Vol. 4

Great. I see how this influenced many genres since the release. Real rockin stuff

First song=very good, Second song a bit boring, i waited for the day it ended Third is so melancolic (that is not how you spell that word but idc) and pretty I LOVE IT!!! Fouth one is just like a filler episode i guess?? Btw im in a train and someone is moaning and the song and the moaning go well together 👍 i think black sabbath should think about this when they remaster the album :* they dont need to pay me for the idea just credit me Peta je brate motori motori vajb, hajmo dalje skip skip skip Kroz ostatak sam malo pretecala ali mi je laguna sunrise zapalo za uho i toeto sve u svemu ovo je zabavno hihi

pretty good! not necessarily my vibe but i can appreciate some great guitars

pretty ok. liked the instrumental

My kind of music. Epic jams. Saved a few songs from this one

Supernaut.

not their best by any means but Definity some good stuff.

Fine example of early hard rock.

Fuckin ripper

Solid album with many classics. Not sure if it's the best Sabbath album, but the songs hold up all these years later

It's okay, less exciting than I imagined it would be but still good. 5/10

Mehhhj

Wheels of Confusion - 8/10 Tomorrow's Dream - 8/10 Changes - 7/10 FX - 7/10 Supernaut - 9/10 Snowblind - 8/10 Cornucopia - 8/10 Laguna Sunrise - 8/10 St. Vitus' Dance - 8/10 Under the Sun/ Every Day Comes and Goes - 9/10 TOTAL - 80/100

Some surprisingly very grown up songs on here. Changes - Awesome. The rest a spectrum of slow drone to beauty.

Solid and musically varied. Dumb, dumb lyrics

God Damn! That is some dirty, crunchy metal. These guys were just pushing it harder than anyone else and Ozzy has most ethereal voice to carry this monolithic ecstasy into another dimension. Truly incredible. Supernaut and under the sun are magnificent.

Too patchy to be their best album but Supernaut is one of the best songs they ever recorded

Felt like this kinda lost steam

Pretty lit

Fugg da haters, this album is 5/5

Decent

I was expecting it to be death metal, but it was very enjoyable. Changes is an all time song.

I knew this album was going to be incredible and of course it was. Just a thrilling ride from start to finish, with belters for both the intro and outro. The sudden mood change for Changes made the song that much more impactful. This was a bit of me. Favourite: Wheels of Confusion & Under The Sun Least: Cornucopia, but only because I have to choose

Expérimental Rock tranquille Quelques balades sympas

Good album, a little too all the same-ish and homogeneous. Since exceptional songs (Changes).

Vol.4- black Sabbath 4/10 Id rather listen to paranoid. Wheels of confusion 3/10 Tomorrow's dream 4/10 Changes 8/10 FX n/a/10 Supernaut 5/10 Snowblind 7/10 Cornucopia 6/10 Laguna sunrise 2/10 St. Vitus dance 5/10 Under the sun 7/10

Nr. 14/1001 Wheels of Confusion 3/5 Tomorrow's Dream 4/5 Changes 5/5 FX NR Supernaut 4/5 Snowblind 4/5 Cornucopia 4/5 Laguna Sunrise 3/5 St. Vitus Dance 4/5 Under The Sun 3/5 Average: 3,78 What a great listen. I thought, aside of Led Zeppelin, I wasn't into Hard Rock/Metal. I'll have to change that now. This is so far my best rated album, taking over from Let It Bleed - Rolling Stones (3,55)

Black Sabbath is not exactly my piece of cake. "Changes" is a legendary song though, I enjoy it. I was also pleasantly surprised by "Laguna Sunrise", it doesn't sound like Black Sabbath at all. Otherwise, the album is alright, I can listen to it, but it does not evoke much emotion.

I’m going through changes

Meh

The epitome of freewheeling, magnitdutinal joy. The album has a loveable messiness that provides a great deal of character. A really exciting listen that is full of left turns and has stood the test of time, in all its coke-soaked, melt-your-face-off glory.

Another strong Black Sabbath album. Surprisingly tender at times, surprisingly experimental at times, all without losing its iconic hard/heavy rock feel.

Early Ozzy, shockingly good!

Supernaut was Frank Zappa's fav track. Snowblind was meant to be the original title but the record label did not want any controversy with naming an album with an obvious reference to drugs.

Nice simple old rock

10/10

If I was introduced to this earlier in my life I would’ve been into it. Was surprised by the variety of emotion and tempo across the songs, and I can see why the record is so acclaimed. I'd need to expand my tastes a little before I can imagine a context where this type of music would hit the spot. Very listenable, but sometimes the singing and rhyme schemes can be a little off-putting. 4.5/10

it was fine. more bluesy then I thought

Some nice songs but not my type of music.

Highlights: Wheels of Confusion, Tomorrow's Dream, Changes, Supernaut, Laguna Sunrise, Under The Sun/Every Day Comes And Goes Surprisingly varied songs for a first dive into their discography (aside from rock radio singles). I expected and got the typical heavy sludge riffs and jamming, but I never would've thought they were capable of "Changes" (no pun intended). The switchups in style are not unwelcome, but the sequencing makes for some whiplash; a different order would have made the album flow much better with less jarring tone changes.

sick, favs opening track and supernaut

3/5

I love Black sabbath but his is not their best album

I'm a metal head, but Black Sabbath bores me to death.

It was better than I have anticipated, some songs that I knew and weren't what I thought were typical Black Sabbath

Not bad, stylistic variety. Not too metal for me?

Heavy, thick, metal. Sabbath clearly knowing what they're doing and doing it well.

THIS ALBUM FUCKS 100%

Actually thought this album was good. Not typically a Black Sabbath fan because I’ve heard all their popular songs from “paranoid” played way too much.

Not my preferred genre but definitely some good tunes, really cool discovering "changes" which I've heard before but never knew where it came from

Beginning of the album was boring. The middle was pretty banging, and the end was alright. I'm feeling a solid 6.

Outside of paranoid never listened to Black Sabbath but I really liked this

fuckin awesome

Not as good as the other sabbath albums. Still good though.

Pretty chill. Some cool blues rock which I was not expecting. RIP Ozzie!

Excellent album. Makes me wanna do cocaine.

Pretty good. A bit of a different sound than I'm used to for them, some bluesy stuff going on.

6 5. Stupid page deleted my detailed response lol. Not bad for what it is. Just, rock, bleh. It's nauseatingly lame and both harmonically and rhythmically uninteresting.

loved it

ozzy is great, guitar sound influential, slow songs surprising and interesting amongst bangers.

Solid album. A little bit forgettable in the middle but it begins and ends strong

Really good actually, not as cheezy as I expected from ozzy

Album 187 of 1001 Black Sabbath - Vol. 4 Rating : 5 / 5 Favorite Track : Changes Awesome album. They run the gamut here with rock, ballads and in between. Ozzy is on track, great musicianship. Great songs. Good stuff.

Vraiment bien aimé. À la limite j'ai plus aimé les pièces je ne connaissais pas à celles que je connaissais. Les passages de guitares sont incroyablement bon. Le moment le plus faible de l'album reste Changes. Mais définitivement un gros classique de Black Sabbath pour une raison. 9/10

I like black sabbath, but this album should not be on this list. Just another generic metal album. Only song that stood out to me was changes. There are plenty of better metal albums out there than this one

I mean changes is of course very good but one hit song cant prop up an entire album..

