Best Black Sabbath Album

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Dismiss Born Again at your own peril! A great classic-sounding record with some great songs ("Zero The Hero," "Trashed") that gets lost in the shuffle unfairly! (It didn't get my vote as best but it doesn't suck at all.)

― NYCNative, Thursday, 5 April 2007 17:47 (seventeen years ago) link

Cross Purposes
Forbidden

I've never even heard of these. Was Dehumanizer The Return Of Dio?

― Matt #2, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:02 (seventeen years ago) link

It was.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:06 (seventeen years ago) link

How was it?

― Matt #2, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:08 (seventeen years ago) link

i'm going to flip a coin between 'paranoid' and 'volume 4' though i have a LOT of love for 'sabbath, bloody sabbath' too.

― stirmonster, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:13 (seventeen years ago) link

Really, the first four are pretty great, but Master of Reality wins top honors. The first two Dio-era albums were awesome, too.

― novaheat, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:22 (seventeen years ago) link

best of black sabbath :D

― wesley useche, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:29 (seventeen years ago) link

i voted for master but after some thought I think I should have gone with IV. hard to tell.

― QuantumNoise, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:38 (seventeen years ago) link

haha you cant really fuck with the sequence on "sold our souls for rock and roll."

― chaki, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:39 (seventeen years ago) link

http://www.ilxor.com/ILX/ThreadSelectedControllerServlet?boardid=41&threadid=22405

― Stormy Davis, Thursday, 5 April 2007 18:41 (seventeen years ago) link

How can anyone deny these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL_svZmiGWw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBi7XvJKlMo

(Okay, the production on "Trashed" is weakish... Steve Albini would have made it even bettah...)

― NYCNative, Thursday, 5 April 2007 19:12 (seventeen years ago) link

I need to pick up Born Again. Right now I'm listening to Reunion, which is better than I thought it would be, but not as good as Past Lives obviously.

― unperson, Thursday, 5 April 2007 19:38 (seventeen years ago) link

this one is tough. first four are near perfect. sabotage is great as well...never heard sabbath bloody sabbath...also gotz love for heaven n hell.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 5 April 2007 19:40 (seventeen years ago) link

Master of Reality, just ahead of the other three (out of the first four). Mostly for "Lord of This World", "Into the Void", "Children of the Grave".

― Pye Poudre, Thursday, 5 April 2007 19:56 (seventeen years ago) link

is sabbath bloody sabbath good?

― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 5 April 2007 19:59 (seventeen years ago) link

fuck yeah!

― scott seward, Thursday, 5 April 2007 20:00 (seventeen years ago) link

Yes.

― Alex in SF, Thursday, 5 April 2007 20:00 (seventeen years ago) link

all oz sab is worth owning. tech x might be the weakest, but even that's got cool riffs and stuff. never say die is the big sleeper. such a good album.

― scott seward, Thursday, 5 April 2007 20:01 (seventeen years ago) link

Yeah, okay, I'm almost through listening to Born Again (the title track just finished, and "Hot Line" is just starting) and I'm okay with its existence, but a Black Sabbath album it ain't. It's more like an early-80s Deep Purple album, with just slightly less instrumental technique. I guess I just can't hear Ian Gillan's voice without thinking of Purple, and that's a character flaw of mine, but the same thing doesn't happen with Dio. I can listen to Heaven and Hell without thinking of Rainbow, and/or vice versa. So, mixed feelings. An okay album, but unacceptable as a Sabbath album.

― unperson, Thursday, 5 April 2007 20:21 (seventeen years ago) link

i like house of blue light by deep purple.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 5 April 2007 20:31 (seventeen years ago) link

voting for Paranoid because I can play along with it without de-tuning

― Johnny Hotcox, Thursday, 5 April 2007 23:59 (seventeen years ago) link

the debut

― latebloomer, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:00 (seventeen years ago) link

The speed riffs on Heaven and Hell are possibly the best Sabbath ever did, and I love Dio's voice, but the lyrics are just inane. I need to pick up the Black Box one of these days...

I think I got Forbidden for two bucks somewhere. It wasn't even worth it for the amusement value.

― Jeff Treppel, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:07 (seventeen years ago) link

I know Ernie C of Body Count produced it. Is Ice-T on it at all?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:13 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh yeah. He lends his considerable vocal "talent" to one of the tracks.

― Jeff Treppel, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:17 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm voting for Heaven and Hell because the Ozzy records split my mental vote.

― Jeff Treppel, Friday, 6 April 2007 00:19 (seventeen years ago) link

vol. 4

― poortheatre, Friday, 6 April 2007 02:04 (seventeen years ago) link

It's gonna be close amongst the 1st 5 albums I think. (which is what I expected really) Unless Paranoid wins as it's the only album most people have heard.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Friday, 6 April 2007 11:21 (seventeen years ago) link

No Live Evil? No credibility!

