounds like all doom metal released 55 years later, riffs all over are gargantuan, drumming and basswork are excellent, and Ozzy is ... there Too much meandering in the final track for a 5 but it gets pretty close!

Rock

First song is great. Like a dark meditation and probably best song on album. I can see how people learning the guitar would love this stuff. Steady rocky riffs and when you overlay Ozzy you get instantly elevated to rock god. Few songs interlaced with some great guitar sections but ultimately the magic is when Ozzy comes in. Great voice and suits this church of rock / dark world style. Great stuff and RIP!

I was really glad to dive into this in tribute after Ozzy's death. This album rocks and it's influence alone bumps it up a level. I was surprised by the quality of his voice which cuts through the music perfectly but also the guitar performance which is fantastic. The distortion has a rich and nostalgic tone on the solos which put me in mind of Hendrix. I was starting to think that structure of some of the verses were perhaps a little simplistic, but then as a counterpoint there is the 10 minute rock epic of "Warning". I'm really getting into my metal at the moment and this was a great listen.

i rated paranoid a 5/5, and this was close - if anything, this excellent debut album could walk so paranoid could run.

This deserved another listen, but on first rip I liked it. The use of the bell in the first song was pretty dope. 4/5

Black Sabbath defined their sound early on in their career with this debut album. It took them a while to perfect it (which is why this isn't a five-start album for me), but the pieces are all there in an album that starts to lay out their sonic signatures (like the Devil's chord).

É um album bem anos 70, com as mesmas caracteristicas de outros álbuns da época, mas de alguma forma se destaca. Tem um diferencial. Não sei se é o vocal do Ozzy, ou a guitarra do Tony Iommi, ou algo além. Destaque para The Wizard, N.I.B e Warning

Black Sabbath isch hald wükli nie so Metal/Rockig wie mer immer s gfühl het.. het mer gfalle! 4 mal es "Rest in Pease"

This surprised me.

RIP, Ozzy

May have ozzy tinted glasses on but this was a great listen. Self titled into wizard was great and finished strong. Very listenable lengthy songs

Apparently yesterday was Black Sabbath day for everyone here. I've never listened to this album in full, pretty great =)

RIP OZZY.

What a wonderful rock album. Had not listened to this album of theirs before, but just as good as the albums to come. Rock at its finest! I'm so glad I finally got over my fear of Black Sabbath too.

Dude. Fucking AWESOME. Holy shit I loved it I think I like it better than paranoid. The third song is unbelievable. 4.5 for me

Most quintessential rock sound of all time? Might have to be sabbath for me. Only problem is I think as I get older I start to lose some love for the genre of rock as a whole… definitely an interesting development as I’ve moved out of my teenage years… but this album is awesome and reminds me of why I was obsessed with War Pigs when I was in middle school and HS. Fuckin awesome stuff.

Probably why Black Sabbath was as popular across rock genres. Masterful guitar licks and a cacophony of delight, melancholic dread, passionate adrenaline that helped define them as pioneering Metal superstars!

for not liking metal I'm surprised at how much I'm liking the Black Sabbath albums. RIP Ozzy

RIP Ozzy

I go back a long way with this one. RIP Ozzy.

Classic, the actual "birth" of metal as I understand it. Doesn't hit quite the same as some of their other efforts but impressive and fun to listen to all the same.

Surprised by this one. I'm not really a metal fan, but this is really the blueprint and I'm glad to hear Ozzy didn't really like the term Heavy Metal. He just considered it rock and I agree. It is heavier, but the basics are there and at times you can really hear the blues influence when you slow down the riffs.

For obvious (ozzvious?) reasons, I was listening to Ozzy more than I usually do. Guys, I think he’s pretty good. After the first three tracks (US version), I was contemplating 5 stars, but I think it settled into 4. Honestly, a relief. If I had to consider dethroning Paranoid as the best Black Sabbath album, I might spiral.

A nice tribute after Ozzy’s passing. Despite some of the evil references, overall the sound and guitar were impressive and enjoyable.

Really solid debut. Not as good as some of their later work but still really good. Guitar is phenomenal. RIP Ozzy

Ozzy and the boys debut is nothing short of greatness in essence. It challenged all anyone knew about rock and roll music at the time. Rode the tail end of the British blues rock wave and blew it up with TNT. High production value and well crafted rythmn sections lend to this albums added success. Its simplistic rock excellence and beauty. RIP Ozzy, Tony Iomi inspired a generation of musicians.

A note to all bands: 5-10 songs, less than 40 minutes. Bring your best, leave them wanting more. It always works, and it has rarely worked better than it does here.

First listen and much respect to all those who knew before. BenP <3

Diggar soundet. Inte riktigt lika mycket som förra dock. Men älskar att de kombinerar munspel och hårdrock. Funkade rätt bra tycker jag (iaf i the wizard). RIP Ozzy!