Changes and Snowblind I mean what songs! Amazed I haven't heard this album before

Solid entry from Black Sabbath. I am partial to their earlier releases, however this album continues the trend of hard blues rock with imaginative lyrics, kickass drumming and awesome guitar riffs. This record has more contrast than previous releases, mixing in softer tracks like Changes and Laguna Sunrise, which were both highlights for me. I love Black Sabbath, so this one gets a high score, but I took a star off since I will always gravitate towards their other albums like the self-titled and Paranoid. Fave tracks: Wheels of Confusion, Changes, Laguna Sunrise

Although Charles Bradley has the definitive version, props to Black Sabbath for writing one of the most emotionally weighty songs of all time. The rest of the album is a pretty big tonal shift from Changes, but still very good nonetheless. None of the songs here would be considered among Sabbath's biggest hits, but I really enjoyed the tone/vibe of the album. Fav Tracks: Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener, Changes, Snowblind, Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes

Paranoid & Master of Reality are two of my all time fav albums, this is a good listen but just doesn't quite reach that level for me. I was today years old when I found out Changes wasn't written by Charles Bradley.

Favorite Tracks: Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener, Tomorrow's Dream, Changes, Supernaut, Snowblind, Cornucopia, Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes

Such a great record, so great to hear Changes!

Long live Ozzy. Perfection.

Why volume 4? The first three albums are infinitely better. This album is from the decline, including crowd pleasers like "obligitory ballad because we're trying to expand our sound" and "that one song that people kinda recognize".

Meh Rating: 3.0

Legendary percussion and Ozzie too

genre defining masterpiece

Middle of the road album, extra star for "Changes"

Ultimately shaped the music I love now

While I’m more of a Priest/Uli Roth-era Scorpions guy as ‘70s metal goes, there’s no denying that this one’s a classic.

Muito bom.

Really easy listen, ended up listening twice and will probably keep coming back every once in a while. Some really good tracks, but nothing REALLY stood out to me. Except Changes, which was cool to find out that it's originally Black Sabbath and not whoever did the theme for Big Mouth.

I guess metal music just isn't for me because I didn't like it very much.

Pleasantly surprised by how much I actually didn't mind this, given that it's not a genre I usually vibe with.

Top songs Supernaut. I know if from the cover by "1000 homo djs" Snowblind Wheels of Confusion

Don't usually listen to this kind of rock but noteable tracks - Supernaut and under the Sun

This was perfectly fine, which is high praise from me on a heavy metal album. I get the appeal of this type of music, especially for a live performance. It just doesn’t typically land well with me in practice, and I can’t imagine actively turning something like this on to listen to. My favorite songs on this album were honestly the ones that sounded least metal. Changes was great, and then it’s followed up by FX which is an avante garde-y noise track that I liked a lot. I’m a sucker for these kinds of avante grade things, and this delivered. Most of the rest of the album though is more or less what I’d expect from 70s heavy metal. I generally felt neutral on most of it, which frankly exceeds expectations. Not much else to say here, it more or less was what I thought it would be (Changes and FX aside). Minor point, but I felt like the vocals were washed out a bit by the instruments on a lot of the songs. Not sure if that’s just on the 2021 remaster I listened to (or if that’s typical for them) but I found that a little annoying. Favorite song: Changes Other: FX, Supernaut

Moninuotoisempaa sabbathia! Hienosti kulkee. Muutakin kun ränttätänttää. 4/5

Ei oo minulle tämä bändi.

Siellähän oli pianopoppistakin välissä! Ihan menevää tavaraa, mut eipä taaskaan nouse keskimääräistä korkeammalle. 3/5

Me gusta más lo melódico y folksy, pero tiene un buen balance.

boring and nihilistic, which i think is what people like about it, supernaut has a super-cool riff though

A great record. Like the three before it. And some after it as well. Black Sabbath rule

It's alright. Forgot how good the drummer is

Underrated but damn good album. Tomorrow's Dream is a hidden gem. Some solid sludge and doom metal here. Call it proto sludge and proto doom if you want. Sabbath were the innovators.

Alltsååååååååå Sabbath ni är så jävla bra! Golvas av det varje gång jag snubblar över dem. Hur det kan vara så tungt och melodiöst på samma gång, och hur Ozzy sjunger bättre än någon någonsin gjort eller kommer göra. Sabbath hade ju också sådan otrolig variation. Hade det bara varit tunga domedagsriffs a lá 'Cornucopia' hade det blivit för ansträngande att lyssna på för mina icke-metal-vana öron. Men med välkomna avbrott som hjärtskärande 'Changes' och härliga 'Laguna Sunrise' visar Sabbath en underbar mångbottnad skicklighet. Albumet var svårt att slutföra p.g.a. att hela bandet höll på att knarka ihjäl sig. De brukade få högtalare fyllda med kokain skickade till studion. Man lyckas skapa något så här sammanhängande och bra trots (eller tack vare?) extrem snöblindhet. När de är som mest domedagslåtande, när det låter som man sänks ned i helvetet, då är det som bäst. Avslutningen, 'Under the Sun' åstadkommer precis detta. Tillsammans med 'Changes' är det nog albumets höjdpunkter. Bästa låt: Under the Sun.

Great classic album!

Can’t really remember what this sounded like now, let’s call it a 4

Supernaut is the hardest shit ever

Starts out really strong. "Wheels of Confusion" almost seems a little slow and rudimentary as it begins, but really gets you into the groove and by the coda at the end, is straight up kicking balls. Overall my main criticism of the album is that the music is kind of basic. The piano part on "Changes" and the guitar/music for "Tomorrow's Dream" sound almost embarrassingly basic. I don't think it really detracts from the impact of the album, but it makes me question if this is really an "essential" album outside of Black Sabbath's cultural notoriety. I liked this album despite its simplicity. It was a fun listen and had some really solid moments.

Actually pretty good. I was not aware of the variety in Black Sabbath music. This was varied and interesting. Still not my favorite thing, but pretty good.

If my favorite song on a Sabbath record is a ballad, something is up. A good softer shift away from the first few albums, despite those being great. Good guitar work.

Lush and powerful

This album fcks so hard. I had never heard this one before, but wow it’s awesome. The opener, Supernaut, Cornucopia are all so heavy, the drums and the bass bring so much power and Ozzy’s wail is in its absolute prime. It’s so sludgy, but also has moments where it does a 180 like on Changes and the beautiful Laguna Sunrise. It’s druggy and doomy and evokes a feeling of supreme loneliness.

Guitars!

Very cool

fuck you Changes. Supernaut and Cornucopia are metal visionary songs. Snowblind is surprisingly heartfelt. That was a good Sabbath album.

Well, you can't get much more metal than this. Very rough sounds.

flamer

Just amazing. Ozzy kills. Guitar shreds, bass thumps. But my god, lay off the cymbals for a fucking second.

Interesting mix of melodies here. Because I'm unfamiliar with rock and metal, I only have the impression of it being loud music played by sweaty musicians. I appreciate the diversity of sound on this album. Changes has a tenderness, while FX left me quite curious. I didn't understand what the sounds were supposed to be about, if anything. But then we pick up the pace again with Supernaut. Laguna Sunrise is pleasant. It sounds like its title. And just like before with Supernaut, St Vitus Dance picks up the pace after a moment of tranquility. While this is the only Black Sabbath album I've heard, they're just ok to me.

I really enjoyed it !

3.5/5 Changes+Laguna Sunrise+Snowblind schöne Tracks

The first pieces are maybe too long, but I really enjoyed the instrumental parts, even more than when they sing.

Some meaningful songs inside. Liked it in general!

Turns out I like this. TIL

Mainly gritty rock amd roll, driven by that guitar. A couple of differemr slow songs (including Changes) and what is FX all about - sounds like some studio clatter ?!

