Black Sabbath, Paranoid

Artist:  Black Sabbath

Albums I Listened To:  Black Sabbath, Paranoid

Backstory:

I decided back in 2016 that if I ever got this blog going, I would start with Black Sabbath.  Why? Because I had never, ever heard a note played by the band. Without even giving them a chance when they arrived on the scene in the early ‘70s, I waved them away. I know I heard they played “heavy metal,” and I know I stereotyped that music as noise without thought. Nonetheless, they became a global sensation. Since their founding, they’ve sold over 70 million albums. So, I owed them a listen. Simple as that.

Reactions:

I’m a good whistler.  Seriously.  I’ve had compliments on my whistling when I’ve been in newsrooms and offices over the years.  And here’s an odd thing – since digging in to Sabbath’s first two albums in December of 2021 (I’m writing this in February, 2022), I’ve found myself absent-mindedly whistling the tunes and riffs that I heard.  And, let’s be honest, these are not tunes like Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head or Strangers in the Night.  But, that’s been the case.  And, to me, when I find myself whistling some music, that means I like it.

What I heard on these two albums is certainly riff heavy. Guitarist Tony Iommi leads the charge, finding a hook and taking it on exciting runs with bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. In fact, if the music of Black Sabbath was just these three finding a riff and then following it, exploring different dimensions created by the riffs, I’d be fine with that. They begin a blues base and run around with that often, presenting exciting, sometimes exhilarating music.

At the centre of it all, however, is the now-famous Ozzy Osbourne on the vocals. He doesn’t have a voice that has the richness or authority of, say, Freddie Mercury or Levon Helm or Aretha Franklin. But he has an uncanny ability to use that somewhat limited voice to deliver the lyrics. Yeah, as you may have heard, there are references to the dark arts, but the lyrics also address the horror of war. “War Pigs” is as powerful an anti-war anthem as I’ve ever heard. Their music all seems locked into a gloom-and-doom attitude and atmosphere. But…I loved what I heard.

From the opening of the title track of their first album (both the album and that track are called “Black Sabbath”), with a thunderstorm and church bells setting the mood, I was hooked. “This music has attitude and purpose,” I remember thinking. I preferred both albums when Iommi, Butler and Ward were able to let loose and fly. This was a great era for bands who could jam — Cream, the Allman Brothers, the early version of Chicago, Hendrix and his mates, and Zep. I’d never thought I would add Sabbath into the ranks of these bands as just damn great players, but they were. Kick-ass, often ballsy playing, invoking blues, funk, and even the odd quiet Celtic lilt.

Surprise Factor: 

With each review, I’ll offer a rating out of 10 as to how the album surprised me. A plus sign with a number indicates a positive surprise. A minus sign indicates a surprise I wish I hadn’t experienced. With these two Sabbath albums, I’ll give them 9+. I wasn’t expecting to like this music at all. In fact, I loved it.

Will I listen to more of this artist?

I will.  They’ve piqued my curiosity.  They’ve produced a ton of albums and I know the personnel changed. I’m interested in seeing where else they took their music. So, more to explore.