― Noodle Vague, Friday, 6 April 2007 11:35 (seventeen years ago) link

I picked studio albums only. As you know fine well, Jim.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Friday, 6 April 2007 11:44 (seventeen years ago) link

Only playing bud. I do love that album tho, especially as a more complete summation of the Dio era.

― Noodle Vague, Friday, 6 April 2007 11:54 (seventeen years ago) link

You going to see Heaven And Hell , Jim?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Friday, 6 April 2007 14:33 (seventeen years ago) link

Dunno. Doubt it tho. Don't feel sufficiently driven to travel to see them in 2007.

― Noodle Vague, Friday, 6 April 2007 14:45 (seventeen years ago) link

I saw Heaven and Hell at Radio City a week ago. Just an awesome show. Only quibble-the first song after the encore was "Lonely is the Word" probably the worst Dio era show. Also, they played almost all of Heaven and Hell album, but not Wishing Well which may be my favorite song on it.

I respectfully disagree with Unperson about Born Again-definitely on the plus side as far as the Sabbath canon goes.

Oh, and I voted for Master of Reality.

― Bill Magill, Friday, 6 April 2007 15:31 (seventeen years ago) link

I meant Dio era song, not show.

― Bill Magill, Friday, 6 April 2007 15:32 (seventeen years ago) link

tough choice obvs but vol 4 for me - although master's really really close and probably more cosistent there are just so many moments on 4 that are totally "whoa" - particularly the kick back into the riff outta the acoustic sec. of "supernaut," which is probably the heaviest-sounding thing i've ever heard.

― pretzel walrus, Friday, 6 April 2007 15:39 (seventeen years ago) link

i saw a sign yesterday that said "Masters Realty" xD

― am0n, Friday, 6 April 2007 17:26 (seventeen years ago) link

in the same wavy font as on the album cover?

― latebloomer, Friday, 6 April 2007 18:13 (seventeen years ago) link

man i should go to see heaven and hell they are coming thru...w/megadeth too who i never saw back in the day.

― M@tt He1ges0n, Friday, 6 April 2007 18:26 (seventeen years ago) link

Voted for #4 because it has "Changes" on it, and Ozzie Osbourne has never ever written a better song.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 6 April 2007 19:55 (seventeen years ago) link

Okay, I'll bit, Geir: Why do you insist on spelling Mr. Osbourne's first name incorrectly?

Although Googling it found this interesting character:

http://www.bubbygram.com/ozziebill3.htm

Wonder if he works Barmitzvahs?

― NYCNative, Saturday, 7 April 2007 03:37 (seventeen years ago) link

how does geir know that ozzy wrote "changes"? geezer wrote most of their lyrics. i have no idea who wrote the lyrics. i don't think ozzy had too much to do with the music.

― scott seward, Saturday, 7 April 2007 03:47 (seventeen years ago) link

I don't give a flying fuck about lyrics anyway. Melody is what counts.

― Geir Hongro, Saturday, 7 April 2007 16:22 (seventeen years ago) link

You can tell that isn't the real Ozzy. He would never throw the horns.

If the Sabs themselves had a vote here (which theoretically I guess they do) they would vote "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath". Both Geezer and Iommi are on record as saying that's the group's best album.

― Bill Magill, Saturday, 7 April 2007 16:48 (seventeen years ago) link

Had a hard time decidin' whether Bloody Sabbath or
Sabotage should get my ~~goat~~ vote. Eventually Sabotage got it. Teh vote, I mean.

― t**t, Saturday, 7 April 2007 17:07 (seventeen years ago) link

I listened to the 1st 5 albums today. Still think Vol IV shades it.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Sunday, 8 April 2007 00:51 (seventeen years ago) link

Ha, I had never heard the phrase "shades it" until I saw you use it like a dozen times in the last 24 hours on several different threads.

― Jeff Treppel, Sunday, 8 April 2007 01:08 (seventeen years ago) link

Well there you go.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Sunday, 8 April 2007 12:11 (seventeen years ago) link

Where's the Dio era fans?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Sunday, 8 April 2007 21:12 (seventeen years ago) link

Right here!

― Jeff Treppel, Sunday, 8 April 2007 21:18 (seventeen years ago) link

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Wall of sleep is lying broken

― calstars, Wednesday, 31 May 2023 20:43 (eleven months ago) link

Spiral blah blah blah blah

― calstars, Wednesday, 31 May 2023 20:44 (eleven months ago) link

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is mostly too soft/pretentious for the people who like the earliest records, while the people who love that side of the band will probably pick Sabotage instead of it.

― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 31 May 2023 21:00 (eleven months ago) link

The title track is absolutely killer, but I found the rest of Mob Rules forgettable.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 31 May 2023 21:17 (eleven months ago) link

‘Sign of the Southern Cross’ rules and is dooomy awesome.

