Reviews (page 9 of 16)
Had never heard their debut before; the blues roots are a bit more evident and it's not quite the classic that the follow ups were, but still mostly great stuff.
yeah. groundbreaking and a great way to kick off the metal genre.
Awesome.
A sludgy dark rock album that totally rocks. At only 5 songs, it's a lean album. Sounds like nothing else from it's time. I like Vol 4 better, but a great introduction to Black Sabbath.
loved: N.I.B. sleeping village warning wicked world
Sabbath rules. Who knew? Not me. The band and their propulsive, driving hard rock sounds great. Ozzy is a bit nasally but his voice soars with and complements the tunes. It’s awesome to hear the foundation of hard rock and metal being laid. Black Sabbath ran so that Metallica could fly.
i think i loved!
Never listened to this before, but I enjoyed their sound a lot.
The blueprint for the metal genre. Iommi, Butler, Ward, and Osborne This album is a statement and an incredibly strong debut.
I really don't know why I've never listened through this - as I love the 2nd album Paranoid. It's really good 4 stars to Paranoids 5. Just the bands dynamic - the drums, bass and guitar riffs make an incredible combo. That said I lost interest during the last long B-side track and no track is as good as War Pigs on Paranoid .. so 4.
I like this, but don’t really see it as all that revolutionary. Is it that far from Led Zeppelin or Cream or Jimi Hendrix? They’re just being much more overt about the demonic stuff as far as I can tell. About that demonic stuff: why were people searching high and low to make out that bands were into devil worship? “If you play it backward it kind of sounds like…” These lads put it front and centre - clear as midnight. No mystery about that at all. I’ve recently had a couple of Led Zep albums and a CCR and asked for a happy medium between the two. This does sort of hit a nice middle ground between the dark heavy stress of LZ and the clear and predictable chunks of CCR. Maybe Sabbath’s second album is their masterpiece and this was just kicking the doors open for that?
Riktigt bra, har inte sett varför metal måste bli mer mörkt och skrikande än så här detta är perfekt balanserat mer än så här överdriv
It's hilarious that this music was once considered evil and scary. It's a great album though, I always forget how much it kinda sounds like traditional bluesy rock.
Excellent listening experience, lovely dive I took into the Black Sabbath origin story lore. Full of bangers though not as iconic as some of their other work. Overall very pleasant listening and hype as all hell.
Interesting, thought I was going to like this one more.
Cool shit! I like the vibes and the vocals 👉👉
Dark punk rock
Went pretty great honestly! I don't think I ever would have specifically gone to listen to this without 1001 albums but it had some phenomenal riffs and fills - I'm impressed! Still nkg the biggest fan of the whole occult atmosphere but overall it's really good!
Can’t believe how much I enjoyed this. Not has “hard” as I expected it to be. Never would have tried it.
More Sabbath? Already? Yay! Hard to deny the impact of this album. The dawn of heavy metal. Even more amazing is the fact that this entire album was recorded live in 12 hours.
I loved it
Loved it! Haven't heard any of these songs before.
Come for the rage, stay for the guitar solos. Good garage music.
N.I.B. is a banger
Kinda dug this more than I would have expected, and must've had a Sabbath streak at some point as most of the songs were familiar to me.
Banger!
- Not really a metal album, but I still enjoyed it for a debut album - That tritone at the start was a real game-changer though, and I sometimes wonder what Metal music would be like today, if not for that - The Warning is such a great song, I would listen to that all again for that song - Some songs were a little dull for me, but I liked their experimentation throughout the album, there was some funk feels even
No arguments here. It's not Sabbath's best album by any stretch, but it established their sound and its influence is undeniable. It's crazy how brief this version linked to is, with just 6 songs and clocking in under 30 minutes (the 2014 remaster has 7 songs, delivering a more full album experience). Half of those songs remain among the best the band ever recorded ("Black Sabbath", "The Wizard", and "NIB") and have long been personal favorites. Metal wouldn't be what it is without this album, so it deserves respect and attention. I know they recorded better albums though, which keeps me from rating this one higher.
I'm the Prince of **********ing Darkness!! 4.
I can't imagine how mind blowing it must have been to stick this on your record player in 1970.
I love the doom metal opening on this album; one of the main types of metal that I still listen to so sick to hear such an early example of it. Then the wizard was always my favourite Sabbath track as a youth. There's a great fresh natural nearly-live sound on this album (apparently it was recorded in one day) that makes it so easy to listen to and enjoy. I really like Warning as the ending track, it stands out as a little different to what came before, with more blues rock than the rest and the great extended jam.
Best: NIB Worst: Liked songs: 100%, 6/6 Strong 4 Love the sound, especially the guitar. I thought i didn't like ozzy's voice before because I really hadn't heard much black sabbath, and I still don't love it, but it's growing on me. Crazy that the album came out in 1970, does NOT feel like it. I don't think it's long enough to warrant a 5/5, especially since it's sub half hour. Two or three more solid tracks and i think it could get there. Still a really good record.
Yeah good! Not as good as Paranoid but certainly listenable
One song in and the guitar got vibrato. Production on this project is pretty great. Didn’t even realize this was “metal” until I read the reviews. Shows how much I know about metal or rock for that matter. Good project tho! Guitars were tantalizing. 3.5/5
First metal album and it delivers almost perfectly
"Black Sabbath" is the debut album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It is considered the first true heavy metal album. The album was produced by Rodger Bain and was recorded in a single 12-hour session and had very few overdubs. Black Sabbath is Ozzy Osbourne (lead vocals, harmonica), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums). The album received generally negative reviews upon its release but reappraisals cite it as one of the greatest and most influential heavy metal albums of all time. Commercially, it was a success hitting #8 in the UK and #23 in the US. Rain, thunder and bells ringing open the the self-titled "Black Sabbath." Iommi's frightening guitar riff and ozzy's eerie vocals. Plodding drums but it builds. The song takes off as Iommi gets a reverbing-echoing guitar sound. The song is about waking up from a nightmare. Ozzy rocks the harmonica in "The Wizzard." The band gets a start-stop-start dynamic going especially the drums. Iommi riffs and Ozzy harmonica. A song about Lord of the Ring's Gandalf. The wah-wah riff and Ozzy's "Oh Yeah" begin "N.I.B." Multple guitar solos. The song was named after Bill Ward's goatee and is told from Lucifer's point of view as he falls in love with woman. The band covers the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation's "The Warning." It's bluesy, grungy. They really stretch this out with drum and guitar solos, pace changes and extended jams. Sludgy, grungy, dirty, heavy and stoner are all good descriptors of this. Heavy on the Tony Iommi riffs. Ozzy vocals are seething and searing. I do hear some of the Cream comparisons and there is a fair bit of extensive jamming and some filler. But, this is a classic, a defining album and they would continue to expand this sound, hell, within the same year. Horns up people!
