Vol. 4

Ok, ein Album von einer Band die gleichzeitig auf der Höhe ist und offenbar total den Plot zu verlieren droht. Irgendwie richtungslos, obwohl da tolle Songs drauf sind.

War genau das was ich erwartet hatte.

I got this literally the day after Paranoid and there’s no comparison for me. It was certainly okay but didn’t pack the same punch.

The metal tracks here are awesome, especially Supernaut and the closer. Then you have those weird detour songs that unfortunately don't work as well. They don't flow in the tracklist like on some of their other albums and feel awkward. I still think this album is quite good and very creative overall, but they have released more consistent efforts.

Not sure why this one deserves a place on this list over the others, but then again maybe they are here somewhere as well. Not great, not terrible.

Outstanding album. It’s unbelievable the number of superb riffs Tony Iommi comes up with and then uses two or three on the same song! The band had a great way of shaping dynamics too, so that songs never get boring. The most killer riff has to be on Supernaut. Try keeping still while that’s playing! 5

I think I am really starting to like Black Sabbath. I had only heard Paranoid before, which is great, and assumed the rest was repetitive/too hard for my taste. I need to reassess that take. This album ROCKS!

It’s not my favorite Sabbath album but that doesn’t mean it’s not a masterpiece. Snowblind, Supernaut, Tomorrow’s Dream; this album is all killer.

Люблю Black Sabbath, це класика

Not

Don't really like Changes which is the most well known track here, but there's enough monolithic riffing to make up for it

Legendary wails, iconic vocals, funky beats...the song 'Changes'. Absolutely mental that this album came out 50 years ago because if it came out today it would be just as iconic. Trailblazer for the metal genre. What an absolute dream of an album.

Coke addled but still brilliant

Review - not an album of theirs I'd really listened to before, although I was familiar with Snowblind through a (very different) SOAD cover. A great heavy album and interesting to hear them branching out through songs like Changes. Maybe not their best work but still very good. Rating - 7/10 Need to hear? YES

Beter dan verwacht

opzich wel cool, gwn ni heel uitspringend

Bon rock pesant. Moins énergique que Black Sabbath ou Paranoid, mais morceaux intéressants et batterie percutante.

Black Sabbath at their best

It’s black sabbath. What more do you need to know? It’s not my cup of tea, yet respect the work.

🙂‍↕️ Sabbath👍 Supernaut 🤩 gillar autistiska breaket nånstans där i mitten. Sprang till det här albumet och det var najs 7/10

First Black Sabbath album on this generator, and it sounds like they've expanded their heavy metal sound. Songs like "Changes" and the "FX" interlude add a lot of depth to this record's ominous vibe. Personally these two come off as existential dread. And then BAM comes Supernaut, with that guitar riff! Thank you generator for leaving this on my lap today!! Vol. 4 makes an awesome addition to my heavy metal (and musical) journey.

Absolute legend of an album

At times intense and heavy, others just beautiful. Great music, great songs, and great album from start to finish with some incredible riffs.

The first track here showcases just how much the band had evolved in the 3 short years between this and their first record. It's a complex medley that demonstrates a prog excursion with a few different riff ideas. Tomorrow's Dream gets back to the proto-sludge metal they pioneered and hits you across the face with another sweet riff or three. Then you're on to the uncharacteristically naive ballad Changes. Followed by a short, weird, noise interlude (FX) before the chugging banger Supernaut. Snowblind opens up side two with a paean to cocaine with typical Sabbath riffs. Cornucopia gets super heavy. The interesting thing about this album is that they make more use of major chords even though they still manage to maintain that dark mystical sinister sound on several tracks - maybe they ran out of ways to combine minor chords. Laguna Sunrise is a short instrumental guitar song, almost elegiac in a major key. St. Vitus Dance spends most of it's running time sounding like a 60s hippie dance song, only they interweave it with the inevitable metal riff. As drugged up as they were when they put this together, it doesn't seem to have affected their talent for putting together memorable mammoth-heavy riffs. They sound more comfortable composing and, more importantly, expanding their sound with trying different things. I think Sabbath developed a reputation for being just another silly metal band, particularly due to Ozzy's bizarre and unpredictable behavior, but they had serious talent and musicality and influenced countless bands in their wake. This record sounds pretty fresh even today - while not all of it works perfectly, there is still more to like than not, particularly with all of the amazing guitar riffs they came up with.

This is a good album. I think a lot of it is not much better than fine, but some of it is completely sublime and I have to give it props for that. It's a much more diverse artwork than the reputation of black sabbath would have you believe. It's full blown soft rock for a few minutes here and there. I'm not as high on it as a lot of people seem to be, but it's enjoyable 3.5/5

IM GOING THROUGH CHANGEEESSSSSSS

Different, some songs just ok

Classic Black Sabbath

3.5 - Cool album. Changes is a great song.

An exceptional album by the grandfathers of heavy metal. Every piece shows signs of what metal would become in the future.

Literally every kid in high school had this on repeat in their car. 8-Tracks ruled the day. I was probably in 9th grade when this hit everywhere in Canada in 1974. Although the record had been out for more than a year the coolness factor had fully set in by 1974. This was everywhere and endless joints were smoked to this record. I remember cruising my small town with Wheels of Confusion fully cranked up in a smoke filled car with my buddies looking for chicks to hang with. Friday and Saturday nights with chicks, booze, guns, drugs and Black Fucking Sabbath. Magical really. This album was the soundtrack for the chase not the conquest. Nobody was soundtracking their sex lives with Tomorrows Dream but up until the heat was turned up to 10, Vol. 4 was the ignition switch to good times. Perhaps it was a confluence of a whole variety of factors that placed this album at the center of a good time, but there it was central to every kids high school experience. I’m going through Changes, Ozzy cried and for a moment I understood that losing a girlfriend, that first love, was not the end but a transition before the full FX of the hurt hit me. But it passed quickly as Supernaut signaled a new start and I’m going to reach out and touch the sky. Every kid from a small outlying northern town understood that Sabbath was the universal source of life and that with Sabbath anything was possible. Vol. 4 was about hope with a guitar tone that screamed heavy metal. And despite the thousands of times I’ve heard this record in the 50 or so years that have past, I still am taken back to those high school years - no matter where the needle drops. Sure I have favorites but over the years different songs hit differently. Snowblind never really stood out. My eyes are blind but I can see approaches The Who for kinda corny lyrics but somehow it all made sense to me at that time. Sure this is a drug fueled album and there is a bit of an unevenness particularly on tracks like Cornucopia and Laguna Sunrise which is their Led Zeppelin moment. Definitely a WTF? You give me the pastoral acoustic guitar track and a fucking instrumental at that just before the end of the record. Definitely out of place. But those are minor nits. St Vitus Dance is a return to form and kind of a throwback to Paranoid. Definitely a Led Zeppelin transition in the middle of that track. I know that there are those who will say this is a perfect record, but in fairness it’s not. Still better than most records of the period. 4/5