Gotta love Black Sabbath, they never disappoint

More nuanced than I expected from Black Sabbath! Very listenable and cohesive.

Good

overall rating: 8/10 favourite song: tomorrows dream ( 8.5/10 ) runner up favourite: supernaut ( 8/10 ) least favourite: FX ( 0/10 ) album cover: 5/10 vocals: 8/10 instrumentals: 8/10 would i recommend ? : YES other: i love metal and have listened to a little bit of black sabbath before so i’m sure ill love this. the vocals are awesome , i love older metal voices. i recognised the changes song from big mouth embarrassingly.

While this is probably my least favourite from Sabbath’s “classic” era (1970-75), I can still appreciate how experimental this album is compared to the others from this era Favourite tracks: Wheels of Confusion, Supernaut, Cornucopia, Under The Sun

Musta sapatti muisti että albumin teko on hienoista taidetta ja pienillä sävyeroilla voidaan säväyttää.. Tartte olla yksinkertaista homma että kansa ymmärtänä..

BEST SONGS: -Changes -Under the Sun

Dimery clearly struggles with ‘importance’. The next album sabbath bloody sabbath is worth a must listen. So is the debut. Just because a band changes the world doesn’t mean everything it does is worthy. Notable exceptions do exist. To think we don’t have little Richard because dimery would rather show he knows rock music man. Black sabbath is cool. It’s a fine album but not the one you need to understand sabbaths place in the pantheon.

According to a rolling stone article it's a drug fuelled masterpiece from 1972. To me it's a slow version of heavy metal, which I basically don't listen to, except for a bit of Motorhead, and a bit of ACDC (its energising stuff now)kind of ironically for fun.. . gentle even... rock opera? anyway, i saw them live in Sydney 15 years ago and it was history, education, It is funny how this music was so rebellious and harsh and scary to people in the 1970s, compared to how normal and tame it sounds now. they clearly were very influential.. SUMMARY IT belongs ON THE LIST? probaly. imprtant. 3 ish...? Do I love it? no. 1-2

I’ve never been a fan (except for Paranoid) but I did quite enjoy a lot of this album. Mainly the music, because I do have a problem with Osbourne’s voice. Still, I really liked Supernaut - the one where the drummer appears to have ripped off the intro to Theme from Shaft. And the bluesy intro to Wheels Of Confusion (& most of Iommi’s playing on that). And okay, after a couple of plays I found myself rocking along to this album. And I don’t know why???

I really like Black Sabbath. I mean, they aren't great musicians, but they managed to turn their shortcomings into a whole new genre. This is not their best record (that would be Paranoid), but it is pretty damn close. You can hear them desperately trying to be Led Zeppelin, but it turns into their own thing. There are a few classictunes on here (Supernaut, which was one of Frank Zappa's favourite songs, and Changes, later exquisitely covered by Charles Bradley). As a fan of stoner rock and sludge metal, this is one of the seminal texts. FX is really rubbish, but everything else I find fun, rockin' and charming in its own way. 4.5 stars, rounding up because I always enjoy listening to this record.

Excellent. Having never heard ANY of these songs before, I had no idea what I was missing.

What a great metal album, opening track really sets the tone for the rest for the album

Great

A deep wall of sound, waves of music washing over me in rhythmic patterns of vibe induced euphoria. Will come back for another bite for sure.

I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would! I think it was fun and interesting to listen to, it’s got a very unique sound. 4/5

Ta bien

Classic metal from the band that defined the genre.

I have no clue why I find Black Sabbath to be so mediocre, as it seems like it'd be something I'd be far more into, but even the hits don't do anything for me anymore, and considering this album doesn't even have those, it's hard to understand the praise. However, it is still alright overall and easy listening (for metal) that doesn't have any ridiculously annoying parts. Although just making random noise for a minute-and-a-half is definitely pushing it. Again, this is okay, but I've gotten all three Black Sabbath albums on the list now, and none of which have switched me into thinking anything more of them. Definitely influential, but outdone by all their pupils.

Solid album with some great drums. There are also some good ballads that make Vol 4 outstanding on multiple levels.

7/10 Good Sabbath tunes, however not as cohesive as other releases. Also struggles with the issue of following Master of Reality and Vol 4 does not bring much else to the table, musically speaking.

I want to reach out and touch the sky I want to touch the sun, but I don't need to fly I'm gonna climb up every mountain of the moon And find the dish that ran away with the spoon I've crossed the oceans, turned every bend I found the plastic at the gold at rainbow's end I've been through magic and through life's reality I've lived a thousand years and it never bothered me Got no religion, don't need no friends Got all I want and I don't need to pretend Don't try to reach me, 'cause I'll tear up your mind I've seen the future and I've left it behind This is basically a perfect album. Even better if you are intimately familiar with the chemicals that helped to create and appreciate this music. 5/5

Never listened to them before, that was class!

Solid album. I primarily enjoyed the songs that felt unexpected to me from Black Sabbath. “Changes” is a highlight along with the instrumental “Laguna Surprise.”

I ... had no idea what to expect going in. Like, I know who Black Sabbath is. I have family who likes them, and even if I didn't, Iron Man (the film) was my shit back when the MCU was so fresh and new. I have even enjoyed a few of Sabbath's more popular tracks, but I've always considered myself picky about the genres of metal and hard rock. It's so easy to fall into the trappings of sleaze and edge, no subtlety, all roughness and loudness with this kind of music. This album starts off heavy and weighted, but not unpleasant. Not overbearing. And then Changes hit. Holy shit, what an unexpected turn! And I'm all here for that range. I'm sure folks may say that both it and FX didn't flow as well with the rest of the album, but I thought both were quite good - though the latter is unfortunate too short to leave an actual impression. I was worried that between those two (and later on Laguna Sunrise), I would have been disappointed by the lack of variety brought forth, but no, even when they're hitting as hard as a sledgehammer, Black Sabbath delivers on a variety of sounds, while still keeping their core mission statement intact. This was good. Not just good. Phenomenal. I really don't know what it is about this album that clicked so viscerally with me, but it grabbed me and just refused to let go.

First time listening through Vol 4 I thought: a testament to why even great bands need a proper producer. It sounded murky and uneven. Full of subpar sabbath-tracks. But that might in part be the 2009 remaster. Subsequent playthroughs of the 2021 remaster considerably brightened my mood towards the album. It has some real heavy hitters like “supernaut” and “under the sun/every day comes and goes”. But also some complete duds (FX, Laguna Sunrise) and some more mid tracks. And the production really is a bit murky and uneven, but the dirty sludginess is also part of the appeal.

Ozzy as Ozzy should be. Long before the crazy, chaos, and lost wandering grandfather schtick, it's easily forgotten how great of a band Black Sabbath was. 4/5.