Superunknown sin rating var ment her
Fucker veldig med slutten av intro sangen, men ikke så veldig starten. Har aldri vært noe særlig fan av Ozzy Osbourne sin stemme. Han kan passe veldig bra på noen sanger, men ikke alltid. Veldig kult valg å ha et munnspill på The Wizard, har alltid syntes at det er et undervurdert instrument, men beste sangen er nok N.I.B. Skjønner veldig godt at det har blitt en klassiker, det er jo så ulikt alt annet på den tiden. Men jeg har litt det samme problemet her som på Paranoid, det kan bli litt tynt og utdatert. Men synes allikevel det er mange gode ideer og at det har hatt en stor innvirkning på musikk som kom etter. Black Sabbath - 4/4.5
Classic sabbath, great album
For some reason black sabbath was one of the metal bands i didn't listen to as much of when i was young. Feels like a mistake
Los PADRES del Metal.
Metal like you would play at a Halloween party. Really dark.
Favorite Track: Black Sabbath
black sabbath is one of the artists this list has really helped me get into the most
This was so much more interesting than The Osbournes made me think it would be- super gothy and Victorian in places, and really great blues throughout. Another album that I had preconceived ideas about, which I thought I wouldn’t enjoy. I loved the blues elements mixed with really crunchy rock guitar- if Black Sabbath is the origin of metal that doesn’t necessarily make me think I’d like to listen to more metal, but I definitely need to take a look back at blues. I really enjoyed the fantasy songs and lyrics on The Wizard, and even in N.I.B., which sounds at first like a love song and then abstracts into something cultish and fantastical- he’s the devil! Evil Woman was funky but felt a bit like it was telling a story from a Thomas Hardy novel in context with the rest of the album. Musically, I loved the weird sproinging noises on Sleeping Village, and I loved the album opening with a rainy village soundscape, then falling into clangy guitars and bells tolling doom. It felt like the album could quite easily be stripped of guitars to something simpler and folky/bluesy, but they definitely add a lot- squealing and grime. So many of the riffs were really memorable and felt totally epic. Cannot believe how much I liked this. I put it on several times just while I was pottering about the house and felt like a powerful witch. So fun.
Ozzy es amor.
I quite enjoyed this. It is considered the Father of Metal music. I was fascinated when listening slowly that it had such a heavy blues and jazz connection. I was very lucky to have this one on Vinyl in my house.
The birth of metal sounded a lot different than you'd think. By today's standards, this almost plays like a Cream album with a little more teeth.
awesome
Near classic.
Super solid.
really liked this. thought it holds up super well
Solider Hardrock mit starken Riffs. Meine Favoriten sind “Sleeping Village” ( Geheimtipp) und “Wicked World”. Es ist auf jeden Fall zu empfehlen, wenn mal Hard sein soll.
Surprisingly good. I enjoyed this one. Put it on the 4 side of 3.5.
This is OK and still holds up pretty well after 50 years plus. I've never been a fan of Ozzy's voice particularly, but I can live with it in reasonably small quantities. The drive and style of this mean that it's really not a problem here. Half decent and I'd listen again for sure.
First impressions are that this is a heavy blues album. The band has a great sound, I’ve always been a sucker for that heavy sounding 70’s drumming. Vocally, not much to praise about. Ozzy isn’t off key at any point but he more or less talks and low range yells throughout this . The more harmonious Ozzy won’t come until much later. Lyrically this won’t win any competitions but that really isn’t the goal here. This is good and it’s only 5 songs. I could have sworn I was 12 songs deep. As long as you like blues infused rock from the 70’s you are good to go here. I’ll be returning for more now that I know Ozzy and the boys aren’t really devil worshipers. Choice cut: The Wizard…
The best thing to come out of an industrial accident!
Lots of great stuff but feels like the back part is padded out a bit.
4/5. Great dynamics between guitar and bass. I also liked the medley structure.
General impression: this is awesome Detailed review: Kind of similar to my review thoughts on Ambient 1 - it’s crazy that the album that basically invented the new genre (heavy metal in this case) is still such a great example of that genre. It’s clearly more like heavy blues-rock, but all the touchstones of metal are right there. Deeper thoughts (context): Score: 4.2 Number of albums left to review: 950 Number of albums from the list I’d consider “must-listens”: 30 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 21
7/10 D.I.B
7/10
Muddy, silly, heavy, sloppy, awesome! Who could not love this?
Cool riffs, full sound. Pretty enjoyable throughout. Liked this one much better than vol. 4.
Interesting. I have never listened to it. It seems a lot more blues oriented that from Paranoid onward.
Black Sabbath
One of the best debut albums ever, as well as one of the most important albums in the history of metal. However, not the best in the sabbath catalogue.
BELLO BELLO BELLO. MI PIACCIONO I BLACK SABBATHHHHHHHH!! Carico, mixed, interesting, just beautiful
I didn't expect to care about this album at all. Much better than I expected. 4/5
Absolutely amazing the only low point is weirdly Ozzys vocals
Harmonica. Wicked bass lines. Jazzy timing. Mouth harp. I enjoyed this way more than I expected. My first impression of Ozzy was from his reality show on MTV. The rock scene in the 70s was pretty incredible.
so much better than their cheesy reputation
The title track is 4 or 5 stars but the rest of the album didn’t quite live up to the promise - I mostly only like slower doom metal rather than the loud shouty kind. Between a 3 and a 4 but going with my first instinct.