Eines der schwächeren sabbath alben. Hätte lieber Sabotage genommen oder was aus der Dio Ära. Bester Song:Snowblind

404 - Heavy metal not found

The roots of heavy metal from a band in their prime. This is not my favorite Black Sabbath album, but it is good.

One of their best.

Hadn't heard any of these before. Still pretty good, doesn't hit like their 2nd. Some nice fuzzy riffs, bass drums. Lyrics are not good. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? No Owned: No 53/225 (23%) Will I get: Probably not

While I’m familiar with Black Sabbath and have liked the few songs I’ve heard before, this was my first time diving into a full album. Was genuinely surprised at how much I liked this given I usually am not a heavy metal fan. The guitar, drums, and even Ozzy’s voice all sound really good here. Likes: Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener, Changes, Snowblind, Cornucopia, Under The Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes

When I hear someone say ‘Black Sabbath’, having never really listened to any of their music before, I imagined hard rock and metal with long-haired frontmen biting the heads off bats. That’s what I expected. But what I got was something totally different. While a lot of songs certainly ‘rocked’, some others left room for some calm introspection. This led to a well-balanced album that embraced both sides of what the band is capable of - and they are certainly talented! Some songs I did not particularly enjoy, but almost all had elements that I appreciated, if not loved. One particular disappointment was the album’s name - surely you can give an album of this quality a better name? 8/10 RIP Ozzy

Actually pretty good.

I liked this way more than I thought I would. Still probably won't listen again tho

Hadn't listed to this record before, but I like it a lot better than the s/t or Paranoid, which I had listened to. By this point, it feels like they've fattened up the production and the riffs really stand out. This shit rocks.

Нормально, иногда можно послушать

Not for me

Fell asleep. Some manic drum fills woke me up.

Sabbath continue to surprise me. I always liked them, but in my mind I had categorised them in a very specific genre. Sitting down with their albums properly through this project has really made me aware of how diverse they were stylistically. The opening song on Vol. 4, "Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener" starts in Clapton-esque blues-rock territory, settles into a classic Sabbath doom groove, wanders through several increasingly heavy riff sections, and eventually dissolves into a long instrumental jam that moves from heavy metal into something almost folk-like. Sabbath managed to show all the directions their music could go in a single eight-minute track. Throughout the rest of the album, these stylistic *ahem* changes happen from track to track. Songs like "Tomorrow's Dream" or my personal favourite "Supernaut" bring Zeppelin-style rock to the track list, while "Cornucopia" and "Under the Sun" bring the heavy-metal sound. And who knows what the hell "FX" brings? Then there's the lighter side of Sabbath that nobody saw coming. "Laguna Sunrise" is a beautiful, refined acoustic piece of folk rock. Parts of "St. Vitus Dance" sound almost pop-rock. And then there's the song "Changes" of course. A cheery little piano melody with simple, yet effective lyrics about a breakup. I don't think anyone had that on their Sabbath bingo card. This blend of styles and genres works well for Sabbath though, and it's the reason I've found them to be so interesting. Sure, they could have just churned out heavy riff after heavy riff and probably still be great, but the fact that they continued to explore so many different sounds gives them a real depth that you forget about until you're deep into these albums. So yeah, they continue to surprise me.

Having only listened to their original album, I feel this one is unique in how they explore with some alternative sounds. Feels in general, on the same vein that Led Zeppelin, without a bad album in their numbered repertoire; but at least they feel less repetitive and more interested on doing other stuff. Changes is quite a song, isn't it? Now, after reading some historical context, feels surprising how well composed and cohesive is this one. Insane stuff in perspective

Album #32, Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 ⭐⭐⭐ For context, my favourite Black Sabbath song is Planet Caravan. I grew up listening to their first three albums. Paranoid was one of the first songs I learned to play on drums. However, I never went beyond Master of Reality, as I felt and still feel like it was a step down from the first two, and I had an inkling they fell off after the first three. So this is my first time listening to Vol. 4. And like Violent Femmes yesterday, I wish I’d heard it twenty years ago. Because my tolerance for crunching heavy metal is limited these days. And what crunching heavy metal it is. Huge big fucking riffs with bells on. It’s Tony Iommi’s album through and through. I have to give them plaudits though. They try a few experimental things outside the formula. The samba bit on Supernaut, the lush Laguna Sunrise, and the stupidly simple FX, all of which I enjoyed. Then there’s Changes, which is tender, touching, and a genuine classic. What I don’t enjoy is the endless proggy segues. The way they stop and switch gears into another riff and beat is probably technically impressive, but there’s too much of it throughout, especially on Wheels of Confusion and Under the Sun. I prefer when they keep it dumb and simple, like on St. Vitus Dance. Two other things to note that aren’t necessarily criticisms, even if they sound like it. Lyrically, they are dirt simple. They’re not a thinking man’s band, and I don’t think they’re trying to be. But hearing Ozzy Osbourne sing through a maelstrom of guitars is as iconic a sound as any, the best example being Supernaut. Finally, the mix is very inconsistent throughout. Weirdly though, I think I prefer the muddier sound of Cornucopia. It’s almost proto stoner metal, a genre I probably prefer nowadays. I would have lapped this up in my teens. I do wish I’d continued my Sabbath journey back then. It’s a band I genuinely respect and admire.