Den är förjävla bra den här skivan och i kombination med nostalgi och att den var så banbrytande så skulle jag egentligen vilja ge en femma, men det blir tyvärr ändå bara en fyra då den skulle behöva ett par till låtar i stil med N.I.B och Black sabbath för full pott. RIP Ozzy! ❤️

Ok, so this one has obviously been interjected here because of the passing of Ozzy Osborne. It is said that Black Sabbath invented heavy metal, and that after seeing a horror film of the time (I think it may have been Witchfinder General) they decided to play a style of music that frightened people, and the rest, as they say, is history. On listening to this eponymous album again, you can hear each of the instruments playing their own part as well as their unique combined sound. Which later versions, although brilliant, could not replicate without Ozzy's vocals. This album contains some iconic tracks including Black Sabbath itself and N.I.B. Though Warning and The Wizard are two of my personal favourites now we come to the important bit. It is without doubt an excellent album, but there is just something I just can't define that is preventing me from awarding it a 5. I mean it is a 4.8, but just not quite there for me, so 4 it is.

I don't believe in coincidences. The day after Ozzt's death? Are they trying to pull on my heartstrings and give this a high score and glowing appraisal? I have never had anything to do with Black Sabbath or Metal as a genre, so this could be a hard task for me. Turns out it was pretty good for what it was. The title track was a beast and the rest was better than I expected. But this stuff will never enter my rotation. As a one off it deserves a 4.

RIP Ozzy. This was good but not as good as Paranoid.

Better than expected

Every so often a group will come along with a debut album that is so unbelievably good, you can't help but wonder where the hell did these guys come from and can they keep it up? Well, this was a sign of things to come for as good as their opening act was, the albums that followed immediately, were even better. It was the dawning of a new sound, and it was spectacular!

Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath... Is this the one with Black Sabbath on it? Black Sabbath: Indeed, this is the album with Black Sabbath on it. Black Sabbath on Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath. This is really crazy! The guitar is so slow and gothic and melodramatic. The vocals are similarly intense. The tortured pleading really makes it feel like I'm listening to the top 40s in Hell. Then it speeds up and there's a bit of a guitar solo. Pretty cool. Pretty spooky mormon hell dream. The Wizard: This is a little more rock n roll and a little less oops-stumbled-into-a-vampire's-lair. Is that harmonica? Like the cowbell. Like the vocals. Pretty solid. Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B: Confused as to why this song has 4 different titles. I like Bassically the best. Anyways, the song itself does have a couple different vibes. Ozzy's vocals are remarkable and sort of perfect for this kind of music. The guitar is very cool. "My name is Lucifer, please take my hand," is a fun line. Wicked World: Really solid wow nice A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning: Another song that's WAY too long with way too many names. I guess that's the point. Like, every song title is probably an act of the song. But it's a lot for me. Very unique. And it's very good rock n roll. I wish they were separated into different songs. Gets into a good groove. Edit: Dude, he died 2 days after this review. RIP Ozzie hope I didn't have anything karmically to do with your death

Ei ollenkaan niin raskas kun muistin. täytyy ymmärtää et eka metal levy

The birth of heavy metal! Classic album.

Easy first album for me to rate!

FUUUUCK !!!!!! 8+

Influential, great, but not perfect.

I don't think I'd quite appreciated how Zeppelin, Sabbath are. This album was not as dark as I maybe expected and funking rocked basically.

The original metal album. Where it all started. Front loaded. Back half isn’t perfect but overall, solid stuff. Paranoid is better but this belongs in the book.

Not a criticism, but it's funny how many times you hear the pentatonic scale during some melody lines or guitar solos. Overall a pretty good album, a little unpolished, but not one I'll revisit. Not my favorite sound.

This is is an Iconic metal album. This was a starting point for a lot of metal and the tritone in the intro of Black sabbath was the start of the rumor that tritones were banned by the church and demonic(it wasn't). I have only heard black sabbath and N.I.B prior to this. It's very bluesy but i wouldn't say this is the strongest album. As a amateur guitarist i really love Iommis solos on allot of the songs but it can get a bit noodly at times.

Very fat

I was lucky enough to see Ozzy live a couple of times, both with Randy Rhodes on guitar but never saw Sabbath. I guess I won’t now as they’ve just played their last ever gig and are all geriatrics! This is a great album, dark, heavy and played with feeling. Musicianship is first class and always surprising.

It’s Black Sabbath 👍 4.5

Was super excited to get this one. Haven't listened to it in probably 20 years. It definitely holds up! My non-teenager brain can better handle longer songs now so I could get into it much more. I can also only imagine how novel and exciting this was back in 1970. Solid 9/10