The only Black Sabbath album I’ve ever listened to was Paranoid, and I thoroughly loved it, so I was excited to get this one. And it did not disappoint. I had Metallica Master of Puppets yesterday, but Black Sabbath album has exactly what I was looking for, but missing, on Master of Puppets - some damn heart and soul. Make it messy. Make it dark. Make it sexy. Ozzy gets it. MoP was so uptight - honestly not sure why people like it. But this is a Black Sabbath review, so enough about that. I read this album was almost entirely recorded in a single day and released on Friday the 13th. Everything about this album is perfectly suited to be the starting point for Black Sabbath and all associated lore. Really enjoyed it. 4/5 Highlights: Black Sabbath The Wizard
Groundbreaking for its time, really enjoyable listen
Very dark, cool to hear where some bands that I liked got this from, such as AIC, Metallica, and Slayer. Awesome early metal album.
The riffs on this album are great, except for (funnily enough) the riff on the most popular track here, N.I.B., which is too simple to prop up such a lengthy song. Any melody doubled between electric guitar and bass feels weighty and stadium-shaking, even if it's really only shaking a localised environment like your middle ear. But it gives off the impression of raw power. Led Zeppelin does the same thing, to equally great effect. The title track is excellent, almost a proto-doom-metal genre – which is pretty ballsy for a year where other hugely popular releases were Let It Be, All Things Must Pass, and Cosmo's Factory. (Very different to their contemporaries, is what I'm saying. And in the 60s and 70s, that was usually a good thing.) The Wizard, Evil Woman, and N.I.B. are all fun, energetic jam tracks set to rock-solid guitar hooks. Admittedly, a couple of the tracks are definite filler and are entirely kept afloat by the riffs. My favourite moment was listening to Black Sabbath on Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath. 4/5 Key tracks: Black Sabbath, The Wizard, Wicked World
Classic Sabbath.
A strong debut. Not a fan of how Ozzy sounds on most of these songs tho
Me parecieron interesantes los mezclas de estilos, no me esperaba los sonidos que habían, pero no logró mantener mi atención durante todo el álbum.
Kyllä tällainen kitara kelpaa. Ja basso!! Kaipaisin vain jotain kunnon hittiä, megakoukkua, jotta levy olisi täydellinen. Tunnelma ja kitara kuitenkin saavat täydet pisteet. Sopivaa nuorisolaismaisuutta.
Primer acercamiento a Black Sabbath en formato LP. Black Sabbath (1970) es el disco homónimo del conjunto de Birmingham y también el que muchos dicen responsable de dar el primer puntapié al género del Heavy Metal formalmente. Sin embargo, este disco es mucho más que eso. Así, durante casi 43 minutos de pura adrenalina los oyentes somos presentes del universo que construyen Ozzy y compañía, adornando estas increíbles composiciones de letras e interpretación que evocan una sensación de terror e intriga por lo que viene. Si tuviese que destacar algo que no haya sido de mi agrado tendría que mencionar que, en veces, el sonido Hard-rockero de este disco puede volverse un tanto monótono, detalle que se hace más presente bajo un par de canciones (las cuales no destacan como los puntos más altos de este trabajo). Pese a lo dicho, este es sin duda un disco que cambió para siempre el destino de la música como la conocemos hoy. Influyente como pocos y una gran introducción al género. FAVTRAXS: Black Sabbath, N.I.B, Sleeping Village, Warning LEASTFAV: Evil Woman, Don't Play Your Games With Me 3.5/5 (podría ser un 4/5 en la teoría)
Old school Metal, ein Wegbereiter dieses Album
very nice
Notable track: Black Sabbath
Reduced track list so only 28 mins. Vocals were a little underwhelming on some of the tracks but they were shredding. Low 4.
maybe its because I just listened to the birthday party, maybe its because this is fire, but I was rocking w/ this
Great early metal jam album
For this review, I am looking at the North American edition of the album, which swaps out the cover of Crow's "Evil Woman" with "Wicked World" in the standard tracklisting. After hearing Paranoid on this journey, I guess I'm back once to the album that proverbially rang in metal music as we know it. Starting with the pattering rain and the chiming of the bells followed by that iconic doom guitar riff to the title track, the mood of Black Sabbath's debut album settles into that sinister vibe. Indeed, this starts well with the title track and "The Wizard" which establish the doom-driven tone. Then I realized that the album could have been tighter in comparison. "Behind the Wall of Sleep" and "N.I.B." are strong songs individually, but a noodly bass solo from Geezer Butler loosely connects them. It's not badly played, but the songs should have been sequenced better. A similar case happens when linking "Sleeping Village" to their cover of The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation's "Warning" by Tony Iommi holding onto a single guitar note. Again, not bad but it could have been more meaningful. I only have this notion because I've listened to other Sabbath albums in the past, including again Paranoid recently, and the song compositions were more compact and got to the necessary beats than the slow-burn moments on their debut. It's still getting a solid recommendation from me, and it is worth seeking out if you haven't. Given the other Sabbath albums on this list and their discography, this debut holds a more historical significance.
