When Steinmetal first spoke to me about possibly writing about Classic Albums, there was only one thing in my mind for my first attempt. What I heard in my head was the ominous sound of pouring rain, thunder and bells that paved the road to a deep, heavy and earth shattering tri-tone riff. In other words, what I was already playing in my head were the opening notes to an ancient song called "Black Sabbath", rooted out from an album called "Black Sabbath", by a band called BLACK SABBATH.
Released on Friday, February 13th, 1970, "Black Sabbath" gave birth to what we now know as Heavy Metal, influenced almost every band since that day, and made a whole lot of people take notes. Don't forget, those were the days of "Flower Power", peace signs were everywhere, and music generally spoke of love and its aspects of making, loving and being loved, oh and surfing, forgot about surfing (how could I forget surfing dudes?). Essentially, everyone who was loving and surfing (and taking drugs, but that's a different story).
And so here came a bunch of misfits, known first as THE POLKA TULK BLUES BAND, then EARTH and finally BLACK SABBATH. One day a kid called John got a PA system and hung an ad in a music store which read "Ozzy Zig needs gig" (Ozzy after his last name, Osbourne), the ad was seen by Tony Iommi, a kid who lost the tips of two of his fingers in a factory accident a couple of years before, and so a journey began. After Iommi returned to BLACK SABBATH (after almost joining JETHRO TULL) the band began working. Their first work would change music's history. The very sound of this album is unusual, brought on by Iommi missing his finger tips and being forced to detune his guitar to make playing less painful. That same tuning made the sound, deep, harsh and dark that opens this album. But it's not just the sound, the themes dealt within the album record were possibly the first of any band like black magic, occult, Satanism, harsh themes never heard before. Oh hell no!
Recorded in just one day (yes children, one day) this album is beyond a classic, it's beyond legendary, featuring songs like the title track, "N.I.B" (which is contrary to popular belief, doesn't actually mean anything, and is just a joke nickname given to Bill Ward because of his goatee at the time), "The Wizard", "Behind The Wall of Sleep" and CROW cover "Evil Woman", this record is probably the greatest debut album ever recorded. Simply put, this, much like SABBATH's first five album is a masterpiece. But honestly, who am I to even judge it?
What I'm trying to say is this, if someone asks you what Heavy Metal is, give him a copy of this album, if he doesn't like it, you are hereby ordered to bitch slap him.
Tracklist:
1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizzard
3. Behind the Wall of Sleep
4. N.I.B
5. Evil Woman
6. Sleeping Village
7. Warning
8. Wicked World
"Black Sabbath" Lineup:
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne ' Vocals / Harmonica
Tony Iommi ' Guitars
Terry "Geezer" Butler ' Bass
Bill Ward - Drums
