Black Sabbath's second studio album has become a heavy metal classic since its release in late 1970. Although Steppenwolf arguably invented the genre in its 1968 hit
Born To Be Wild, it was Black Sabbath who would become to be known as the godfathers of metal, perhaps along with Deep Purple.
The follow-up release to their mildly successful debut album proved to be their best-selling work, peaking at number 1 in the United Kingdom and number 12 in the United States even though it got close to no airplay. It's ironic that
Iron Man and
Paranoid (the song) are played today on mainstream rock stations over 30 years after their release.
1. War Pigs/Luke's Wall (7:55) - I consider this to be the band's best song. Written as a protest against politicians' emotional removal from war matters, it opens with a sludgy power-blues intro before changing tempo and heading into the first verse with drummer Bill Ward's hi-hat as the only instrument that can be constantly heard. The verse ends, giving way to a power chord riff in which the drums take the lead that will occur throughout the song. Two verses crunch by with a great metal groove before heading into one of guitarist Tony Iommi's trademark dueling-overdub solos. Ozzy gets one more quiet verse before the song slows down even more for a great minor-seventh riff that Iommi uses to bookend the second solo/outro riff. The song ends by accelerating both the speed and pitch of the minor-seventh riff before an all-too-abrupt halt to the perfect Black Sabbath song.
2. Paranoid (2:50) - Even though the band itself admitted that this was just a filler track, it has nevertheless become the most commonly played Sabbath song. It's a very straightforward song that uses only a few power chords to back up Ozzy's tale of a person who can't enjoy life.
3. Planet Caravan (4:30) - The band throws in a quiet track here. Ozzy sings a laid-back melody through an underwater effect over Iommi's jazzy guitar and Ward's bongos. The song ends with a long jazz-type solo.
4. Iron Man (6:00) - Even though Paranoid is likely played more, this is probably the band's most recognizable song. It opens with Ward's thumping bass drum and adds the rest of the band before launching into the famous main riff, which is done alternately by Iommi and Osbourne. The song goes into and out of a double-time guitar solo before the outro, in which Iommi and Ward compete for attention.
5. Electric Funeral (4:50) - This song features a harsh wah-wah riff and Ozzy's over-the-top lyrics about nuclear apocalypse. The song has yet another double-time bridge and solo before going back to the main riff and fading out.
6. Hand of Doom (7:10) - This is one of the coolest songs ever. Geezer's creepy bass riff and Ward's quiet yet forceful drumming back up Ozzy's moaning vocals about heroin addiction before Iommi turns up his guitar to back up the bass riff. The song changes tempo in the middle for more great riffs and another double-time solo before one last verse. The song ends as it begins, with the bass riff fading out after the final line "now you're gonna die."
7. Rat Salad (2:30) - It's a drum solo in the same format as Led Zeppelin's
Moby Dick.
8. Jack the Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots (6:15) - Fantastic song with countless great riffs, tempo changes, cool solos, etc. The lyrics are pretty funny if you listen to them too :thumb:
Bottom line: I give it 5 stars. If you like or wish to get into metal, Black Sabbath, and/or early '70s rock music, get this album. It's a classic :thumb:
And if anyone feels like doing a better review, please do. I'm just trying to bring attention to one of my personal favorites :)