Good shit

In 1972, Black Sabbath were in a rut. Two years after the shattering success of second album "Paranoid", they finally took a break after their world tour, opting to take their time with album four. Amidst this leisurely pace, Sabbath began to embody the full excesses of rock and roll. Speaker boxes full of cocaine were flown in on private planes, drummer Bill Ward was struggling to record his parts for being inebriated, and the band were constantly paranoid over being busted. Several years later, we have the benefit of knowing they made it through, but their 1972 situation points to a lack of direction, as they teetered on the edge of tragedy, at risk of becoming buried and snowbound completely. Their fourth album, then, lingers on their classic metal sound with moments of inspiration. Opener "Wheels of Confusion" is a grinding, queazy metal riff turned to sludge, bass rumbling unintelligibly and Osbourne's distinctive vocal ringing out over it all, heralding the end of the earth. So far, so Sabbath. But for better and for worse, the biggest surprises in "Vol. 4" are the band's attempts to diversify. As if to show off their songwriting chops, they bring out a piano ballad for Track 3! "Changes" is one of Sabbath's most popular songs, and it feels a bit unnatural to hear them do something slow and sensitive. The lyrics are boilerplate heartbreak: "I feel unhappy, I feel so sad / I've lost the best friend I ever had." The piano in the verses feels a little clunky, and to me the chorus doesn't soar so much as half-heartedly flap above ground for a while. Later, "Laguna Sunrise" is a pleasant acoustic guitar interlude in the vein of Led Zeppelin's "Black Mountain Side" or Yes's "Mood for a Day"… not quite as good, but what is? "FX", meanwhile, is a sloppily done, very lazily named 99 seconds of a guitar being hit with various objects. When compared with what, say, Zeppelin were up to- having released their four self-titled albums at this stage and moving towards Houses of the Holy- "Vol. 4"'s experiments come off as underwhelming, even embarrassing. Sabbath were perhaps better off staying in their lane. So with that in mind, I reserve special praise for "Supernaut", my favourite track here with an excellent grinding riff. It was supposedly John Bonham's favourite Sabbath track, and it's easy to see why it would appeal to a drummer as much as a guitarist, bassist or vocalist: the whole band are on fire through its four-and-a-half minutes. "Snowblind", which follows it, is similarly vast, doom-laden, epic. These two tracks are superb: it's a shame the rest of the album doesn't live up to them, but it's still a decent, coked-up time in metal's oldest hands.

This was great! 70s heavy sludge rock/metal at it's finest.

I had low expectations for this album, but I shouldnt have. I actually enjoyed it.

I loved this. These guys are the Nirvana of their era. They changed music. I’ll listen to this again.

A (slightly) kinder, softer Black Sabbath. Changes is actually quite lovely.

Heavy metal. Ningún megahit. Ni fu ni fa.

Wheels of Confusion- 3.1/5 Tomorrow's Dream- 3/5 Changes- 5/5 FX- 3.5/5 Supernaut- 4/5 Snowblind- 3.8/5 Cornucopia- 3/5 Laguna Sunrise- 3.4/5 St. Vitus Dance- 3.7/5 Under the Sun- 3.9/5 Total- 3.6/5

Yes

hermoso

Highlight: Wheels Of Confusion/The Straightener

Czwórka dla czwórki :P

did not expect the big mouth theme song on the first day but thats just the way the cookie crumbles fav songs: supernaut, snowblind

Considering the release year of the album... it's surely pioneering. Not really my type of music but would say it's some interesting stuff.

Excellent album. I will be putting a lot of the songs into my playlist

Definitely a genre defining album for rock and heavy metal. I hear a lot of influences for later bands. I thought that it was interesting that one of Black Sabbath's main influences is The Beatles. They sound nothing alike!

Not the biggest fan of Ozzy and BS but this is a great selection of songs. I love the opener that just starts directly with the action. I think I like it more than their infamous debut.

Really enjoyed this one

Great one.

First off, if you haven't heard the cover of "Changes" by Charles Bradley, find that and listen to it immediately. A very different and transformative cover of that piece. The original is very eerie with the mellotrons backing Ozzy. The other songs are pretty typical Black Sabbath fare hard rock / heavy metal stuff, which is fine and it works rather well. The two instrumental pieces were great. It's a big leap for them, musically and lyrically, I thought. I enjoyed it more than I expected to, compared to "Paranoid." Definitely considering picking this up. Not going to give it a 5 yet, just because I've heard it once or twice, but it's really growing on me. Not going to do coke because of it, mind you. But it's still really good.

I don't think I knew any of these songs prior to listening to this album. It's a humming piece of music - a lot of great guitar and bass work, with good drum accompaniment. Kudos to Tony Iommi for taking on production. The lyrics continue to be dark, heavy, or desolating and it works especially with Ozzy's vocals. Favorite tracks were Wheels of Confusion (slow start, but it's a droning, emotional tune), Supernaut and Snowblind (both quintessential Sabbath with their pulsing starts to the songs, which keep going), and Under the Sun (rocking end to the album, great beat). Changes is different (sad ballad, not exactly their thing and at first I thought a bit contrived but it is a nice, soft composition) and FX is a throwaway to me, but it's still a solid album.

Dece

It was quite sludgy, I liked it and would listen again, although it didn't have many of the songs I knew.... Torn between 3 and 4 stars.

Tight and heavy but more varied in styles than I'd imagine this album would be. 'Changes' and 'Laguna Sunrise' are beautiful songs too. Overall a really enjoyable album.

Não consigo curtir este estilo de música

Great musicality with lots of space and thoughtful lyrics. Black Sabbath really paved the way for Metal of all varieties. Love learning about producer changes like this where the band does it and it changes the sound positively Not only were they pioneers, but in research, I learned they put out 4 albums in their first two and a half years: prolific

Wheels of confusion/The Straightener is phenomenal. Walking through changes in pace, tone and style, backed by the exceptionally drumming from Bill Ward. The last two minutes, with the repeating 5 note motif and roaring solo from Tony is some of the bands best playing. A key part of Sabbath that is often overlooked is the high level of proficiency in each band member, the opener absolutely allows everyone to shine. Incredible opening to the album. Straight into the thick and heavy Tomorrow's Dream, Ozzy's vocals are quality on this track, pulling off his iconic high-pitch but softening the grating edge that puts many off. All over a simple but brilliant blues riff and progression. From that we get to the legendary Changes. A piano ballad on a heavy metal album? It wasn't supposed to work but it does, it has now become a common part of heavy metal album writing to include a softer tune to remind people that the musicians are more than just loud and fast. Ozzy's vocals are vulnerable and touching, the string section is absolutely smothered in reverb and the piano a simple but lovely progression. A powerful and touching tune that resonates with people to this day, only a ballad this good could bring ballads to heavy metal. As was becoming more common on rock/metal albums by the mid 70's we get a bit of sound effect filler with FX. Normally this would be a ninety second waste of vinyl, but strangely it does a great job of palette cleansing between the wistful Changes, and the riff focused banger of our next track, Supernaut. This track is all Iommi, with guitars upon guitars upon guitars, Tony decided that this song wouldn't have a riff, it would have all of them. Classic Sabbath, nothing to blow your mind, but a tight and well-composed four and a half minute tune. Snowblind is a track that has always fascinated me, something about it is just very distinctive, that I've never been able to put my finger on. It is still built around a simple and solid riff, with your staples of Sabbath, Jazz drumming, Syncopated and melodic bass lines, many big fat solos and Ozzy shouting away. I reckon it is the progressive structure of Snowblind, it's very Jazzy and Progressive in its Head->Solo structure, it creates and unpredictable and attention-grabbing track which mirrors the drug for which it is referencing. Top-tier Sabbath track. Here comes a big Doom Metal riff to the face, I can imagine that Cornucopia got a lot of listen two decades later by the Doom/Stoner icons Electric Wizard. Cornucopia is one of those Sabbath songs with great phrasing and structure, reinventing itself throughout to keep you hooked. Simple lyrcis, huge riff, quintessentially Sabbath. In stark contrast to Cornucopia we go into the soft and breezy acoustic instrumental Laguna Sunrise, a staple of Tony Iommis songwriting to include a quaint English countryside sounding guitar and strings piece, like Fluff on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, or Orchid on Master of Reality. A nice and out-there piece for a heavy metal album, but not particularly interesting musically. Back to riff-rock we get the short but sweet St. Vitus Dance. Decent riff, lyrics and vocals, a perfectly fine but forgettable penultimate track. Finally we get Under The Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes. Built around and solid staccato doom riff and classic Sabbath lyrics resisting religion and 'the man', the track is very much a signal of what we'd be getting on the next album Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Bill Ward has some great moments on this track with some short and tasty Tom heavy drum solos. A great send-off for the album that sounds more like three distinct Sabbath tracks smashed together, very much a mirror of the opener. The outro loop and solo are infectious, with tasteful licks borrowed from early Sabbath (definitely a lick from a solo on Warning referenced here). Overall a tight, consistently excellent album with a few iconic Sabbath moments. Like Pink Floyds run of albums from DSoTM to the Wall, any of Sabbaths first five albums could be argued as the greatest, Vol 4 makes a bloody good case for the crown.