Is this my favorite black sabbath album?

🤘🤘🤘🤘

I never liked Black Sabbath or Ozzy much since I don’t vibe with metal. Not really a fan of Ozzy’s vocals either. Though, some of the guitar parts can be catchy - it’s not the worst, definitely leads more toward stoner rock which I can appreciate. I guess this is would technically be coke rock.

Good songs Too many instrumental (only) songs otherwise great

Already heard it, awesome.

Gran banda. Grandes clásicos

super solid album but none of the tracks really made me fall in love with them

How to make a truly classic rock album in 1972: 1. Rent a DuPont family mansion in Bel Air. 2. Produce the album yourselves. 3. Snort copious amounts of cocaine (approx. $75k in 70s money). 4. Run around completely naked wearing only a crucifix around your neck. 5. Nearly kill your drummer by spray painting his entire passed out body with gold paint and lacquer. 6. Remember to thank "the great COKE-Cola" in the liner notes (especially after the record company rejects the title of Snowblind).

When it comes to books, movies, and TV shows I really love sci-fi and fantasy. Most of my favorite works in all forms of media are of the fantastical sort. But when it comes to music I am learning that I prefer works that are more grounded in reality. All of my favorite artists write, for lack of a better term, story songs. So when it comes to bands like Black Sabbath that write about the occult or prog rock bands like Rush with their concept albums, it just feels to cheesy to me and it's hard to take it seriously.

Surprisingly good. Not my vibe today.

Pretty pretty pretty good. I don’t like “Changes” though, but did enjoy a lot of the rest.

I liked this less than Paranoid, which I gave three stars. Ozzy’s vocals probably save this from being a two-star album. Barely. The songs aren’t very interesting, and the noise is often un-engaging. 2.5?

Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? I don't know any of these songs How do I feel about this artist? I recognize Black Sabbath's overall contribution to music and metal, but I have never really been a listener Favorite song(s)? Laguna Sunrise, Supernaut Overall Thoughts: I like traditional rock and roll more than metal, but this album was fun. it was interesting throughout and kept me engaged.

OZZY FOREVA

It's black Sabbath I liked it, not as strong as some other albums by them, changes is great but really just an Ozzy song

if this is what coke can bring us, then god bless the drug lords in England

Didn't. Couldn't.

Black Sabbath goes hard.

Some nice instrumental, didn't like Changes cover. 4.5/5

Wow I can’t believe I slept on this for so long! Instant 5 from me. Will definitely be listening again and again and again.

Love Black Sabbath. Not my favorite album though.

More like Vol 5 (stars).

Not my favorite Sabbath album. But it still rules.

One of the best ever. Easy 5.

Never listened to Black Sabbath before. Much more classic rock than I originally thought

That opener was so fun

Really loved this, first time listening to a sabbath album

Sure ain’t as good as the first album.

Not my kind of music, but the second half of the album was significantly better than the first half. Favourite song: Laguna Sunrise

Pretty good, Changes especially is a fantastic song.

just not into it

This isn't the big Sabbath album. There is no Iron Man or Paranoid on it. But it's still a solid collection of hard rock songs. Really good listen the whole way through.

This is certainly not my first time listening to this album, though it's not my most listened-to Black Sabbath album, nor my favorite. It is, of course, very very good. "Supernaut" is a highlight, and there's a ton of guitar mastery present from top to bottom. Not a single bad track here.

Courtney: none of the best songs but still cool Craig: his voice in his prime is really awesome

Waaay more eclectic than I thought it would be

Iommi the riff goat

Guitar tone is crazy and ozzys voice is spectacular. First song was a standout so far. Changes… piano? Eminem song! Snowblind- cocaine song. Icicles in my brain Second half of album not as good as first half but still decent 4.2

Tosi hyvä levy Sabbathilta. Kaksi edellistä levyä, Paranoid ja Master of Reality ovat kuitenkin vielä vähän Vol. 4:sta parempia. Paljon hyviä biisejä (Supernaut, Snowblind) ja uusia kokeiluja mm. pehmoballadi Changes.

Might relisten, might not - "Changes" was good.

Not my favourite Sabbath album but a banger, obviously.

Very nice mix of songs. The cohesive sound is phenomenal. 8/10

Muy buenos solos de guitarra es muy pegadizo

Piel de gallina con la apertura de la primera canción. Es una propuesta artística de lo que vamos a escuchar a continuación.

Surprisingly good. Never would have chosen to listen to it but enjoyed and would listen to it again.

Already heard this one. Obvs a classic.

meh

8.5/10 - This is a great album as are all of the first 5 (or 6) albums by Sabbath are. This album does have the worst song by Sabbath so it can’t be a 5 but a strong 4 is still a really good album.

A really great album with a weird inclusion of Changes. I don't like their version of it, but the rest of the album is strong. 8/10

SABBATH. BLOODY. SABBATH.

Fuck yeah! This is a statement that can apply to any of the first 5 (or 6) Sabbath albums, but sometimes this one is my favorite. Vol 4 has the boys expanding beyond the doomy version of blues they invented a few years earlier. More complex compositions, some faster tempos (thanks cocaine!) and more moments of melody (Changes, you and I don't get along but I still respect that you're on this album). They still deliver it all with that signature Sabbath "heavy". The inclusion of Supernaut alone makes this a 5 star album, but let's not forget that Cornucopia basically defined the stoner rock sound and is still being aped today.

Cool

Those guys don't have a bad album !

I like it! I think this was the last Black Sabbath album I went out and bought.

Not too crazy about this album. Can't really tell you why??? I can see the value and the quality of the performance is undeniable however, I just didn't get ***into it I guess. I like Black Sabbath, this album isn't the one for me though. Changes is iconic though so yeah...it's BARE MINIMUM good. No lower.

A fun departure from their heavier, earlier catalog. A great album!

