Your top 3 Black Sabbath albums?

On the SQ of 13, did you purchase the vinyl? IMO, it easily betters the CD release.

 

Oh yes, I do have the vinyl and completely agree it blows the CD away. I am going to listen to this again today, it's been awhile.

 

The production of each of the Sabbath records are so unique from one to the other. Even among the Bain records, the debut is super dry and raw. It captures their live sound in all its glory and nothing more. Paranoid did the same for Sabbath one year on, finer tuned but still very raw and live. It's MOR where things take a turn. The music acquires a veil. A sort of druggy wall between the listener and the music. Iommi starts exploring things like compression in his tone on MOR. Vol. 4 is further into the deep end. It sounds detached, primitive, super druggy, and super unique, and that's why I love it so much.

With SBS, I think a pattern was set. To me, the latter day Sabbath records are all based on a formula of Iommi tinkering more and more, and less and less of an attempt to sound like a band playing live. I love the sound of those records though. The sound tightened a lot, and Iommi explored a lot of great tones that people continue to mine to this day for inspiration.

I really love the sound of Heaven & Hell. I love the sound of the rhythm section, and it is one of Iommi's best tone albums as well. I like the sound of The Mob Rules significantly less. H&H sounds creamy and delicious. MR sounds harder, harsher, which suits the material (see also Dehumanizer) but I enjoy listening to less.

Born Again, God....where do we start?

 

I must agree with most all of your points.
On MOR, the US pressings and even my WWA UK reissue (Vertigo stampers) have that same dark sound. Then a forum bud sent me a GRM Vertigo swirl - it was like listening to the title for the first time!

 

SBS is thinner than 4, but Sabotage roars like a beast.

 

Okay, I revisited. I won't speak on the cover art....
It's been awhile, and I'm not sure why. While it didn't change my ranking, and I still prefer the heavier/darker sound of the first four...it does have a killer side one, and while side two has some weakness, it starts and ends strong, IMO. Fun spin!! And I found a clipping from a previous owner stuck in the cover.
-A/-B, Sterling x 2 US press.

 

It is stronger, roars is not a word I would use though. And FWIW, the UK 1st issue of SBS destroys the US press....whole different animals!

 

Well, got two out of the three. Do I get a B+ or a sno cone or something?

 

Nothing "terrible" on that record for me, but Walk Away isn't on the same level as the other songs. I think I like Lady Evil more than most do as well.

 

Born Again is an awesome album. I don't even care anymore that it sounds terrible or the cover art sucks blah blah blah. There are some seriously good songs on that album and, as always with Iommi, some killer riffs. I'd definitely put it up there with the first two Dio led albums. Gillan probably wasn't a good fit for the band, but for that one album, they killed it. Good stuff.

 

"Lady Evil" is fine for me. In fact, it's the first Black Sabbath song I ever heard as the local FM rock station was playing it as the lead single for the album. I liked it immediately. I love the rolling bass line at the beginning. I think it's a good song. It gets criticized too much and unfairly so.

 

I think if they were going through the motions, the songs would have sounded like clones of earlier songs. Tony was trying new things, evolving.

 

Speaking as someone heavily into the Blues, and heavily into Black Sabbath, the influence is there.

 

1, 2, 3.

 

I hope someday to have the pleasure.

 

I agree wholeheartedly.

 

I personally do not like "Supertzar" at all. It's annoying and really does nothing throughout its run but repeat itself. I think the best song on Sabotage is "The Writ" which was inspired by the band getting a notice they were being sued by either Jim Simpson or Patrick Meehan (I forget which). Ozzy wrote the lyrics to that one and you can really hear the anger and frustration in his vocal. "The Writ" is a classic, all-time song for me. It knocks the album out of the park.

 

Big blues fan here as well, unlike you, I just don't hear the blues thing. but then I have zero musical background, I can barely play a radio!

 

As I see that this album is currently ahead of 4 in the rankings, I thought I would revisit
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Black Sabbath
WWA UK press.

While my US 2nd press is IMO a tragedy, this one is anudder animal.
Unlike Sabotage, this has that heavier/darker geetar tone that I prefer on my Sabbath! Ozzy's vocals pushed further back, another big plus IMO.
Strong sd 1, although I would have used a fade in/out on Fluff and kept it to 2 min. or less. But an OK intermission track in the spirit of what was on MOR? Maybe?
Stronger sd 2 than Sabotage, IMO. I would have reversed the order of the last two tracks on sd 2. As Looking For Today ends strong.
So, I'm ranking this one very close to 4......cause 4 has that track Changes....and it's soooo long!

 

Thinking about Sabotage, another reason it's their best (IMO) is that it's the only Ozz-Sabs album without a total stinker on it

 

Interesting, not sure I can agree, but still interesting...must assume you are not including their first three.....'cause that surely be all cray/cray......and anudder cray thrown in!!!

 

Listening to 13 right now and it absolutely and solidly stands in position number 7 all time ahead of TE and NSD. The vinyl does sound incredible with no ear fatigue.

 

Vol. 4
Master of Reality
Sabotage - If for no other reason than "Hole in the Sky" showcases each member at their absolute heaviest moment. Combined, it is pure power.

 

Sabotage is the best Sabbath album..... !!!

 

I can't think of a single poor track at all on the first six. One of the best runs in the history of recorded music.