Changes would have to be one of the best ballads ever!

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would . I didn’t realise that changes song from big foot was a black sabbath song

Great riffs, but vocal lines are unintersting and repetitive. Ozzy's voice is a bit thin so the combination is less than the sum of its parts.

Not what I was expecting from Black Sabbath at all. The styles are kind of all over the place. Good individual songs, but doesn't hold any sort of theme together.

I actually quite enjoyed this! My takeaway after the full listen-through was that I was positive on pretty much everything. I was jamming along and just having a good time. I think Ozzy's vocals were excellent and enjoyable to listen to, but what really stood out to me on this album was Tony Iommi's guitar. There were points, like during a section of Supernaut, where the guitar wasn't front and center and, for me, it was quite missed. A few tracks stood out to me on this one: Changes is a *very* different track here. I'm a sucker for a good piano though, and this one is definitely good. That is definitely not the only reason this song resonates with me though, as the chorus is interpolated into Eminem's Going Through Changes. Obviously after many repeated listens to that song, I have an emotional connection to those lyrics, which made this song hit a little harder. (Absolutely would recommend listening to Going Through Changes as well, but that's not the point of this review) Under the Sun is the other track that really caught my attention. I don't have much to say on that one though other than just really enjoying it. This album was not without some low points, as FX and Laguna Sunrise fell very flat for me. For FX I'm going to quote Iommi for this one: "[It's] a total joke." Funny story, not enjoyable to listen to. Though I do think it has a purpose as a segue from Changes into Supernaut. Supernaut comes in very hard and I think that would have seemed off coming immediately from Changes. As for Laguna Sunrise, I just didn't like it. Sorry, Tony. Glad you enjoyed the sunrise though. I really wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but my feelings are quite positive towards Vol. 4. Four also happens to be the score I'm giving this album.

Never been a fan of Sabbath. This album did not nothing to change my opinion. BUT, every now and then something comes along and surprises. I would bet most fans fans of Sabbath didn't enjoy, but Mary Sweet Jesus, Changes is a wonderful, absolutely beautiful song. I loved it. I downloaded. Charles Bradley did a cover of this song in a more soulful, R&B style. For those that know a little of my musical taste, this statement may comes as a shock, Ozzy's version is the best. Yep, I said it. What a great song. The rest of whatever I heard was OK. I give Changes a 5! I give the overall album a 2. 2 A little trivia for my group on the upcoming RHCP album. Or anyone else who reads this. Blood Sugar Sex Magik was released 9/24/1991. The exact same day as another album, that some say may be one of the greatest, influential albums of it's generation, if not ever. I know most of you idolize this group/album. Think about it. Peace Luke enjoy Blink 182 Saturday! Me and Mom got married 28 years ago, Saturday. Tip one back for us.

I had to sit on this one for a while because I wasn't sure how I felt upon listening to it. Know it that it was fueled by cocaine helps to make sense of some of the crap that's on here. Overall, I think this was mostly fine. Supernaut is fucking incredible. The bass part in particular really grabs my ear. Sadly I found most of the rest of it to be run of the mill Black Sabbath stuff (Snowblind and the last two tracks), boring as hell (Changes, Laguna Sunrise) or just totally unnecessary (FX). Idk I went in really wanting to like this but really only one song blew me away. 3 for its legacy though, I definitely feel as though I'm in the minority on this one...

4 Well, I think this just became my favorite Sabbath album. We’re jumping ahead a few here from our last outing with the group, and the musical evolution is heavily felt. The blues foundation and influence is almost completely gone at this point - this is heavy metal as we know it in the flesh, and it’s crazy to me how fast that transition happened (just three years since their debut!) I mentioned in my review of that album that I preferred their later sound, but at the time I was referring to songs off of Paranoid and Masters of Reality - I had no idea there was an even greater evolution from there. Holy cow this album starts strong - like to the point where I think Wheels of Confusion might be my new favorite Sabbath song, especially with that transition into The Straightener. Tomorrow’s Dream was a really solid follow-up form there… then unfortunately we hit what I would consider the low point of the album. Look, I know every hard rock band tries the tender piano ballad thing at some point in their career, but it's always incredibly hit or miss, and Changes is one that’s going to fall under the “miss” category for me. That being said, it’s apparently the most streamed song on Spotify from the album, so I guess my bad taste is just showing again. Things don’t immediately get better from there with FX, a song that gave me bad flashbacks to Throbbing Gristle - how it has more streams than the opening track kind of baffles me, but I did notice in general my favorite songs here were the ones with the lower play count. Hell, I take back my comment about bad taste, maybe mine is just superior to that of the rest of the listening world. I digress, fortunately, everything after FX is enjoyable, with Supernaut being another highlight, though a large part of that may have to with the fact that I had the privilege of hearing it performed live by Geezer Butler, Sebastian Bach, Lars Ulrich, and Foo Fighters at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert in Los Angeles. Not perfect, but this album was a pleasantly fun surprise for me. It may be a touch disorganized and sporadic, but never to a point where it feels overly jarring - it also makes sense once you learn these guys were on cocaine for its entire production. Anecdotally, I’m now 0-2 on identifying Black Sabbath album cover elements. I previously thought the figure on the band’s debut was Ozzy (it’s not, it’s a woman), and for some reason before this I thought the figure on this album was an angel (it’s not, it’s Ozzy). Don’t ask how I managed to see an angel before because I have no idea.

Finally a metal album! I'm not a big fan of Changes, and FX is a nothing track, but everything else rocks. After first listen, I think Supernaut is my favorite track.

Found myself enjoying this more than I expected. It's definitely hard rock, but it was more melodic and engaging throughout. 4/5

I don’t mind a bit of Sabbath and respect their status as rock/metal pioneers, but I’m not sure what this particular album is offering to the list. Don't get me wrong, there are moments where I dig it, but... there aren’t really any standout tunes, it's not cohesive, it doesn't feel groundbreaking like their earlier work, some of the playing is sloppy and the sound quality generally seems a bit muddy. Too much cocaine?

This rocks.

Black Sabbath has that quality to their songs and albums, that is so hard to find in other bands from 70s and 80s trying to move into direction of heavier music. Honestly, I was only a casual fan of Black Sabbath, and I definitely didn't know any song from Vol. 4 album, but just first riff from the opening song was enough to tell me what a great music it is. Ozzies voice is at its best, drums and bass are doing their job, but Tonny Iommi is just magnificent. His solos, riffs, melodies, everything is top notch. I do prefer modern music, but 'll use another cliché- they don't make music like that anymore. Simply amazing job. As for the overall impression, I was enjoying this album on Side A, and slightly grew tired of it on Side B. Still, it's an exceptional work.

Solid throughout, didn't wow me outside of the few prog-metal type influences.