I fucking love this album cover, it's the literal definition of "metal as fuck". Despite it being one of the most critically acclaimed debuts in heavy metal, I'm only now tapping into Black Sabbath's self-titled. I knew for certain that I would enjoy it though...and I did...a lot. It's super bluesy and less conventionally heavy which I expected considering it's a debut - It leans more into its hard-rock sounds. It's still unquestionably heavy at moments though like with those distorted guitar hits driving the insatiably groovy 'The Wizard'. And also that riff that comes in after the bass solo in that four-part song. 'N.I.B' particularly has one of the best final few seconds I've heard in a Sabbath song - it's so chaotic! I love that twinkling guitar solo on 'Wicked World' as well; it sounds well ahead of its time. Also, the drumming all over this record is top-notch, and the way the songs progress is so satisfying. It's weird - if it weren't for Iommi's aggressive down-tuning and other guitar sorceries, this would sound like many other hard-rock records. But a combination of those dark chords, this unsettling album cover, and Ozzy's hellish lyricism shifts it into those uncharted heavy metal territories of the time. If anything this album was a cool insight into Sabbath's slightly less-developed, albeit still incredible sound. They really are an incredible band.
yea this shit slapped
Short and sweet??
Absolutely iconic album and an enjoyable listen. Taken in the context of when it was released and the impact it had on music since then it deserves a 5. But as a standalone listen today, it's great but not perfect. There are a lot of fantastic ideas on here but they're not really developed fully.
GOSTEI DEMAIS
Black Sabbath 4.5 The Wizard 4.4 Behind the Wall of Sleep 4 N.I.B. 4 Evil Woman 3.7 Sleeping Village 3.6 Warning (The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation cover) 3.7 Score: 3.985714286
Mmmmm yummy sticky fudgy newly invented metal with a smattering of Ozzy on the harmonica. Get in ma belly. Top tracks: NIB cool solo
A great album from this influential artist. Some great riffs and vocals, but maybe lacking some killer tracks that appear on later albums.
Excellent! Seminal.
chill and understandable
fuck yeah
Класс! Когда-то эта музыка считалась тяжёлой :))
4 maybe 5
The love song of Lucifer is seductive, and it's not until you're under its thumb that you understand who your lover truly is. The seduction does not stop at the Prince of Darkness though but extends to the evilness of women, as well. The metal is all so smooth, so comforting, like a warm blanket. An album to wrap yourself up in, but you've been warned...
The title track is a slow burn, doomy and heavy until the tempo picks up at the end. Hell of an entrance. The Wizard is built around bluesy harmonica and heavy riffing. The guitar tone is insane considering this is 1970. The punishing riffs continue into the long multi-parter next. There's a great bass part about halfway through and then some surprisingly melodic harmonies and soloing on N.I.B. Wicked World is again focused on drilling the bass riffs into your brain. Another multi-part suite to close and it really starts to chug along two thirds of the way through. Geezer Butler's bass is again stealing the show for me. Then we have a bit of a rambling collection of solos but it does come together for one last set of riffs and vocals. As influential as this is, it's also extremely listenable in its own right. I'm not giving 5 stars only because I know there's several albums of theirs I'd reach for first, but it's close.
it's a bit hard for me to give this a rating consciously because over a half of this album is basically in my genetic material now, i can't give an unbiased judgement but the final track is the real highlight holy shit
Great debut album. The follow-up to this album was insanely good. This also has great songs and is a good record.
This was better than I expected and my recent harder listening habits have made Black Sabbath more tolerable to me. Easily a 4
The opening of this album is like an entire genre (Heavy Metal) kicking in the door and announcing it's birth to the world. The harmonica in The Wizard serves as a reminder that Black Sabbath was, at its core, a heavy blues band. This is an easy 4 for me. It would be a 5, but it loses steam with the final suite/medley (A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning).
First time ever listening to a full Sabbath album, and I only know some of their later songs (War Pigs 🤘) - gonna give it to Ozzy and the boys today (especially since my more recent hard rock selections have either been Aerosmith or nu-metal which are considerably less to my taste).
con mia somma sorpresa, mi è piaciuto veramente tanto. ma davvero, sono sinceramente scioccata da quanto mi sia piaciuto. quattro stelle senza pensarci un secondo e senza mezza remora. (magari mi sbaglio, ma lo scrivo nel caso qualcuno voglia darmi ragione o insultarmi, ma le chitarre in NIB mi ricordano il riff di Cocaine di Eric Clapton. vi prego qualcuno mi dica se mi sto facendo pure io di cocaina o se c'è un fondo di verità, grazie)
triple title is crazy work 3.5
I'm rating this for its impact at the time of release and not necessary its listening value today. Now-a-days this record is pretty tame and definitely not what the average person would consider metal to be but at the time of release this was probably the heaviest thing a lot of people had ever heard. I personally didn't enjoy this album as much as I thought I would but I can't in good conscience give this less than a 4.
rlly thought black sabbath did metal
This album is a great example of what Black Sabbath does well, but also has some elements that I wished Black Sabbath did more of in their later albums, like the harmonica on the second track (if I remember correctly). Ozzy's vocals are not his best, but given it was their debut album, this is no surprise. Overall, I really enjoyed this album. Would recommend.
I’ll give it a begrudging four but I’m getting SICK of these WEIRD BRITISH WHITE GUYS singing about EMO SHIT!!!! WHERE IS THE FUCKING JAZZ ON THIS LIST
Good not the goodest
Younger me is kicking myself for not listening to more Sabbath sooner.
Cool, auch wenn es schon alt ist
I forgot or didn't realize how skilled the bass parts are. Also guitar. Lyrics too corny for me but I can see how influential. Really good if not my usual cup of tea.
Classic
ja best wel nice
A classical album of hard rock with all the atmosphere you would need. I still think the album could've been less bluesy and more prog rock in some parts.
More harmonica and tambourine than expected. A psychedelic rock record that gets heavy in places. Ozzy could sing! but this record benefits from long instrumental stretches.
Top
Not quite my vibe, but had a good time listening to the album. Kind of a quiet album, as in you get what you hear. Maybe clean would be a better way to put it. I remember someone in my family played The Wizard all the time in the car, so it was nice to remember those times. Standouts: Black Sabbath, The Wizard, N.I.B., and Wicked World.