Honestly a more relaxed Black Sabbath, still with some bangers but not just ear to ear noise. Not the absolutely heights of metal, but some really good tracks. Changes absolutely slaps still.

yup

Exceptionally solid rock album. Pulls you in right from the opening track.

It's Sabbath. It's great metal. But it's not the best Sabbath. I would not tell anyone interested in listening to Black Sabbath to start here.

Very good

The first true heavy metal band and one of the best. Legendary songs. Superb album. Love every fcking song. RIP Ozzy

A lot more ‘commercial’ sounding than their first 2 albums and not as strong. Great album though and great guitar sound.

Surprised this is the Black Sabbath album that made this list. Still rocks though. Wow a ballad... Daaamn Supernaut comes in hot. Snowblind is a banger too.

I mean superb now we are fucking talking, fuck the Beatles. Long fucking live. Guitar work Down to key changes and the production, and the vocals all just work. I’m here for it. There’s not much else to say really. It does the job.

Wheels of confusion- great opening riff so doom laden and powerful great frantic middle section like the little synth effects going on Tommorows dream - one of my favourite riffs off this album so sludgy can tell it paved the way for bands in the future of this vain like , orange goblin , kyuss, crowbar etc Tony iommi proving he is the riff lord no question Drumming is great playing a cool groove on the ride bell , enjoyed this solo section always thought black sabbath were so bluesy even though even though it’s heavy metal, the solo on this really nice geezer butler layering it well on the bass too Changes - nothing else needs to be said think everyone listening to this album is aware of this classic Fx - aha think there was a bit of experimenting with some class As making this haha Supernaut - a riff that hits you hard in the nuts . Genius rock , bill ward playing the drums with vigour like a swingy jazz crash cymbal groove , can tell he was a jazzer back in his early days Ozzy stands out so much int his album vocals are well up in the stratosphere love the phrasing he uses on this track Snow blind - a classic pure sabbath riffage , makes you want to headbang love the phrasing again from ozzy knows how to shape the melody over the riff Cornucopia - untouchable riffs again so heavy , love some of the gong effects going on too in background Laguna sunrise - who knew iommi could write some classical little acoustic arrangements a nice change on the album St vitus dance - almost countrified probably one of the more upbeat songs on the album haha great riffs again Underneath the sun - doom metal at its finest great racing middle instrumental section , bill ward breaking out the Bonham triplets , love the build to the instrumental bit got a war pigs vibe crushing ending That could open the gates of hell I was toying with giving this a 4 with the bizarre fx section but you know what it was the 70s experimenting was the normal , haha it’s genius and the riffs are untouchable solid 5 for me

Great album showing the true range Sabbath are capable of, beautiful string work with the acoustic guitar on some tracks and changes what a classic and unexpected turn for them to do a piano ballad. FX is the only thing that makes this a 4 instead of a 5, but it's also a true peek behind the curtain of the coked up madness which created this album heh

The kind of music that can only be properly walloped out with the help of literal speakers full of the purest Colombian snow. It's amazing how well this record turned out given how all the band members were undoubtedly zonked out of their shaggy gourds. All the band members put on a genuinely great performance. I was quite impressed with Ozzie's vocals throughout the whole record, and I'm not usually a big fan of his voice. On some of the songs he sounds almost Robert Plant-esque, and I actually prefer the ones where his voice is naked, without his characteristic disorienting self-harmonization effect. Iommi's signature virtuosic guitar playing is present throughout the record, and it's a perfect example of why he's regarded as the guitar god he is today. I also quite enjoyed his performance on Laguna Sunrise, which is a soft and atmospheric orchestral arrangement accompanied by Iommi's shimmering 12 string chords. Overall not my favorite album from them, but still very good.

I listened through the entire album and then realized I didnt absorb a single lyric. I went back and read through and realized I wasn't missing anything Great background rock music!

So I listened to most of this while I was driving, and I was enjoying the visual in my head of someone seeing a 20-something year-old-girl in a VW Beetle with a “Please don’t honk at me, I’m a nice person” sticker blaring this album. Anyways, Ozzy’s vocals are obviously unique, some people are into them, some people hate it. I actually enjoyed a lot of these songs due to the instruments, rhythms, guitar solos, ESPECIALLY after yesterday’s album. It stood out so much more to me as, “THIS is what rock from this time sounded like”. It was fun, and there were a lot of enjoyable records on this album. Reading some background on it, and how much the band wanted to name this album after their track about cocaine, it all made sense. I know that the drugs were going craaaazy at this time, and it really shows. I’m not saying that artists should use cocaine, but it makes rock albums go a little harder. So thanks, coke. In all seriousness, I enjoyed this more than I envisioned I would, which was kind of the point of me doing this challenge. I would have NEVER listened to this album on my own accord, but I’m glad I have. I really want to give it 3.5, mostly because I don’t think I’ll listen to this album again, but it certainly has its place in music history and I enjoyed some specific tracks. Favorite tracks: Snowblind, Laguna Sunrise Least favorite track: Changes

Shit yeah 🤘

Black Sabbath's fourth album released in a 3-year span definitely takes the style they had developed in a very different direction. While their other albums were certainly experimental for their time, Vol. 4 remains experimental to this day. I don't even really know how to describe it in the context of their other work; while their previous albums stay relatively focused in their heavy psychedelic sound, Vol. 4 takes influence from quite a few different sounds. Obviously Changes is the major outlier, being the subject of debate from Sabbath fans and haters alike, but the whole album in general feels just a bit different as far as direction goes. Do I prefer this sound over something like Paranoid? Not particularly, but when it works it's hard to deny its effectiveness. Supernaut and Snowblind are perfect examples, encapsulating the slightly spacier psychedelia while maintaining the heaviness that defined Sabbath. While their are definitely weaker songs on the album that do not stand on their own nearly as well, tracks like Laguna Sunrise contribute to the unique vibe on the overall album. They don't overstay their welcome, and add a bit of flavor an variety to the album even if their singular presence is lackluster. Vol. 4 is definitely not my favorite Black Sabbath record, but its place in the catalogue is certainly memorable and has aged about as well as the rest of their material from this era.

