355. Black Sabbath, "Black Sabbath"

 


Recorded in one 12-hour session with virtually no overdubs, this album sounds like it was recorded in one 12-hour session with virtually no overdubs.  I'M KIDDING, sort of.  It could use some polish, but it is a fascinating document of the birth of heavy metal.  To my mind, it sounds like guitarist Tommy Iommi was just trying to play blues and accidentally created something else.  Maybe because he lost his fingerips in a sheet metal accident and had to adapt and that led him to create his sui generis sound?  Even the musical background story is metal as fuck.

So yes.  Here we witness the birth pangs of heavy metal.  It sounds a lot like blues-psych with extra distortion and some fucked up chords thrown in and dime store Satanism lyrics, which I guess is what heavy metal is.  Speaking of lyrics, let's discuss John Michael Osbourne for a sec.  Ozzy's singing on this album is, to put it charitably, raw.  To be more frank, he, at this point, was a terrible singer.  And the lyrics, oh my god:

Big black shape with eyes of fire
Telling people their desire
Satan's sitting there, he's smiling
Watches those flames get higher and higher
Oh no, no, please God help me!
Is it the end, my friend?
Satan's coming 'round the bend
People running 'cause they're scared
The people better go and beware!
No, no, please, no!

Satan's coming 'round the bend!  When she comes!  Satan's comin round the mountain when she comes!  Sorry, sorry, I can't help it.  This was probably scary as shit in 1970, but now it's less frightening than your average "Scooby Doo" episode.  NEVERTHELESS.

All that aside, there were stretches of this album I genuinely enjoyed, despite the occasional silliness.  Some of Iommi's guitar work is truly brilliant, and the album does cast a doomy vibe that reflects what I imagine it felt like to grow up in Birmingham in the postwar era.  

Ozzy got kicked out of the band for being too much of a drunk and addict and showed everybody by going on to have a massive solo career and then be the doddering father figure on a reality show.  Iommi is generally thought of as the creator of heavy metal guitar and is revered for his work in Sabbath and later bands.  The other guys, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, are still around too.  I can't believe they're all alive.  

Does this album deserve to be in the Top 500? Oh, definitely.

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