Black Sabbath's 'Symptom of the Universe' voted greatest riff of all time

Best ever, who knows... It is one nasty ominous riff that promotes maximum headbanging. Then Ozzy comes in for full effect.

This killer combo is also present for Hole In The Sky, Megalomania, and Thrill Of It All. Sabotage is a killer album.

 

Lazy is brilliant too

 

To paraphrase something John Lennon didn't say, it's not even the greatest riff in Black Sabbath.

 

Neither do I

 

That’s a ridiculous thing to say

 

It’s influenced so many later metal bands that very few have felt a need to come up with anything different.

 

I beg to differ. I think it’s not a patch on the riff to “Into the Void”. Now that riff SWINGS. It’s got da funk. If you want to talk maximum headbanging, that one will put dents in it.

 

Veni, I'm good with headbang to both.

Quick hijack, why isn't Vol.4 remastered? Original sounds like crap. Remasters of Sabotage, SBS, and MOR sound awesome.

 

Just me … I'm thinking not everybody knows the division of this track. "DeathMask" is that slow, evil snaky prelude and then that damn, well funky, lick which heralds in "Into The Void". And after all the dead … the way it ends. ---- Absolute classic track.

 

That's the masterstroke that takes the song to the next level.

 

The SACD sounds pretty good IMO . It's limited ( -OOP - of course) and commands high $$. From what I have read, all of the Sabbath SACDs (except for Paranoid are very good to excellent).

 

I think stylistically it is maybe a best riff because it was the dawn of so much metal In that simple riff. More on the speed or what metal would become side of things.

Even though it might not be the best one, besides Judas Priest no one was riffing like that in the mid 70s no matter how heavy they were.

 

Definitely equal to any of my favourite riffs. I actually banned myself from playing it in my car many years ago because I'd drive like a maniac as soon as the very first bar started. No other riff or song ever made me do that. True story!

 

Yo,

The whole tune is one of their best IMO, with so many changes of light & shade, acoustic guitars, incredible performances from both Bill & Geezer + Ozzy too...

It's the "sum-of-the-whole" that works here. The tune is like "mini-opera" akin to the Who's "Tommy" for want of a better comparison.

It's easy to see how the "whole tune" can influence a great many bands.

As for the opening riff, maybe it's a fast tempo take from Tony to recapture the magic of the "Black Sabbath" riff, as the notes / intervals involved are the same...

Cheers,

Gregster

 

There was an Andy Pearce remaster. It's good.
Discogs link below:
Black Sabbath - Vol 4

 

Thanks a lot for that link! I'll be buying one. For some reason Amazon only has the old version.