It's Black Sabbath.

#36/1001 🇬🇧 I'm sitting here listening and wondering why the teenage metalhead me never got into Sabbath. I know them by ear but have never listened to their albums in full. Could be because they didnt seem that cool due to the cartoon character that Ozzy had become. I didn't think that i liked his vocals but they do sit well here, offering a slightly unhinged paranoia on top of some magnificent guitar work and a solid rhythm section. Best Tracks: Supernaut, Snowblind, Laguna Sunrise.

Fucking awesome. It's crazy how Sabbath's first 4 albums are basically perfect with no misses at all. Ozzy sounds powerful as hell here. Iommi plays like a maniac. The drums are so loud and Ward plays them like he's trying to punish his kit. Just an incredible album and I don't even like metal.

tomorrow's dream esta chida changes buenisima en la de under the sun se escuchan riffs similares al de electric funeral y NIB

Meh

Rawkus, massive. More ambitious than their (amazing) previous three albums. For me this is Sabbath at the apex, hanging onto the band and their sanity enough to get this done before the walls cave in. Ozzy sounds incredible

The only thing this album confirms is my suspicion that Sabbath Ozzy is better than Solo Ozzy. And this is the one without the hits. A Highly impressive school on how to make a kick ass Metal album. Supernaut all the way til the end just slaps. Legends. Changes was the only song that I found to be less than stellar. Still a good song though. Can't wait for the others! 4

What an amazing band Black Sabbath was... This album is great. Love the variation, the chemistry is incredible, and the music has so much... bite... I'm getting this days much deeper into their stuff and enjoying every minute. Track 1 one is a long evolving piece. If you are not impressed by Ozzys vocals and presence, just listen to this one. His incredible. The riffs here are so fucking cool. Elite guitars from Tony. 2 continues the great energy with a classic Sabbath sounds and fir bluesy vocals from Ozzy. One again he shines here. Love the arpegios in the b part. Changes is a singular track in rock music. A special one, a true masterpiece. You should check your heart if ozzy's voice doesn't effect you in the choruses. Man, it's so good. After a questionable interlude (maybe to let us reset after the last track) no. 5 has a riff for the ages, and a sublime performance from the entire band. Track six is very good. Once again, amazing vocals. Adore Ozzy on this album. 7 is still very good but maybe the least exiting on the album for me. Still very very good. Laguna Sunrise is surprising and delightful. A small and lovely acoustic number. 8 feels like an early Sabbath track. Great. Rock n roll. Under the sun continues with the early motive with a massive satanic riff. The perfect closer for this album. What a thing . It's not perfect. But very close, actually. I think I'll regret it if I won't give it a 5 But a 4.7 it is

Love Black Sabbath, was very happy to see them pop up. I'm gooooooing through chaaanggeeeeessssss

One of many outstanding albums in the initial Sabbath lineup's run. Favorite track: Changes

Simply brilliant!

Great opening track! Classic Black Sabbath. "Changes" brings out vulnerability from Ozzy which makes for a nice ballad. Other standouts are: Snowblind (the chorus gives this Black Metal vibe and the guitar solos are great), Laguna Sunrise (which is a beautiful instrumental) and Under the Sun that closes the album nicely

Loved this. As much as I like Ozzy, I think the instrumental tracks were the highlight.

0/10 bekannt 6/10 Beste Songs: under the sun, snowblind, changes

Muddy here and there, some really notable tracks, but nothing too memorable on first listen

GOAT

Only one song I recognised, other songs okay but wouldn’t listen again!

Respect the album is lengthy full of their unique sound. Pushed me into listening LIVE Sabbath

Solid listen, nice guitars. Curious if this is one of their more iconic albums. Not any stand outs for me.

Beautiful album, peak Sabbath, peak Ozzy!

Tosi hyvää kamaa. Oli ilo kuunnella ja fiilistellä.

Klassikko on klassikko, vaikken Ozzyn Sabbathista oo koskaan oikein piitannut.

Decent album, songs containing some good riffs, but its „Black Sabbath” which im not a fan of. I love metal, but they dont do much for me.

Great album. Each song sounded different, all within the same genre. And "Changes," of course, is a ballad-y banger, trapped between a 4 and a 5. Why can't we give half stars?

I love Supernaut

Good

Very good, but not S-Tier like "In Rainbows" from yesterday. The best song on the album is the very first one, which is always a bit of a bummer.

Fav: Changes Least Fav: FX Had no idea that Changes was a Black Sabbath original. I like this album more than the other Sabbath ones simply because it experiments. The non-heavy metal songs were really good and the heavy metal stuff is what you’d expect from them, so it’s pretty good

I mean its Black Sabbath

Excellent riffs, less dark and broody than earlier Sabs stuff. Things going a bit prog in places, not sure about 'Changes' but people like it. Opening track is utterly brilliant.

норм рок, рип

Hell yeah

Great album with some classic songs.

Not sure I've ever listened to a Black Sabbath album before. Was pleasantly surprised - good stuff

What an album. Highlights being Snowblind and Wheels of Confusion. But this is solid throughout. Easy 5 for me.

This does slap, although lacking in certified bangers

gar nicht so schlecht

very good! couple of bangers that i really fucked with, a couple i didn’t but thats okay. was pleasantly surprised with the variety idk why i thought id be all heavy but i especially liked changes and FX

Its weird hearing piano on a Black Sabbath album. And a lot of acoustic guitars. I see why this album is on the list. It shows the growth of Sabbath as a band. I still think they're at their best on Master of Reality or Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, but this was a great reminder of the range this band was capable of. Also refreshing that not every song is 6 minutes long. I don't mind that so much with Sabbath, but hearing all these nice, condensed 3 minute songs was a nice change. Its like a whole album of Paranoids, kind of.

Slightly better than "Master Of Reality" with a clearer sound. Still not one I find myself going back to often, but when I do, I find I enjoy it.