This is a very nuanced album that demonstrates Black Sabbath's versatility. While the are still heavy hitting hard rock and early metal tracks, there are also more restrained tracks that deal with more personal issues, addiction etc. I can also hear the seeds of doom metal here as well. Overall, I think this is a huge leap forward for the band, and it was also very listenable as well. It may not be as influential as the self-titled album or Paranoid, but the growth it shows is striking and looks forward to Ozzy Osbourne's solo career.

This is my second Black Sabbath album reviewed on this generator, and I am quite looking forward to it. I immediately recognized the album cover, but am only really familiar with the song Snowblind (which I didn't realize until today is about cocaine). This was also supposed to be the title of this album, but publishers didn't like it because of the link to drugs, so Volume 4 was the next choice (as this is their 4th album). It was with this album that the effects of excessive drug use begin to appear. There are aspects of doom rock, psychadelic rock, and heavy blues rock throughout this album. Some amusing stories from the recording sessions include: Apparently, while they were in the studio recording this record, they would get SPEAKER BOXES FULL OF COCAINE delivered to them. Picture that. How small is the smallest speaker, like 12" x 12" starter amps? That's a lot of blow! Also, apparently during the recording of this record, the band went to the theatre to watch The French Connection, and Ozzy had to leave because he was strung out on coke and thought Gene Hackman was after him. Furthermore, their cocaine was laced with baby laxitives, which probably doesn't do much when you inhale it, however, there was a Doberman that lived at the recording studio. It ate a bunch of cocaine and took the shits. So they just had a coked up dog with the shits roaming around tripping balls. Final story: Bill Ward was worried that he was going to be fired because he was having trouble getting the time changes in the song Cornucopia right, so he is just sitting in a room dabbling on drums high as shit and drunk. He ends up passing out, and the band spray paints his entire body gold, and Bill almost dies. What a wild time to be alive the 70's were. Black Sabbath epitomized the rock and roll mantra: sex, drugs, and Rock and roll! Overall, a phenomenal, and largely slept on album. Supernaut is a fucking epic song. There is no doubt that this album belongs on this list. It helped pave the way for heavy metal bands that came later. My first time listening to this album in its entirety today. I enjoyed it so much, I listened to it twice. I will absolutely listen again! Favourite songs: Supernaut, Snowblind, Changes, St. Vitus Dance, Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener, Tomorrow's Dream Least favourite song: FX 5/5

Sabbath was the first non-Christian band I fell in love with (I was limited to only church-approved bands as a kid). Like REALLY fell in love with. At 13, I bought their first album on CD behind my parents’ back, and I’ve been chasing that high ever since. Of course over the years that love diminished as I learned about other bands and the wide world of music, but I’ll always have a soft spot for my first love. Vol 4 is objectively the most diverse work from the original lineup. And sadly because of that, it’s the one I always listened to the least. But sitting down today and really soaking in Iommi’s CHUNKY riffs along with Ozzy’s mature songwriting on tracks like Changes, I can say my respect for this album has grown immensely. Sabbath rules 🤘 The more you deny it, the more you’re lying to yourself.

Cocaine-fueled madness sharpens Sabbath's metallic edge to razor precision while expanding their unholy dominion, four albums deep with delicate ballads and crushing riffs forged by a band tighter than ever.

wicked and good to experience

Full spectrum of music. Takes a journey

With the notable exception of Changes, this is a cracking album,

Wheels of Confusion un infierno de canción. Casi dejo de escuchar el álbum. Menos mal que no lo hice, porque me ha sorprendido para bien (Changes, Laguna Sunrise)

Black Sabath .. what did I expect..

Leuke muziek, allemaal prima nummers. Er springt alleen niks echt bovenuit en dat maakt het een klein beetje meh. Gewoon heel solide dus.

8/10 fun stuff! didn’t love it, but I definitely liked it

överraskade bra, skulle kunna lyssna igen!

Hätte jedes andere Ozzy-Era Sabbath Album genommen, aber für Black Sabbath gibts trotzdem grundsätzlich 5/5

An incredible metal album. Check put supernaut.

Too many weak parts. Great cover once again.

Good melodic metal. Not an album I knew but certainly an enjoyable example of the genre.

Already knew it was a 5 when it hit my list. All-around slugger of heavy metal, I also really enjoy Changes and the other slower bits. All power and clocks in under 45 minutes. Near perfect.

Not nearly as good as pranoid

Wtf this was actually really good. I'll be taking away "Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener" and "Changes". I also want to say something clever regarding "Changes" being the perfect drive-into-the-sunset-with-the-windows-down moment at the end of an A24 film (there's a shot of the main protagonist on the side mirror gazing introspectively out the window with a soft smirk plastered across their vanilla face), but I don't have the energy to search for the right adjectives or come up with a backstory at the moment.

I think I'm officially a Black Sabbath fan? Somehow they always seemed too edgy for me, but Ozzy really does sound like a priest from the underworld with how he belts with complete control. And the musicianship on this album is striking. Each instrument is on direct display at some point during the album, which is great because it shows the full skillset of the band not just the singer. I can't say it's a 5 because it didn't have that jaw on the floor effect, but it's a very high 4. I just realized, that was a lot of words when I could have just said Vol. = Rating. Oh well.

C+ Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener - 3. Starting an album with an 8 min song is BOLD. And guess what? It doesn't pay off. Tomorrow's Dream - 2. Changes - 5. Obviously. Fun fact - I used this in the first screenplay I ever wrote. FX - 2. Supernaut - 2. Snowblind - 4. nice twist at the end. Cornucopia - 3. Laguna Sunrise - 3. Nice. St. Vitus Dance - 2. Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes - 3. I was gonna give a 2 but they got me by the end. All in all, a pretty good album for the genre. A little repetitive. Changes is a classic. Snowblind is a track that I'd never heard and really liked. Laguna Sunrise was a hoot too. Black Sabbath is so much better than other metal.

Album was good, but not really in the right mood for it

Good but not there best

What a f#cking start to the week.

Honestly a bit surprised by seeing this one pop up, but 'Wheels of Confusion' and especially the anthem 'Changes' are great.

Despite the generic title, Vol. 4 delivers highlight after nightlight and remains one of the most overlooked albums in the Black Sabbath discography. Sabbath clings to their trademark heavy riffs and Ozzy’s mesmerizing vocals on classics such as “Wheels Of Confusion”, “Supernaut”, “Under the Sun” and the coke-induced “Snowblind”. Then there’s also the perhaps most beautiful Black Sabbath song ever, “Changes”. Often overlooked but up there with the rest of the early records.

Fun to listen to, not sure I'd seek it out though.

Not bad overall. Shows another side to Iommi with the quieter tracks.

Solid album. I don’t know if they wanted to be the band known for the theme song of Netflix’s Big Mouth, but here we are. “I’m gooooooing through chaaaaanges.”

The album the religious types who look like Ned and Maude Flanders would warn you about. Sabbath stretch their leathery wings and start looking at a wider type of musical pallette - they even have a ballad! Luckily though they still keep the riffs coming and that's all we really want isn't it? Best Tracks: Wheel's of Confusion/The Straightener; Supernaut; Snowblind

Not really my genre, but overall very chill album to have running in the background.

Phenomenal spin. Changes is a classic, but the one-two punch of Supernaut and Snowblind win. The methodical slowing down step by step on the end of the last track is fuckin brilliant.

