Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath

Pros: As dark and heavy as it got back then. Probably scared hippies to death.
Cons: The most Satanic thing here is the presence of a harmonica on "The Wizard".

Something seriously menacing must've been afoot in England back in the late 1960's. For some reason, the bands were all getting rather grim and foreboding, with The Rolling Stones advocating "Sympathy For The Devil" and The Beatles freaking people out ...

Pros: A lot of influencial tracks, and some powerful lyrics.
Cons: A song that is too long for it's own good, and some lyrics.

In the late 1960's, different styles of music was rampant throughout the world. The Beatles, despite not touring for years, had broken virtually every record in music, a lot of them still standing. Jimi Hendrix's styles of music would enter English and ...

Pros: "The Wizard", I got it cheap
Cons: more than one song on some tracks, too dark, not enough singing, too short

After discovering how cheap CDs are at A&B Sound, I went back there last night looking for some Ozzy ...

Pros: incredibly original, great songwritting, a frightful atmosphere
Cons: so simple and easy to play that it doesn't get much respect from musicians

Hi everyone!

well this is the very record that started it all! some may argue that heavy metal had existed before, with bands like led zeppelin, cream or the Jimi hendrix experience. But all of them still sounded very very bluesy and none of...

Pros: Everything
Cons: 5 songs

Black Sabbath, the band that paved the way for a genre of music known as heavy metal, started out in 1968 in Birmingham, England. The foursome of singer John "Ozzy" Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Terrence "Geezer" Butler and drummer Bill ...

Pros: The sheer fury, emotion and presence, writing and musicianship
Cons: relatively poor sound quality

Black Sabbath's self-titled debut album has long since provided the blueprint for what heavy metal is all about. Along with their sophomore release 'Paranoid,' Black Sabbath almost independently created what is considered metal today. Which is...

Pros: Everything Heavy Metal is about, it’s here - in full fashion, to full effect!
Cons: Precarious production may raise some eyebrows - not Metal ones, of course!

The only words needed to summarize BLACK SABBATH’s 1970 self-titled debut relevance: the first and ultimate Heavy Metal record.

Every field of human activity has its pioneers and its champions - but few of them has the...

Pros: Brutally simple and effective
Cons: A bit too much jamming

Black Sabbath is arguably one of the top twenty most influential bands in recording history,almost single-handedly inventing the genre of heavy metal. Others may point to Zeppelin or obscure acts like Blue Cheer, but those bands were either not as...

Pros: Great blues-inspired rock. Ozzy's vocals at their best.
Cons: Not as memorable or famous as their later albums.

(This review refers to the UK re-release of Black Sabbath in 1996)

Black Sabbath's first album, simply titled 'Black Sabbath' was released in 1970. Back then, the Sabbath consisted of:
Tony Iommi (Lead Guitar)
Geezer Butler (Bass)...

Pros: great dark and moody music; Ozzy is fantastic on vocals here; exceptional guitar, bass, and drumming
Cons: most of the songs aren't as recognizable as on later albums

With the 1970's came not only a new decade, but one that marked a new direction for music. The recent breakup of the Beatles seemed to open the door for new musical styles--darker in tone and louder in sound. Led Zeppelin and The Who began to raise the...

Pros: Ozzie at his strongest, killer riffs from the master
Cons: It's really not Sabbath at their best, check out later stuff for that

Black Sabbath's self-titled debut album is Ozzie at his best, but it is not Black Sabbath at their best. That says a lot, because this album still kicks butt! If you're looking for some driving, dark, moody metal, get this album, then go out and buy as...

Pros: Gloom and Doom, Never Sounded So Good
Cons: none

During the late 60's and early 70's, an unrest, floated on the wind. The war in Southeast Asia, caused conflict among the generations, resulting in social upheaval. The music of the day was mainly folk, pop and psychedelic rock. Music was the forum of...

Pros: pure, raw blues/metal
Cons: songs aren't all divided into seperate tracks

You put the disc in and hit "play." Expecting to hear music, you are instead greeted by the sounds of pouring rain, nearby thunder, and the grim, endless tolling of a church bell. Wondering what's going on, you are hit by surprise when out of...

Pros: Raw debut from pioneering metal act. Musical, yet strong.
Cons: A little unrefined, but that would come.

Enlgand: 1966. A band called "Earth" is formed with Johnathan Osborne, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, and Tony Iommi. By 1970, they were called "Black Sabbath" and had attracted a cult following. In 1970, they would release two albums,...

Pros: Ground breaking music for the disfranchised.
Cons: None to speak of

When it comes down to it Black Sabbath must get the credit for the creation of heavy metal. You can point to Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple or even Alice Cooper. But when it comes right down to it, Black Sabbath deserve most of the credit. How many bands...