Непоганий альбом, декілька композицій сподобалися

Every song on here is a classic, with the exception of changes, which has been tainted behind repair. I was going to give a 4 but I don't think you can when you consider this one album spawned multiple metal subgenres and influenced so many bands over the years. Arguably one of the most influential albums in music? A great listen.

Great album Song I like: Change,

This rocks! Opening Track is great. Amazing rock drumming, Ozzy's voice was one of a kind. They are certainly one of the most influential heavy rock/ metal bands of all time, but listening to it now, it just feels like solid rock. Really holds up, I'll listen to this over most other guitar music coming out of the 70's Not my favorite Sabbath Album, but still a solid 4 stars. Almost 5 stars, I think I'm secretly wanting to leave room for Paranoid. This one has a few more filler songs than Paranoid. Aside, I'm a little surprised that there are no solo Ozzy albums on the list. Feels like Blizzard of Ozz could have squeezed on.

Less fun than I expected it to be

I wouldn't count this as one of my favorite Sabbath albums. Not bad, but not what Sabbath is known for.

Their best album, no doubt!

Such a classic album. Changes is awesome. 3.5/5

Ozzy vs guitar

Toujours autant de mal avec le gros son hard rock.

Vol. 4, aka the 4th best Sabbath album. Nonetheless, it’s heavy and cool (mostly - Changes is pretty cringe in my opinion).

Can’t deny the run Sabbath went on with their albums. The sound continued to evolve with each one.

It's better than I expected,

Not a huuuge fan tbh

It's perfect. Changes favorite song

Changes is a banger

I just love the groove

personally not my cup of tea... BUT album did have some songs that i enjoyed. some felt a bit randomly placed...the instrumentation and collaborative effort is what made this album for me. and the lead guitar

Underwhelming. A few interesting riffs with the signature Iommi tone, but a weak album overall

hindi talaga siya for me

RIP Ozzy. Great album. Not a metal person, but sabbath just hits a spot very few artists of any genre can. Truly always a great listen. The writing on this record is definitely a more mature version of Sabbath. Highly recommend the 2021 remaster over the 2014 remaster. Even then, the mastering and production are slightly flatter with less low end than some of their previous works. Overall, this is an essential album that everyone should listen to. I do think Paranoid is superior in sonic quality and songs. So I am giving Sabbath Volume 4 a 4/5.

It's not the Black Sabbath of Paranoids and and Masters of Reality but MAN what a incredible 70's rock album. They just dont make rock like this anymore, i know how that sounds, but legit. There just inst a weak track on the album!

Once again, Black Sabbath rules. They are hard rock but with such a tight groove, and then throw in some beautiful bits too. Ozzy sounds great.

Pretty good, enjoyable. Changes was really nice.

This list is slowly making me realize I’m a Black Sabbath fan. I loved this album. I was head banging and grooving the whole time an when it ended i was like nooo it’s over. I also didn’t realize that the Changes by Charles Bradley was a cover until i heard this album. But the Sabbath version is sooo good. Will be listening to more of them.

Almost a 4, based on Changes and Supernaut.

Classic listen!

Amazing album, but honestly the first 6 or so Sabbath albums are all great.

Total 5 star listen. FX is weird, but not off enough to make me not love the album. This album is an essential listen for any metal head

As far as Black Sabbath goes, I enjoyed this. It wasn't life changing, but I really liked Changes and the overall vibe of the album.

Other two black sabbath albums i know are better. Masters of reality and paranoid

its good to have as background music

The way my head fell into my hands when this album came up. <SIGH> This after yesterday's Wu-Tang Clan which I also didn't like. I don't have much to say about this album. I know about Ozzy Osborne from his reality TV show but never was interested in his music. His singing voice sounds whiny which drives me up the wall. <sigh> Whatever.

Ok

I think I was only familiar with two songs Ozzy Osbourne penned (those being "Crazy Train" and "Changes") prior to today, so I'm definitely not an expert on Black Sabbath. With that in mind, I honestly imagined their music being a bit heavier than this. I understand that metal had to sound like this before we could get to thrash and death metal, but I guess I'm just surprised that a band with a name like Black Sabbath (whose frontman was dubbed "Prince of Darkness") wasn't making music with a little more edge. That said, I thought Vol. 4 was a decent album! It's got good rock instrumentals with compelling progressions and some solid songwriting bringing everything together. I wasn't the biggest fan of Ozzy's voice here, but I also wouldn't say it got grating or annoying – it's totally serviceable for this kind of music. Highlights: Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener, Tomorrow's Dream, Changes, Supernaut, Snowblind

A classic masterpiece! If I could only give 1000 stars, I would!

Not their best but changes is very good. 7/10

Great album in the Sabbath catalogue 3 - deservedly on this list

favorites: changes, supernaut, snowblind

To be honest it’s ok. Nothing much to say. Good music but nothing new or extraordinary.

A lot of people don’t know about this album, but it’s a very soulful less energetic sabbath. Changes is an all timer, Ozzie’s pain on that track is chefs kiss

a bit old for me i liked it tho

Black Sabbath invented Metal and are/were the genre’s greatest artistic force. Personally, I don’t think Vol. 4 is their best album, but it’s one of their best – the fourth of their classic six album run that bludgeoned the genre into existence. Dropping the needle on Vol. 4 is to step into the world of a band who were taking control of their own destiny, co-producing for the first time and letting in a little light and shade. That’s not to say Vol. 4 isn’t damnably heavy, it is. “Wheels Of Confusion” is a lively opener, though a trifle murky in its presentation, which sets the aural tone. “Supernaut” features Tony Iommi in classic slash n burn form and “Snowblind” is all about the band’s drug of choice - the ebb and flow mirroring the drug’s effect – with some great soloing from Iommi again. And then there’s “FX” which is just that, a couple minutes of guitar effects. “Changes” is a weepy ballad of all things, and “Laguna Sunrise”, an instrumental piece that’d fit seamlessly on one of those chill-out compilation albums with a dove on the cover. So, taken as a whole, it’s a strange, fucked up, messy record, but still quite brilliant in its own weird way. Ozzy and the band are on fine form throughout, and obviously in the mood to go exploring. It was probably the cocaine. 9/10

Leuk, afwisselend, goede intro's en outro 's

Who knew BS were so musical???