Always liked Black Sabbath
Groupe connu que j'adore ! Album fondateur d'un nouveau style de musique. Je l'ai découvert bien plus tard, après mon premier contact avec le hard rock/métal (AC/DC) dans les années 80. Je pense que c'était avec le Live Evil, avec RJ Dio. A la même époque j'avais découvert aussi Speak of the Devil live d'Ozzy reprenant les morceaux de Black Sabbath ... mais j'ai préféré Live Evil. Tout ça pour dire que Heaven and Hell et Mob Rules sont mes 2 albums préférés de Sabbath (pas dans la liste :-(, et que j'en ai aucun avec Ozzy, même si je les ai tous écoutés rétrospectivement. Je vais réparer ce manque dès aujourd'hui et me le procurer. J'ai bien aimé redécouvrir cet album, mais je ne lui met donc pas la note max. =>4.5/5
Pretty listenable, but first metal album? I think Led Zepp beat them to it
Man this album holds up! I’ve never listened to the whole thing before but have heard some songs. It’s crazy how heavy this album is, like it’s the first true metal album and they just showed everyone how it’s done. Some of the songs are Zeppelin-esque, but most are very much their own sound.
I thought we'd had this already, lol. I must have researched it at an earlier stage, when I was more interested in the story of metal. Little did I know how much nuanced detail we'd be covering it in! Well, I'm glad it exists I suppose (not as glad as Jack Black though). Extra star for Midlands.
Local heroes; impossible to be impartial. That said, this was still WAY more listenable than the one Deep Purple I could bring myself to sit through.
Really enjoyed it. When it ripped, it ripped.
Really enjoyed the album. The Wizard was my favourite track
consistente e foi o blueprint ne pai
Sonically, I prefer the metal that came after to the metal that started it all. But there is no doubt that Black Sabbath gave us all permission to be spooky with this album and for that they are legendary.
4.25
Not as good as Paranoid but still good
THE BEST. Not their best record but a damn great record.
Decent metal vibes, could hear inspiration for early Queen
The weird little man sure does make good music.
Hell yeah this album rocks
Man, that guitar work is enthralling. The last few moments of Black Sabbath make up for the slow pace of the rest of the song. I got this mental image of a metal cage suspended by a chain, surrounded by claustrophobic stone walls and descending into an abyss. I'm feeling some fantasy elements here. I think it's because of how dank and fuzzy the bass is. The intro to N. I. B. reminds me of Sunshine of Your Love.
So cool. Apparently recorded in a day. Interesting in that you can see all the influence and history and still see them doing something entirely new. I like the big/merge/into eachother tracks.
None of the major hits but liked the sound
Much better than anticipated. Loved the long song with massive guitar solos. Best Song: Black Sabbath
What a great album. Historically would have rated this 5 stars but now rating it closer to 4 stars for the following reasons — The remastering of this and other early Sabbath albums are not as balanced as those versions I bought in the 80’s. Ozzy’s vocals are soooooo forward and amped compared to the rest of the band, like he’s a good +15dB louder. Plus there’s something in the high mids or 2k-6kHz that’s ice picky, and I’m playing through tube stereos that have a little roll-off in the high end. I have to turn down the volume when he sings. It’s like Iommi, Geezer, and Ward are his backing band. This is the Rhino version that was just released (2024). Not sure if this is a Sharon thing to make it all about Ozzy, since my 2016 version of Masters of Reality is the same. Whereas, when I play my copies from the 80’s, Ozzy’s vocals are sitting in with the band better and everything is more balanced. I know it’s the trend right now to have vocals extra prominent and forward for a radio mix, but this isn’t Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, or The Voice TV show. As a result, I would advise others to check out earlier versions of this album where the vocals are not so hyped.
Never really listened to much Black Sabbath. I think the avatar of Ozzie always put me off. But I enjoyed this and obviously sets up everything to come.
Pure concentrated heavy metal \m/
Historic and influential album, though Sabbath’s best work came in the next few. Deep, heavy, sludgy riffs with a stellar rhythm section and Ozzy’s dark and mystical lyrics propel this album along. No really weak tracks, but none that propel to the heights of songs from Paranoid and Master of Reality. A strong start to an critical band along the ascent to their peak.
solid album
I wouldn't put this in my top three Black Sabbath albums, and on it's own, I'd give it 3 and 1/2 stars and round down. But given it's historical significance and place in time, I'll round up.
I can't imagine how it must have felt hearing that opening track in 1970. The fact that it still sounds so heavy and terrifying now is remarkable. Not every track is a banger, however, and while Tony Iommi is a legend, his lead skills are not enough to sustain the indulgent solos on the penultimate track. A very enjoyable listen. Sabbath laid the foundations of metal, and for that reason this album definitely deserves a spot on the list.
Habe lange keinen Rock mehr gehört, daher dachte ich mir das Album wäre sicher nichts für mich. Hat mich dann aber positiv überrascht. Auch wenn ich dadurch wsl nicht mehr Rock hören werde, war es trotzdem mal wieder eine sehr angenehme Abwechslung.
a tad boring on first listen. more interesting when you listen in depth.
Great listen on Halloween. 4/5
Superior to Paranoid in a lot of ways...
This is a great album, and anyone who likes metal or hard rock definitely needs to check it out, along with pretty much everything else from Black Sabbath. While it’s hard for me to get super excited about this album since I grew up hearing Black Sabbath in the background, making it feel like old news, I don’t want to discredit the band or their immense influence on the music industry.
This may be a nostalgia thing, but I enjoy this album quite a bit. That low, grungy doom sound is one of my favorite vibes on an album.
Pioneers of occult music.
Punchy, doomy in parts, drums sounding more like a jazz kit than MONSTER BOOMERS. Iommi has a singular timing - nobody sounds like him
Vol. 4 didn't impress me, but this one did. I completely understand why Black Sabbath became a big deal following this debut. The title track is moody and atmospheric and just sounds sinister in a way that you don't really get. The rest of the album doesn't strike as hard as the beginning, but it maintains really high quality.
Classic black heavy metal from which so many things were born. From hell itself indeed.
This was so much fun!
Amazing this came out in 1970, it was such a hard turn from the peace and love era. Great album.