― The Artist formerly known as Earlnash, Wednesday, 31 May 2023 22:24 (eleven months ago) link

“turn up the night” completely rules

― brimstead, Wednesday, 31 May 2023 22:25 (eleven months ago) link

“Over and over” gets my vote on MR

― calstars, Wednesday, 31 May 2023 23:11 (eleven months ago) link

"Over and Over" lyrically I feel very often

― the manwich horror (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 31 May 2023 23:20 (eleven months ago) link

My MR sequencing starts at the end and moves backward

― calstars, Wednesday, 31 May 2023 23:21 (eleven months ago) link

Love Ronnie’s growl on Sign

― calstars, Wednesday, 31 May 2023 23:35 (eleven months ago) link

I feel like “Mob Rules” is secretly better than “Heaven & Hell” but I’m not fucking checking

― thewufs, Thursday, 1 June 2023 01:21 (ten months ago) link

I like the faster numbers with Ronnie but I want to draw everyone’s attention to the fact that 3 separate and apparently real human beings voted for “Heaven and Hell” in this poll. You can write off 1 vote for “Mob Rules,” but 3 for “Heaven and Hell”? It’s a solid record but if that’s the best Black Sabbath album then “Load” must be the best Metallica album.

― thewufs, Thursday, 1 June 2023 01:23 (ten months ago) link

No becuz H&H is a solid record, but Load is a solid

― the manwich horror (Neanderthal), Thursday, 1 June 2023 01:28 (ten months ago) link

H & H is great

― calstars, Thursday, 1 June 2023 01:31 (ten months ago) link

"Great" may be stretching it.

It was a pleasant surprise when it came out, I do remember that.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Thursday, 1 June 2023 01:32 (ten months ago) link

"Die Young", "Neon Knights", the title track all on the same album, i mean if that ain't great then

― the manwich horror (Neanderthal), Thursday, 1 June 2023 01:37 (ten months ago) link

The two Dio Sabbath albums are way better than the last couple with Ozzy and production wise are maybe the best sounding records they did.

Dio version of NIB on Live Evil is awesome too.

― earlnash, Thursday, 1 June 2023 01:53 (ten months ago) link

All the Dio albums are great, including The Devil You Know (released as Heaven & Hell to avoid the wrath of Sharon).

― but also fuck you (unperson), Thursday, 1 June 2023 03:48 (ten months ago) link

Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules are classics, full stop. Ronnie and Tony both finding another gear creatively. Metal is notorious for its shocking comebacks, and this had to have been its first, or at least side by side with Ozzy.

And in the wake of leaving Rainbow this really catapulted Dio's own career. The man would dominate American heavy metal from 1980 to 87 or so, and it started with these two records.

― A. Begrand, Thursday, 1 June 2023 04:12 (ten months ago) link

That may be stretching the definition of "classic" a bit too far out of shape.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Thursday, 1 June 2023 04:17 (ten months ago) link

Dio was pretty trump tight from Elf through around Sacred Heart

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 1 June 2023 04:29 (ten months ago) link

I saw him on the first Dio tour, he had a great stage presence, especially for such a little dude.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Thursday, 1 June 2023 04:34 (ten months ago) link

This is a pretty good run of LPs for about anyone in hard rock/heavy metal across a decade.

Rainbow
Rising
Long Live Rock and Roll
Heaven and Hell
Mob Rules
Live Evil
Holy Diver
The Last In Line

― earlnash, Thursday, 1 June 2023 11:28 (ten months ago) link

I was a bit too young, but I was regaled by a few heads about seeing Dio fronted Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult during the 'Black and Blue' tour.

I'd figure that was a heck of a show.

― earlnash, Thursday, 1 June 2023 11:29 (ten months ago) link

I don't like "Heaven and Hell" (the song) because I don't listen to Black Sabbath to hear mid-tempo one note basslines that go DUN duh duh DUN duh duh DUN duh duh DUN. Save that for Foreigner or Survivor.

― Halfway there but for you, Thursday, 1 June 2023 16:01 (ten months ago) link

The biggest problem with Mob Rules is the absence of Bill Ward.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Thursday, 1 June 2023 16:27 (ten months ago) link

I don't like "Heaven and Hell" (the song) because I don't listen to Black Sabbath to hear mid-tempo one note basslines that go DUN duh duh DUN duh duh DUN duh duh DUN. Save that for Foreigner or Survivor.

No children of the grave for you

― calstars, Thursday, 1 June 2023 17:10 (ten months ago) link

"Children of the Grave" is fast, not mid-tempo!

― Halfway there but for you, Thursday, 1 June 2023 17:10 (ten months ago) link

I like Appice fine on MR though I do miss Ward’s cringey attempts at swing

― calstars, Friday, 2 June 2023 13:53 (ten months ago) link

turn up the night: awesome
voodoo: awesome
sign of the southern cross: unreasonably awesome
e5150: awesome transition track, sabbath arguably unequalled in transition track excellence
the mob rules: awesome
country girl: awesome
slipping away: this is one of those tracks that makes you thankful for vinny appice. awesome
falling off the edge of the world: maybe the most awesome thing about this album is how much metallica obviously loves it. one of my top ten sabbath tracks
over and over: so fucking awesome

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Saturday, 3 June 2023 06:41 (ten months ago) link

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