Now we're talking. Not my fav Sabbath, but still rockin

Ummm, they’re ok…but I’ve never been a big fan. They’re hit and miss for me.

Their best album.

R.i.p to a kind

Masterpiece

:( Like this album and snowblind is great. Dirgy dirty sounds and rock n roll.

Sabbath at (probably) the top of their game. Still the raw heaviness of the first 3 albums but with added polish & production I guess. Laguna Sunrise is a beautiful acoustic guitar breather in the middle of the madness.

Заправо супер албум, мало ме подсећа на Зепелине

I enjoyed the album, was nice to hear some of the classic tracks in context of the album. I've never been a big Sabbath fan, but respect for what they were trying to do.

It’s fine, just pretty blah outside of Changes.

Y'all just going to let Sabbath come through and wash all y'all? It's always so refreshing when there's just a easy 5/5. Not even a bit on the fence. Black Sabbath rules.

Legendary guitar and great melodies

ts is ok

Liked more than expected but still unlikely to revisit

not that bad i expected it to be too much rock but it was fine and i will probably listen to it again

Ozzy and the rest of Black Sabbath were very influential during the 70’s. Their loud and who cares mentality was different and people liked it. You can tell they had too much fun making this album. It has the psychedelic vibe that most 70’s rock had. The drugs, the partying, the we don’t care. It all blends together to be another big hit for ozzy and Black Sabbath.

Favorite Track: Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener

Taken back by how psychedelic it seemed at first, then by how moody and heavy it got to be. The dimension created through vocal echo/reverb/whatever made it feel huge at times. Everyone on this is superlative at one time or another. God I miss Ozzy. Not what I’m normally looking for from Sabbath when I go to pull a record or song, but I get why it’s on here. Incredible that “Changes” only happened because they found a piano and Iommi sat down and learned to play it. So much of the production is a culmination of luck and immense talent…and drugs.

I was actually dreading listening to this because I had never listened to Black Sabbath and i thought it was going to be another progresive rock/metal album. And in a way it was, but I loved it. Crazy to think its from 1972 too.

Great frickin album, I loved it 19/1/26

Woo, Black Sabbath! I know some of their other records, of course, but not this one for some reason. It was silly of me to listen to this first thing in the morning, since what this record needs is late night and a party. But it's a good listen, especially when they get into the longer instrumental bits. Turn it up! (Oh wait no don't, the neighbors are probably still asleep.) The final track, "Under the Sun," was my favorite; it had an interesting repeating guitar bit at the beginning, and some very nice stuff happening in the rhythm section. It felt more restrained than the rest of it, which made it more powerful for me. But I drop a star for "Changes," which - like we all love and miss you, Ozzy, but did we need to hear you singing a sad love song over drippy strings and piano? I mean maybe, but it didn't work for me. Biggest regret: that "FX" didn't go on a little longer (they thought of it as a joke piece, but I kinda liked it). 4/5 stars

enjoyed this more than I thought I would!!!

A real blast from the past for this one, brings back memories of parties in dark and dingy houses with the sweet smell of marijuana heavy in the air and couples making out to Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. I do find Black Sabbath music to sound the same, but it was refreshing to listen to some of their softer tracks such as changes. I definitely did enjoy it, Black Sabbath were Pioneers and their music shocked our parents who were more used to the Beatles and Rolling Stones.

Really surprised me! Never listened to BS on my own accord. Knew a song from the album.

Man. This album is a beast. The whole thing feels like getting suffocated by a wall of guitar riffs and ozzy’s wailing, kind of parallel to the amount of drugs these guys were doing. I imagine these songs sound like how they felt. That’s also not to say they aren’t still headbangers, cause they most certainly are. But there’s many times where the riffs slow down and just swallow you ala she’s so heavy by the Beatles. Black Sabbath are one of a kind.

I guess I'm a Black Sabbath fan. This is the second album by them that I have listened to. The other being Paranoid, which I gave 5 stars. I definitely preferred Paranoid, but I still think this album sneaks in as a 4/5.

Absolutely classic Black Sabbath album and among their best records ever produced. Every song is amazing in its own way; even FX which is just experimenting with guitar and bass effects. Long Live Vol. 4. 10/10

Franchement très très sympa à écouter

Très bon

Shocker, it’s great

solid 3

Completely unhinged, occasionally brilliant, frequently ridiculous, and powered by substances modern science hasn’t even classified yet. Rock music at its most honest.

Changes

Favourite Songs: Tomorrow's Dream Supernaut Snowblind

Legendary stuff

Excellent!!

Lordy, 50+ years old and still a banger. I’m going to go do the St Vitus Dance

It's classic metal but also blends new sounds into it as well. Songs like "Changes" and "Laguna Sunrise" aren't songs you can typically get from a metal sound, they blend a melancholic rock sound to it which really shows range for the band. Not to mention the range in which they play their instruments, songs like "Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener" and "Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes" the guitar changes into a new riff or a new tempo and then the drums kick in with a new beat or match the tempo with the guitar, and yet they still make a consistent sound throughout the song that caters to that song only. A really solid album through and through.

Fuckin' A, what a great album. Non-stop hits and just straight up beautiful musical arrangements.

Black Sabbath was so influential in shaping the sound of all things metal and rock. On this album the bluesy elements are still firmly present, combining with the downtuning to form a sound now prevalent in acid and stoner rock. The opening track and Supernaut arry the definite highlights while changes is (depending on your mood) a welcome change of pace or an unnecessary detour.

