just discovering this thru the Black Box set and it is blowing me out. I used to be scared of it when it first came out as a kid in the 70s.

Behind the initial occult image there are plenty insiteful socially cnscious lyrics and some of the heaviest riffs I've ever heard.

Are you hip?

... occult image scares you?

mrwiggles said:

The original Black sabbath is untouchable. Heavy at its heaviest, jamming at its jammingest. I love how they could be riffing along and then right in the middle of it shift into a beautiful, melodic coda. Example: Symptom of the Universe. First five albums are flawless, Sabotage is great but spotty, and the last two are, despite good songs, dreadfully produced.
I am definitely hip

The song "Black Sabbath" used to scare the crap out of me when I was little.

fms said:

I came across the box last week in the library and they have been blowing me out every night since then. I agree in your assessment of the LPs.
So many incredible tracks and tempo changes also a funky funky rock band.

Ozzy may have very well had the best male vocal in metal. I love how he stretches out on Hand of
Doom.
The only other band in the genre that hit me this hard is early Zeppelin but I think Bill Ward is more dynamic that Bonham.

I was just listening to Master Of Reality this morning!

Oh yeah they're tremendous, and their first four albums in a row make up one of the best runs in rock. Hardly a duff track between all of them.

The later stuff with Ronnie James Dio etc is OK but nothing rocks my world like early Sabbath.