Sitting here listening to the full new Black Sabbath album for the first time start to finish. I like much of what I hear but think this will take some time as many of the songs are long and in much of the same tempo. “Loner” seems to be the one track at 4 minutes and a bit more uptempo. Like the production, Tony is the riff king, Geezer rules as always, and Ozzy sounds good on it. In the absence of Bill Ward sounds like Brad Wilk does a great job. It’s obvious the band spent time listening to their first album at the direction of Rick Rubin. They literally rip themselves off at times. “Emd Of The Beginning” is the song Black Sabbath! The end of the album “Dear Father” also sounds like a direct sample of the open of the song “BLack Sabbath” (and makes for a nice way to close what might be their final album, since it opens the first one in 1970) But if the creators of metal can’t borrow from themselves after being borrowed from for decades who can? I’m still digesting this and will have more of a feeling for it after a few listens. But for a band in it’s 43rd year of making records on first listen it’s better than anyone could have expected, especially when you consider the new tracks they did with Ozzy for the Reunion collection which were not strong in my opinion. Also great to see the strong first week sales for this album around the world. Much is being made of this and rightfully so, it’s great to see for the band and metal, but the REAL test will be where the album is chart and sales wise in 3-4 weeks from now. Most legendary classic bands with huge fan bases have great first week or two sales and chart standing. The real test is after the base buys the album what happens? Most drop off the radar quickly. This is due to the lack of any real radio or video support to keep it going and bring in new audiences. This is far from a commercial album so it will be a challenge for the label to keep it alive outside of specialty shows like mine once the first week buzz slows. So let’s hope Sabbath can land a number 1 in the US in week 1. After that it will be virtually impossible. Just a bi product of the music industry today. Hope to have Geezer and or Tony on the radio shows soon to discuss all. They have been frequent guests in the past. MOST important let’s hope Tony continues his recovery to good health! As always we welcome your thoughts and opinions as well!
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27 Responses
People always have to find something to whine about! Just be glad they are still creating great music! Regardless if you like it or not the people and critics love it! Sabbath will never have record sales like ACDC they don’t have fat Walmart contracts guaranteeing certain amount of sales on new albums! Not that ACDC shouldn’t jump on those kind of high exposure deals!
Thanks for the review Ed…where’s the Deep Purple review of Now What?!!
Great topic, Eddie.
I think where you come out on opinion of this album really depends on your point of reference and expectations. I’ve listened to the album a few times now, and then went back and listened to the first two Sabbath albums, recent Ozzy, and Heaven and Hell. 13 does seem consistent with the style of early Sabbath, though I’m not sure that there are as many songs that standout and feel as innovative as what the band was doing relative to where music was in 1970. I personally thought highlights on 13 were God Is Dead?, Damaged Soul, Methademic, and Pariah.
Metal has evolved a lot since 1970, thanks in no small part to the guys who were in the original Sabbath. And Tony, Ozzy, and Geezer have evolved too. Now I do like the album – it’s good, headbanging, fun. But for me I think the album would have been even more interesting if the guys had brought in more elements of things they’ve done separately over the last 10 years or so.
I’ve only heard “God is Dead.” Will check the rest out soon. I think it’s as good as can be expected. Bands with a long history like Black Sabbath are caught between a rock and a hard place when releasing new material. If it sounds too much like the old stuff, people say they haven’t evolved, if it’s too modern sounding then longtime fans say it doesn’t sound like the old stuff.
The best comeback record I can remember was Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers.” Great sound, modern playing/production (at the time) and it still sounded exactly like you’d expect Purple to sound. With Sabbath I wish they’d have at least used Bill Ward on the album. It’s never quite the same when you don’t get the original guys together. Without Andy Parker on drums, UFO during the 1990s reunion period with Schenker just didn’t sound the same. That feel on live versions of “Rock Bottom” just wasn’t there at all. The drumming wound up heavy and plodding. And that rhythm section is what helped propel Schenker to new heights during the 1970s.
Look, Rick did great production on this LP. Sure, it slogs along long in the first album vein, however; it really is different from that crap on the last two Sabbath albums from the 70’s Ozzy can barely remember recording. I saw Van Halen smoke them off the stage and boring late 70’s shows to Dio just kicking the band in the butt with Heaven & Hell. The problem is radio today is not ’74 WPLJ/WNEW NYC orientated. The 5 Sabbath songs you hear all the time will get the airplay. 3 weeks in the LP will be dead. The usual suspects, Sabbath-Ozzy fans buy the first week. Rick needed two hook & riff monsters on the LP…..there aren’t any. Van Halen bombed out on albums without such.