- Wheels of Fortune: Producción bombástica, increíble bajo y batería, voz un poco lejos pero funciona en la estética, la guitarra no me mata pero cumple su función - The Straightener: Interesantísimo, una instrumentación mucho más variada que su contraparte y mucho Groove -Tomorrow’s Dream: buena propuesta, interesante riff, pero las voces se ven desperdiciadas por los lejos que se sienten al igual que en el primer tema,siendo que en este se sienten más protagonistas en su identidad, ozzy da una muy buena performance pero es opacada por la sonoridad de todo lo demás. - Changes: Unq muy agradable sorpresa en lo que sería una balada de piano (y demases) donde la oportunidad de brillar de ozzy se nota, espectacular. - FX: Corto interludio dónde se ve la experimentación con los aparatos de efectos sonoros, nada que me duele la cabeza pero para la época tuvo que haber sido interesante - Supernaut: excelente canción donde cada miembro de la banda logra brillae, al igual que otras canciones la voz se ve opacada por la mezcla, pero no deja que la composición se queda atrás siendo una de las mejores canciones que tiene Black Sabbath, es explosiva, movida, Groovera y un millar de ETC… excelente canción. - Snowblind: Casi Perfecta, que más decir, muy buena. -Cornucopia: Excelente letra y unos motivos melódicos muy pegadizos, muy entretenida - Laguna Sunrise: Precioso tema instrumental, unos arreglos de cuerdas muy bonitos, nada del otro mundo pero muy disfrutable - St. Vitus Dance: Se siente hasta un poco rock n roll, no le siento mucha personalidad. - Under The Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes: Buen cierre, muy variado y acorde a la época, se siente su influencia en el rock n roll pero actualizada a algo más rápido y hasta tal vez más agresivo Black Sabbath son indiscutible, los Padres del metal, y su cuarto álbum en 2 años lo sigue demostrando, aunque hayan unas canciones que se sienten relleno o que no aportan mucho, los highlights son muy altos, como changes, cornucopia, snowblind y supernaut.

It´s not Sabbath best work, but definitily one of those metal albums that I´m always happy to come back. I admit I have to skip some songs when I revisit this, but songs like "Snowblind" or "Tomorrows Dream" will always slap. Anyway, I just love this band.

Not as good as earlier efforts, but still pretty awesome.

La verdad me gustó más de lo que esperaba, me lo imaginaba mucho más heavy pero si bien encuentra eso por momentos, en otros es bastante suave y con letras más soft

I love how Black Sabbath is able to effortlessly mix quieter songs with their rockers. Not their best, but still great.

A little anecdote found in the "Vol. 4" Wikipedia page: "In the studio, the band regularly had speaker boxes full of cocaine delivered." I can't think of a better metaphor to describe the sound of this early heavy metal masterpiece. In the end, all the drama and substance abuse behind the scenes was worth it. "Supernaut" has not one but *two* of the best guitar riffs of all time, "Changes" is an incredibly effective and surprisingly tender ballad, nicely supported by a tactful mellotron-and-piano arrangement, and the rest is generally excellent, from "Wheels Of Confusion"'s epic finale to closer "Under The Sun". "Tomorrow's Dream" and "Snowblind" (an ode to that white powder the band loved so much, almost giving its name to this fourth album) are also among the best songs Black Sabbath ever wrote. And "Laguna Sunrise" is one of those evocative ambient instrumentals giving interesting dynamics to their LPs, proving once again that there was more than meets the eye in them. The first four Black Sabbath albums will be in my final list ("Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and "Sabotage" won't, but they're still very good records). And, you see, I'm not even a huge metal fan. It's just that sometimes, bands go through a string of three or four subsequent releases that are spotless, leaving an imprint that is as culturally relevant as it is a blast to listen to, even decades after. See also: Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Kraftwerk, Sonic Youth, Pixies, Pavement, PJ Harvey, Radiohead, Deftones, Rage Against the Machine, A Tribe Called Quest, Kendrick Lamar, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mogwai and Low, among others... Early Black Sabbath is *obviously* in that league. The genre you're into never matters as much as the quality of the music. And when what you're doing sets a template for the decades to come, you're one of the greatest, period. 5/5. Number of albums left to review: 576 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 203 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 97 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 126

I think I prefer Masters of Reality but this is a well crafted follow up with Iommis low tuned guitar which became influential with stoner bands of the future. Strong.

Great album! Didn't hit the heights of their first, but another classic I think. Really enjoyed Changes & Supernaut. Some vocals were a little distorted but I think that was the intention of many of the songs.

Their fourth album in a span of two years, these guys were the original Griselda. This album definitely has some of the metal that made them who they are on the debut, but there's quite a bit of exploration into other territory, including with piano and acoustic guitar. I have to say, they pull it all off pretty well. I wouldn't put this on the same level as the debut or Paranoid, but it's damn good too. Lots to love. Favorite tracks: Changes, FX, Snowblind, Cornucopia, Laguna Sunrise, Under the Sun. Album art: I take it that's Ozzy doing his thing. I do like the font and framing, it's a very simple cover but pretty effective. Certainly not as memorable as others from them, though. With the "Vol. 4" title too, it feels more like a compilation. 4.5/5

Cocaine

doesn't have any single song to latch on to feels like an extension of their other stuff 2.5

Classic rock.

Rocks pretty hard, mostly.

I liked this a lot.

If I said this was anything other than boring, I'd be lying. I should enjoy it. But I just don't. Sure, I can see Sabbath's place in musical history, but compare this to Deep Purple or Led Zep and this just seems pedestrian.

I often think I should get more into sabbath and I think this is a good argument for that. I still find some songs boring blues rock territory, but the stuff that feels like proto doom etc I get into, like the closer. And how bout the mellotron on changes ?

Can appreciate

Mighty sabbath

Like the other Sabbath records, this is so ingrained in our culture, and so much has changed, that this really isn't heavy anymore. I liked a few songs, but I could leave most of this.

Man, I'd forgotten how great this album was. It's not necessarily great lyrically or often musically. But they were such a groundbreaking band and listening to them scared my parents. What more could you ask for?

I'd have put Master of Reality on the list over this one, maybe even Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, but its still a great album. It's probably my 4th or 5th favorite from the band but it still deserves a 5. I wouldn't dream of giving Ozzy era Sabbath anything less.

What a cool album! Such great riffs with a super dark guitar tone. Ozzy’s voice creates such a spooky and haunting aura around these songs. Shockingly, you find sincere and heartfelt moments throughout. You can see how metal was slowly forming in this album, more than a decafe before Metallica made it big.

Great versatility shown here. Some harder songs, some slower ones and even a few instrumentals. Always with, for me, the perfect combination of hard riffs and singing. Lacking a few more standout songs though for a 5 Star rating

I first heard this album as a fifteen year old, and when the album was 20. 30 years later, the heavily distorted guitar riffs, sliced through with Ozzy’s sharp edged vocals still give me the chills. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding

I just imagined a Black Sabbath concert and Ozzy having a sit while Iommi ripped.

Lekker album, maar niet Sabbaths beste werk.

I forget how bluesy Black Sabbath was. I don’t know much about their overall catalog, but this one is just okay for me. Solid, but just okay.

Moet ervoor in de stemming zijn maar met een goede box is dit ergens wel oké.

Cocaine-gedreven metal album van Black Sabbath. Vooral hoog aangeschreven binnen het muzikale circuit met loof van Frank Zappa, Beck en Led Zeppelin. Waarschijnlijk best luisterbaar wanneer je zelf ook hebt gesnoven en gezopen, maar best aardig verder. leukste nummer: Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes De band leefde in paranoia in de drugsvilla na het zien van The French Connection omdat ze vreesden voor een soortgelijke inval.

This is way more eclectic than I was thinking it'd be. Definitely can hear the influences they have on modern metal. Also lots of Zeppelin and Hendrix sounds

Never heard this album and enjoyed the changes in tempo and even the instrumentals. Not as good as their first three albums, but still really good.