Man, I like this album. Somehow more than I did 30 years ago.
Pretty solid debut album, the songs and riffs tend to stick in your head
First listen of this album, but I generally like Black Sabbath. It's a privilege to listen to genre defining records, and I can only imagine what it must have been like to hear this for the first time in 1970.
has cool elements but its a bit heavy for me and also the guys voice is a bit whiny. but the guitar i love
I must have enjoyed this one - 3 straight listens on repeat. Classic Sabbath that I hadn't heard before, not sure why. Proper bostin'
Iommi is a monster and absolutely makes this album. Can’t believe it’s taken me so long to hear this one but great album !!!
Vibey
So good. So dark. It's such a consistent album. Each member brings it.
It's alright, the guitar is good but overall it's kinda missing something for me
Grjóthart. NIB er svo mikið nostalgíulag hjá ungum rokkSel. Fáránlega áhrifamikið sound sem var bara aðeins meira black and heavy en það sem var í boði á þessum tíma.
A total classic, amazing to hear the start of one of my favourite bands. Weird I've listened to so many of their other albums, and I loved 13 so much – and yet had never heard the one that kicked it all off. Thematically, of course, you can hear the influences of Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin but the sound is like nothing else. This is the start of heavy metal. I loved this, and I'll definitely listent to it again. Not Paranoid, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or Master of Reality – the best three of theirs – but still a great album.
I mean this in the best possible way: This is a cute album. Really dreamy sound with fuzzy guitars and some cheesy pagan spice.
This was fun, dark, ethereal Sabbath. A healthy dose of satan in every riff.
Black Sabbath The Wizard
Remember when ozzy Osborne ate a bat
If I were a 12 year old in 1970 I would have been really annoying about this album
classic
Good album. Must listen for Rick/metal fans
First of all, the first song of the first album and the name of the band all share the same name. Confidence. At the 4:40 mark of the song “Black Sabbath” the riff-pattern that Coheed and Cambria has written many songs with emerges and is truly exciting, followed by a ripping solo. I love Sabbath, but I didn’t love the harmonica sound levels on the second song. I wish this had been a longer album.
Surprisingly enjoyed
Sludgy metal goodness, N.I.N probs has my favourite bass solo on the intro too
Imagine what American christians initially thought about this satanic shit. British people in the other hand were probably like hehe heavy metal 🤘👀
one of the greats, there's nothing to be said that hasn't already been said about black sabbath. love you tony iommi
Great album that I’ve listened to for many years. N.i.b is a fantastic tune, also love warning. It would probably have 5 stars if it wasn’t for their album paranoid.
Bangers
91/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Some iconic songs on this album. Absolutely obvious now, but it's easy to see the foundation of metal being drawn out here. Gain-y guitars, dark lyrics, and at times a "creeping" rhythm.
This is so freakin charming... I mean, dark and TWISTED. The DEVIL BABY!
Awesome music! Lyrics a bit silly or haven’t aged well but the music kicks
YES.
The tritone to rule them all. Still heavy 50+ years after its release. Some lyrics come off as a bit silly but this is the template for all heavy metal that followed.
Nothing that came before Black Sabbath was like them, and they inspired everything that came after. Great songs, wish there was a tad more psychedelia to accompany these long solos
I thought this album was just fine until I looked at the release year. HOLY SHIT!!! 3 years after the summer of love and the same year The Beatles released Let It Be, Black Sabbath introduced the world to doom metal. Shortly after that in the same year as this debut album they put out one of the most iconic albums of all time with Paranoid. Black Sabbath was on a different level from the rest of the world at this time. I was thinking giving it a 3 at first, but I might bump it up to a 4 because of it's influence.
One of the greatest opening tracks of all time.
8/10. Very good. Easy to groove to. Instrumental was great but at times a little repetitive. The Wizard made the 5 ⭐️ list for me. Think it was my favorite song on the album.
Really makes you feel like you're starting a riot.
Favorite so far can't gi wring with old school oZY
Heavy 4/5
Epic hard rock album.. never been a massive fan of Black Sabbath but this one I’ll be playing again. Concise, and rocks all the way through. One of those albums that gets overshadowed by later releases but is great.
Not as thoroughly fantastic as paranoid, but still a fantastic and hellish listen.
p cool
elsker det her album, klar 4/5, måske endda 5/5 hvis man er sød.
Nr. 158/1001 Black Sabbath 3/5 The Wizard 4/5 Behind the Wall of Sleep 4/5 N.I.B. 4/5 Evil Woman 4/5 Sleeping Village 4/5 Warning 3/5 Wicked World 3/5 Average: 3,63 Though I like their later albums better, this is still a really good record.
Creepy woman album is good
Ground Breaking album that set the stage for metal to come. Enjoyable and iconic
This is definitely a great album, and anyone who likes metal or hard rock definitely needs to check out this album, and pretty much everything else from Black Sabbath. Anyways it’s hard for me to be super excited about this album on the flip side, because I grew up hearing Black Sabbath in the background, so it’s kind of old news for me, but I also don’t want to discredit them either, and the influence they’ve had in the music industry.
Oh yeah !
Agree with Spang’s logic. 4. Much blusier than I expected having only been familiar with Paranoid as my Sabbath baseline.
Don't know if this is a 3 or a 4, but it’s definitely 1 star less than Paranoid… so, I listened to Paranoid and gave it a 5. Guess this is a 4?
Black Sabbath off of Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath! This album has songs that are very Black Sabbathy! I dig it, personally.
A classic album that was part of my childhood
Nice listen
With hindsight, some people may look back at this debut and scoff at it for not being as good as Black Sabbath’s later works, but I believe you need to listen to albums in the context of when they were released. This was the first in a line of influential albums and it was also pioneering a new twist on blues-infused rock that would later be credited with starting the doom metal genre. It deserves respect even if it’s not perfect.