I liked this album, black sabbath is dope Fav Track: Wheels of Confusion/The Straightner Least Fav Track: FX

classic rock that i don't realy like. Guitar tone is not too good. Great piano sound

Liked this album way more than I expected

Tony Iommi is SO fucking badass!! 5

Please. 5 stars or bust

Not as good as paranoid, but still excellent

One of the Hard Rock masterpieces. Heavy guitar and drums! Also, acoustic guitar on Laguna Sunrise was a present surprise. personal best: Wheel of Confusion/The Straightener, Supernaut,Laguna Sunrise

Good album, grows on you

Slayyyy loved the instrumental only songs

sympa mais sans plus fin je savais à quoi m'attendre quoi

Kann man überraschend gut hören

This was surprisingly cool. Turns out the radio plays their worst songs, who knew!

It was alright.

not what i expected but i liked it! esp the last song.

прекрасный альбом, с отличными рифами, отличный вокалом и, конечно, превосходный ритм секцией.

My first time listening to a Black Sabbath album in full. I feel like any metal from the 70s has that similar feeling of drug induced loneliness which you can feel through every track of Vol. 4. It doesn’t sound as heavy as a lot of their other stuff- this felt like it had more of a California feel to it especially with Laguna Sunrise and the guitar riffs chosen for a lot of other songs. Highlights for me were Laguna Sunrise and Cornucopia. It has definitely made me interested in comparing and contrasting the metal sound in the early 70s then to the 8ps and the difference between American and U.K metal. Solid decade defining album for sure.

I respect Black Sabbath. Their slow and heavy guitar sound was innovative, paving the way for doom metal. Ozzy's voice is distinctive and solid. Their albums tend to feel pretty well crafted. However, I can't say I really enjoy or relish listening to them - I merely appreciate them for making things possible for later artists. There's something that just feels flat and unexciting for me, even though I don't dislike any of the elements of their sound. 3*

Yeah fire what’s not to like

boring

Pretty good

Sounds like Ozzy's in a different room while they riff.

4.5 rounded up

Yes

Not my thing. Didn’t like the metronome-y woodblock sound in the back of a few of the tracks

weird mix of tempos, not incredible

Before I listened to this album, I thought I wasn't a Sabbath fan. But now I've listened to this album, and I get it. I mean, I've listened to Paranoid because of this project, but I like Vol. 4 so much more. It's deep, complex, varied, and just really solid rock.

Definitely changed my perspective of black Sabbath, great album, very thoroughly enjoyed

7.6

Never been a huge Black Sabbath fan. This album was quite interesting had some nice melodic arrangements, but did not sway me to being a hardcore Sabbath fan.

holy shit... black Sabbath made changes?!

Was better than anticipated but I had low expectations. Not a fan of metal but this was ok

I've always thought Ozzy sounded like a Muppet & some of the guitar solos sound like a high school guitar class, but I liked this a lot more than I thought I would.

Wow! Never fought that I would like this type of geyre

Not exactly my thing, but the guitar work and vocals are crisp and convulsive.

fantastic

старе, вайбове, інколи енергія такого маск мейл, який усе зробить для своєї жінки. 5/10

A lot of instrumental solos, not for me though

Bom!

First things first, rest in peace to the prince of darkness. I love Black Sabbath especially the first 4 albums, I believe that’s when they did their best work. During these you literally get to indulge in four of the best heavy metal musicians. My personal favourite being Tony Iommi, I’ve always been a fan of how he plays guitar. It was unique back then and it’s still withholds its sounds today, a true professional. The tension Black Sabbath can build in a track is next level. I’ve listened to this album back to back 4 times in a row, and it shows no sign of getting stale. The bands musical chemistry is definitely captured throughout Vol 4. Ozzys voice was absolutely on point on this record. To point out the obvious, he sounds incredible on Changes. A song that I initially heard first when Eminem sampled it. It was nice to hear this side of Ozzy, something he definitely grew towards in his solo career. You’ll notice I have a lot of songs in my favourite tracks today. What an important band and what a brilliant album, thoroughly enjoyed it. If I could give half stars this would definitely have had a 4.5. Unfortunately I’m saving the 5’s for absolutely perfect albums, although this is close it’s not quite there. Favourite tracks are: ‘Wheels of Confusion’, ‘Under the Sun’, ‘Snowblind’, ‘Supernaut’, and obviously ‘Changes’.

Absolutely loved this! Not sure it needed the testing out FX track, but as someone who has never listened to a Black Sabbath album, I now understand why they were massive.

Laying the sludgy foundations for an entire genre ain't an easy thing. It's not my favourite Sabbath album, but it's sick.

not what i expected at all i thought it was metal. vocals were super good, didn’t understand the first song at all which was so long. none made it onto my playlist though

Great great album

Was pleasantly surprised with how much i liked this album. Would consider listening again!

I thought it was pretty mid, I will not be listening to this again.

Not the typical Black Sabbath I expected to hear. Had to listen 3 times, but really enjoyed it

Perhaps lacks the coherence of their very best but still has all the power and verve.

There are a few standouts in the mix here, but overall I felt most just blended together into a just-okay soft rock sameness.

solid album. not much more that i can say i enjoyed some songs and theyre ofc an influential band with their trad doom metal sound. this just didnt hit as much as their album paranoid

Very much my style of music and I enjoyed this listen a lot, however I have heard better from Black Sabbath and this is not their best album.

3/5 Nice album to listen to, but it got a little samesy after a bit.

Having only previously been familiar with Paranoid, this seemed surprisingly mellow.

For Sabbath, I've only ever listened to their first two albums. I'm a bigger fan of the first, to be quite honest. Changes is a banger. I love the Charles Bradley cover a lot, but Ozzie can really make you feel stuff. Overall, pretty great album. Doesn't quite clear the first two albums for me, but it now has me interested in Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

Average album, not my type. Best song: Changes

It was better than I expected.a different genre which I thought would just be a bunch of electric guitar and illegible screaming but it wasn't a was much more interesting to listen to. I will say that for me it had too much of just guitar and instrumental parts

10/10

Maybe the most polarizing BS record, so was surprised when this popped up. It's probably their most diverse record, veering from riff heavy rocking to sludge metal to piano ballad to acoustic instrumental and back again to heavy riffage and sludge. It's not their best record but even at the height of their LA coke binge excess, they still produced magic