Highly listenable black Sabbath. I need a less distracted relisten.

Another Sabbath classic

Can't say I'm a fan of Ozzy, but when I need to hear Ozzy at his best, the first four Black Sabbath albums is all you need. This is hard rocking, stoner rock at it's best, when heavy metal wasn't about hair spray and wanna-be posers and all about loud guitars, heavy bass, tight drums and worshiping the devil. Oh, the early 70's was a good time for music!

I quite enjoyed this, 'Changes' is a classic, and 'Laguna Sunrise' was lovely, quite enjoyed the rest but it's a bit Spinal Tap in places.

Not as dark and heavy as earlier Sabbath. Better song development and singing, but lack of knockout riffs. Easy enough to listen to, but relatively forgettable.

LOVE IT! Loved the way it transported me back to the days I never lived in but know from movies.

Great listen. Changes is one of my favorite songs ever. This album feels so perfectly amateur and professional at the same time. Such an attainable yet unique sound from this band. Great listen

Not a list of their greatest hits but a really good album, liked the flow between songs and then snowblind pops up in the middle as a great track

Better than I expected

Good stuff

I feel like the order that I’ve gotten Black Sabbath albums on this list so far are in ascending order of quality. This is better than their first album but I highly doubt I’ll enjoy this more than paranoid when I get it. Overall this was really good and has some excellent guitar work throughout, especially at the end of the first track and on supernaut. It was also shocking to hear a cover of the big mouth theme on here and it was even more shocking to find out that this is the original. I just assumed it was a soul song first but it’s honestly much better this way. It’s also just surprising how versatile Black Sabbath is with their writing, production, and singing since they can do sad poignant stuff like changes as well as the classic heavy metal stuff they’re known for.

The "I'm going through changes" song, good

This was really fucking good, and surprising too. I knew that Black Sabbath could come up with some awesome riffs but a couple of very nice, mellower songs in the mix as well. This might sound strange, but some of the songs reminded me a bit of Rush. A bit more simplistic, but similar chord and song structures. Much better though, in my opinion. I like early Black Sabbath, and this is perhaps the best early Black Sabbath I've heard. 4 stars.

Good. Not mine.

An unexpected range in tone from piano ballads to driving doom riffs. As someone put off by later Black Sabbath with Master Of Reality I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of vocals and all around musicianship. Not quite as innovative as earlier Black Sabbath but it's hard to reinvent the wheel.

Great

4/5 the heavy stuff is amazing. like others i went back and listened to supernaut a few times. such a great tune! only rated this a 4 because of the lame and boring “lighter” numbers which are self-indulgent waste.

me gusto mucho mas que paranoid

me encanto sinceramente de los mejores q salieron hasta ahora en el generator me hizo pasar por distintas emociones la manera en la que las guitarras y la voz estan mezcladas me volvieron loco

meh

favorites: Supernaut, Snowblind, Laguna Sunrise, Under the Sun

So i did a thing where you get one album off a 1001 "albums you have to listen before you die" list thing, and this one was my first one. Immediately after I looked at the name of the band and the genre I knew it was going to be a rough start but surprisingly enough, I really really FUCKING LOVED THIS RECORD. I really need to stop having judgements about hard rock/metal because just like with master of puppets, another album I thought I wouldn't like, I always get very pleasantly surprised. This album deserves all the praise in the World just based on the lyrics alone, they are so real and such a breath of fresh air. Here what you see is what you get, no sugarcoating. LOVED the guitar riffs, LOVED the vocals, LOVED the energy of every single band member. I loved how they were not afraid to slow in down in some songs and show variety, showcasing just how great they can sound in different genres, while also maintaining the autenticity in the lyrics and their esence in their energy and performance. I'd say maybe I thought one or two songs could've been cut shorter and I did not enjoy St. Vitus' Dance as much but apart from that this is just an amazing piece of art. Like I'm actually in awe of how good this is. What this album has taught me is that I really need to stop thinking a record is not for me just because it's something I'm not accustomed to, like I do not consider myself a rock or metal fan but fck this was amazing and I will definitely be overplaying it until I get tired of it in the coming weeks. FAV TRACK: Tomorrow's Dream LEAST FAV TRACK: St. Vitus' Dance HARD8/10 Also I love the title but they were right, Snowblind would've been 10000 times better.

Not bad! I liked Black Sabbath more when I was a teenager, so I still have a bit of fondness of ol’ Ozzy. I didn’t mind it but I have no plans to return to it.

While hailed as their best album, I just don't see it.

idk yet

While it doesn't have the singles of their earlier albums, it is up there as either the best or second best Sabbath album. Coked out of their minds they somehow recorded an album that embraces their darkness, excess, and experimentation while maintaining a consistent lyrical theme throughout. Overall it's just a fantastic listen.

The songs are kind of all over the place on this album. Supernaut rules. I've always liked Sabbath's extremely plain and matter of fact lyricism which shines on Changes. Further, I appreciate a Mellotron in any capacity so the songs that feature this instrument stand out. Beyond those three sparsely related highlights, this album is OK. The cover art is awesome as well. For me, this is a 3.99 rounded down to a 3.

Don't love Sabbath...hadn't really heard much off this album but it seemed like more of the same for me. 2/5

actually liked it more than I expected. not as metal as I was thinking it would be

Pretty good, not something I’d add to playlist (not a metal/rock guy) but it’s good for a single listen

Really good. My first doom metal really. I will listen to more of them.

Surprisingly deep and varied, ozzy sounds huge.

Discazo de lo que comenzó siendo el heavy metal. Instrumentos en ocasiones pesados, melodías guitarreras, voz inconfundible y ritmos vertiginosos.

Way more sophisticated than I thought it was going to be. Nice job Sabs.

Flawless

Hard-driving guitar histronics courtesy of Mr. Tony Iommi.

7/10 İ liked the guitars in this album. İt was good, would listen to this type again.

it's a black sabbath album. apart from changes, which is annoyingly sappy and overly long, the rest of the album are full of bangers.

Fuckin classic. 10/10

5 Just listen to it.

Black Sabbath, vanha kunnon. Junnaavuus viehättää aina, samoin kikkelihevilaulun esiaste. Sitten välissä biisejä kuten Changes (en tienny, että on Sabbathin alun perin?!). Pidän.

Riffittelyä, joka edustaa minulle mielihyvän sijasta mielipahan poissaoloa. Changes on kylläkin simplistisyydessään neronleimaus.

Black Sabbath was still rocking at this point, but the cocaine was kicking in.

Snowblind is the best song to do cocaine to

I am not a big Black Sabbath fan but they have some really great albums that I keep going back to, this being one of them

Have found BS to be very miss and sometimes hit. This is a very heavy collection which kept me interested featuring strong guitar work and an almost tolerable Ozzie.

Very old school Heavy Metal, still rooted a bit too much in the Blues for my liking. But the riffing is strong with this one, and considering the time, it was one of the best Metal records of the era 3.5/5

Not an album I'd listened to in its entirety before, but knew several of the tracks. It's a cracker, as expected.

Normally love Black Sabbath, obvi nothing beats paranoid but this album wasn’t the best the first half but really nailed it at the end. Almost like ozzys attempt at zeppelin??

This is my introduction to Black Sabbath, and it's pretty good. Even though it's what I expected, the riffs are awesome. I don't have much to say but great music. Fave track(s): Cornucopia, Supernaut, Under the Sun

Yes very great. I did not know Black Sabbath could get a little experimental. I liked it!

A very good effort from these absolute legends. Features all the hallmarks we’ve become accustomed to. Sharp, simple writing. Enjoyable but flawed. Not this bands best effort but really really good.