I like Black Sabbath the band. I like Black Sabbath the album. I do NOT like Black Sabbath the song; if you’re going to spend 4 minutes on the intro, you better be building to something really good! Thankfully, after that bad start, the album gets going with The Wizard and never looks back. The songs feels really consistent, like chapters of the same book (which may explain the long intro song), without getting boring or too repetitive. Though some of the guitar solos could’ve been shorter, or just better. Can’t say I enjoyed it as some of their later stuff, but a great listen if you skip the first song.
I have listened to Black Sabbath before, but never really listened to a full album in one sitting. When I looked at the tracks I didn't recognise any of them, but as the album went through I did start thinking, yeah I have heard this before somewhere. Solid album, will deffo go back and listen again
Sat in the theatre at work in the dark with this playing. Was great to hear soo much of the album that I would have missed otherwise. Some really interesting stuff happening, really enjoyed the vibe of most of it but has a few moments I got bored. Opened amazingly, the ambience got me right in it and loved the first song The Wizard lost me, really didn’t enjoy that Behind the Wall of Sleep I really enjoyed, the slight delay with the vocals between L+R was such a cool effect that enhanced the song NIB & Evil Woman were great Really liked Sleeping Village Warning didn’t justify its runtime for me but it wasn’t bad, I just felt it didn’t go anywhere.
i actually loved it not what i thought at all
Better than I could imagine, even though I've already listen a few songs of Sabbath :D
En ollut ennen kuunnellut. Nyt ymmärrän. Klassikko.
Whether it’s 100% accurate or not, it’s pretty cool to listen to an album that’s credited with starting an entirely new genre
The beginning of metal!
I'm going to be weird and give it 4. My scoring system makes no sense, and this is hugely influential, but it's not as good a record of songs as Paranoid. It's still great of course. Black Sabbath, NIB, Warning the obvious standouts.
I've only heard the "Paranoid" album. Hearing the first few notes from the title track, I wonder how much Spinal Tap took from this one. I didn't like how the songs seemed to medley into each other so much. And some of the lyrics are a bit naive ("Wicked World" in particular). But I can definitely see the progression from here to the next album, and songs like "Black Sabbath" to "War Pigs" and "Paranoid" in the next album. The drum work, has a very jazzy feel at times. Reminds me of how Bruford was in Yes in those early years. I keep meaning to listen to more of Sabbath, get the origins of metal. Hopefully it's more developed than some of the stuff on this. Maybe I was expecting more hearing "Paranoid" so many times. But this is indeed the first step. So keeping that in mind, I'll give it a 4 for being so revolutionary. Top tracks: "The Wizard," "N.I.B."
Ozzy’s distinct voice. Guitars. Melds together well. I like it but not a must own for me. Not something I’d seek out but can enjoy it.
The beginnings of Heavy Metal. Brummie brilliance
this was pretty neat and i had only heard N.I.B. before. black sabbath is a super cool introduction to this album and the wizard sounds like the blues version of cities on flame with rock and roll. N.I.B. was the only other one that really grabbed me but the overall sound was cool. hard to believe this is the first heavy metal album... from humble beginnings, right? favorites: black sabbath, the wizard, N.I.B.
I can see why it’s on the list and I appreciate it for its significance. It must have been utterly revolutionary when released in 1970 despite its roots in blues and other classic rock of the time - did I enjoy it? Yes, will I listen again? Maybe not for a while :) Good game Andy - fun!
I appreciate what they were going for and how this album was instrumental in inventing a new genre.
Early Sabbath was the soundtrack for those days spent with friends in a shed out back while restoring BMX bikes and trying to keep CLR off our hands. And while Paranoid and Masters of Reality probably spent heavier rotation in the tape deck, I remember quite a bit more of this than I realized. A decent debut with some weird touches. That harmonica and juice harp...
They could not have chosen a more sinister opening track or album cover to represent themselves in their debut. This album is an incredibly raw, impactful, and influential work. I love the low, deep vibes. N.I.B. Has always been one of my favs. 4/5
Lots of good songs. Black Sabbath, The Wizard and Warning. Not what I expected.
Always love returning to the roots of good music. Still sounds a little dated and Ozzy is Ozzy, but the music is fantastic. Top tracks: Black Sabbath, NIB, Evil Woman, Warning
Classic classic. Super short album, but very important. Good stuff.
own
Dark and stormy. It's the foundation for heavy metal to follow. A four will do as I am a bit more of a psychedelia rock fan but to most people this will easily be a 5 star album.
It's all here. The tone, the lyrics, the moral panic. This is arguably the first metal album, but I really was surprised by it actually sounding like a metal album. Of course metal would evolve, but the roots are here and they sound great. The harmonica was a little much though.
short album. honestly didn’t think this would be my cup of tea but ended up liking it way more than i thought. goes hard!
Not my style. I see the appeal.
Title track and NIB are highlights. Not as strong as Paranoid, but damn good.
A classic record for the ages. Typically not what I’d listen to regularly, and this was the first time I’ve listened to this record in full and it really has a great sound. Ozzy has an iconic voice and the music that accompanies is well harmonized and simply rocks. Really enjoy this one.
Pretty good album, a lot of quality and you can hear their style forming to what we know right now. It still lacks the firepower that comes later with amazing riffs and guitar solos. Even Ozzy's vocal is a bit underwhelming on this record. It takes time to achieve greatness, but this album is a good indicator of being on the right track.
Solid album but I like paranoid more
It's a vibe, but it's also kinda like metal Grateful Dead.
It's crazy to think how this was received in 1970. The heaviness and themes are common place now but in 1970 this would have been so very heavy.
First got me into metal despite it being a starkly different genre- at least through the contemporary metal perception. Solid and eternal.
If you build it they will come. Clearly the album that influenced so many future bands. This thing is so beautifully perfect in its imperfections. Tempo waivers, string drags, vocal cracks…and yet who cares. And the way it was recorded live from the floor makes it even more badass. Close to a 5 in my book.
Awesome album, terrifying album art. Loved this from start to finish, from riff to riff. The way they recorded this makes it feel like you’re listening to their live set. Just great, nearly a 5 for me.
Probably a good thing they didn’t stick to original name: The Polka Tulk Blues Band. Not quite the same ring. I wasn’t around at the time but I can imagine how different this felt to everything else at the time. And still relevant today. Shit, would love if something this came out now and set a path for the next gen of solid rock music! A solid 4.
God damn these licks are tasty! Thoroughly enjoyed this album. Rare case of me wishing an album was a bit longer. Easy 4* for me. Crazy that it was recorded in only 12 hours considering the influence on rock/metal. Good shit. 4.25/5
Just as I imagined this would be.
Black Sabbath isn't my usual jam, but I can see why this album is on the list.
Never heard this album in full before. often silly lyrics. one of very few bands that can have a silly song about wizards that's not a low point Black Sabbath knew how to make an awesome groove right out of the gate. The guitar and bass playing similar lines weaving in and out of time with each other is so cool. My biggest gripe is that this would be even better if it dropped some of the guitar solos. very impressive for something recorded in one day music: appreciated. (⌐■_■)
Endlessly funny that this is a document of some dopey British blues guys sort of accidentally inventing a genre. It rocks so hard. The line “without warning, a Wizard walks by” rocks so hard.
I could have done without the 25 jam but other than that this is a great album.
First impression: not sure if it's for me, I like a lot of the guitar but the singer's voice isn't my favorite Second listen: liked it a little more this time, probably wouldn't add it to a list of favorites but might give it a listen every once in a while. 3.5/5 stars
And the world was inflicted with both heavy metal and Ozzy Osbourne ever since.
Start of the album full of great songs and then the second half jam session got pretty boring
Black Sabbath's debut starts with the sound of church bells tolling in the rain. Atmospheric. It includes classic Sabbath riff fests such as N.I.B but also has prominent blues elements, particularly on Warning. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: N.I.B. Date listened: 03/02/24
Fun actually. Party and pot music.
Loved this for the most part, real rockin. Easy to jam out to, and some great riffs and vocals in there. Didn't feel the back end held up quite as much but still a really fun listen. Three and a half. Fave track: The Wizard
Really enjoyed this. Added a few tracks. 3.5-4/5
Great!
Hard Heavy Metal, kicking what was left of the 60s in the face. Like nothing you had heard before...
awesome start to metal even if its not usually my thing
Classic that changed the world.
Never really listened to Sabbath. It's a lot lighter than I expected. A lot slower paced. Grungy, grinding, bluesy rock. It's pretty good, standard rock, a little light on melody with it's own unique character.
The first metal album
Classic metal / heavy rock. Can hear the many influences to other albums to come in the future. Really liked the sound quality and rawness hearing the bass strings being plucked.
Ich mach das Review gfühlt mitere pistole ah mim chopf 😂 S Album isch ganz easy, ich han irgendwie nid viel dezue zsege. Es isch guet aber haut mich jetzt au nid so übertriebe us de socke wies gwüss anderi lüüt duet :D Ja irgendwo zwüsched 3-4 lieht da. Sones 3.7/5? Idk
My god I love Ozzy’s voice!!! Sounds so creepy cool. Love the haunting feeling to the songs. Also the crazy shit Apple Music has to say about Iommi. “When he was 17 years old, a young guitarist, born Frank Anthony Iommi, sliced the tips off two of his fingers while working at a sheet metal factory in Birmingham. The story goes that he was so determined to keep playing guitar, he fashioned prosthetic tips out of melted plastic bottles and detuned his guitar by a minor third because the looser strings were easier to play. ”
Buen sonido
This was a treat to listen to. Enjoyed each track, and of course, the Prince is awesome.
4/5 awesome album. Love the guitar, never listened to the first sabbath album. Just wish it was longer!
“They can put a man on the moon quite easy”
sorprendentemente me gustó.
SCC.
Good old Classic Metal Songs with Ozzy
Everytime I listen to Black Sabbath, I ask myself «Where did that come from?». After spending some time with this album, I do see how these four young musicians mixed their jazz and blues roots into something heavier than what the world had seen up to that point. It is, however, even clearer to see the influence they have had on what came after them. Brilliant album, that I listen to far too seldom.
feeling like a fool for not listening to this before now. love the theatricality. had me dancing
Cooley Album, rockig, aber auch nicht zu hart. Wohl das erste Heavy Metal Album.
Great album, I felt like one song started and blended right into the next.
Still a decent album, even if the song combos trend a little long for me.
great classic rock
Ozzy’s voice is extremely strong and the whole album has a depth I haven’t realized before.
Alfa metal. Great riffs, great vocals, great everything. Ez 4.5
Fantastic riffs. 4.5
Another classic. An easy listen with a bit of head banging.
Really good actually. Sounds like black sabbath. Muddy, grungy, loud. Like it a lot
I'll always have a soft spot for Black Sabbath, between Ozzy's rending vocals, Iommi's guitar lines, the trendsetting bass tone, and the tight drums from the guy whose name I never remember. The debut album isn't my favorite though, and I'm always waiting for the plodding title track to make it to the fantastic outro. N.I.B. is the noteworthy track for me, with one of the classic rock bass lines.
Los 10 minutos del tema 7 son pura magia.
Enjoyed the harmonica. Got a little repetitive. But I can see it's appeal.
Great album.
Instrumentally, it doesn’t quite get any more hardcore than this. Ozzy’s vocals fit in perfectly with the hard hitting drums, steady bass, and electrifying guitar. Everything meshes perfectly here and you have top tier talent in every facet. My problem is that with almost a forty minute run time made up of just five songs, you’re getting tracks that are unjustifiably long. They’re all epic, no doubt, but they could have toned it down just a notch with the guitar solos. 4/5
- Kannte ich nicht vorher nicht, da ich im Metal einfach meistens in der Core Abteilung unterwegs bin - gefiel mir aber sehr gut, echt eine starke Platte
Changed my whole perception of Black Sabbath! Enjoyed this far more than I expected 3.8
I enjoyed this one!