That's an interesting idea. Maybe one of the cases where a CD was pre-emphasised but accidentally didn't get the tag, so players don't notice it was pre-emphasised? How about asking your question to part 2 of the Roland Sabbath CDs thread as well?
I seem to recall that they had different album covers for this as well, one in a black and white/grey, and the other in light blue... I thought for sure it was released in 1983, and then released again with a different cover in 1984. Granted, that was almost 35 years ago that I first saw it in the record store, so my mind could be playing tricks on me... I’m getting old!
Can anyone comment on the sound quality of the UK Vertigo spaceship? I think it's supposedly a different mastering to the Porky swirl?
Yes, It's along the lines of the US WB 1st press green label as far as sound quality goes, just my opinion of course. A tough one to find as well.
For CD the '86 Castle sounds closest to the vinyl. But Snowbound really sounds thin on this version. I have a 24 bit vinyl rip of the promo German Swirl Vertigo that sounds better than the 86 Castle. This is a tough album to find that grail CD pressing.
I have the 86’ Castle CD and like the overall sound. My only pet peeve is the constant volume fluctuations from track to track.... some examples: Snowblind and Cornucopia are too quiet, whereas Laguna Sunrise is the loudest track on the entire CD for some reason. Any idea what the reason is?
My feeling is subpar tapes and or transfer or simply a slipshod effort. 4 years later my opinion on digital versions of this album remain unchanged
@ricks: I like the 2009 myself, as it does away with the volume fluctuations for the most part, and I like the mastering. However, the original WB CD sounds nothing like the 86 Castle. The WB is bright and shrill beyond belief. It’s as though the engineer went trigger happy while boosting the highs. It’s absolutely horrible and my least favorite version - absolutely no bottom end whatsoever.
I've had all three of those. Now I've got two versions....the 2009 Pierce and the Creative Sounds CD a.k.a. Children of the Grave. No preference. Both winners to my ears.
I saw a couple mentions of the Belleman/Grundman LP with praise in this thread. Which CD version does the LP have the most in common with sonically. As many details as possible please. I'm sure I butchered the spelling of the names, but I hope this won't stop any answers.... There looks to be some other pre 2016 LP versions in the 2000s, any weighing in on these is welcome as well. Discogs doesn't give any mastering engineers name.
I don't recall any problems with my copy. If it wasn't properly balanced it wouldn't last long in my man-cave.
I think the tracks were recorded at different sessions. If you notice on Sabotage, Symptom Of The Universe sounds like it was recorded during the Vol. 4 sessions. The sound quality is vastly inferior to the other tracks. And if you think Laguna Sunrise is loud on the 86 Castle, it's deafening on the Pearce remaster. It's a weird recording for sure. Also notice how Snowblind and Under The Sun have no bass. Very strange indeed. It's too bad Roger Bain didn't produce it. The SACD is a good option too, but I found the second half of the album to be too bright.
I bought Vol 4 when it came out here in the states 72, my Warner brother green label is still my favorite sounding Sabbath. For compliants about the muddy sound, it was always there from the first pressing. I owned a few different pressings through out the years.
Only one version of Sabotage that I’ve ever heard had an inferior sounding SOTU, and that was the ‘86 Castle, which has tape damage throughout. This continues through Megalomania. Phasing, muffled sound totally unreleted to the album’s original production, which was extremely consistent throughout. Snowblind has very heavy bass on vinyl. On the Warner greenie it was HUGE! Hearing stories like this is probably why I hardly ever reach for my CDs these days.
That makes me wonder why no ones’s been able to recreate that heavy bass sound on CD. Is it an issue with transferring from one medium to another, or is it simply apathy? I tend to think it’s the latter as imo, it comes down to mastering. E.g. With the proper EQ settings focused on boosting the low end so it matches the LP, it shouldn’t be a problem.
It was probably repressed numerous times before Warner changed their label in ‘73, but here is an example.... Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol 4
They are out there but IMO the original Warner is almost too bass heavy. Vol. 4 is just one of those essential records where I try not to worry about a definitive version. I probably have 4-5 versions on vinyl and a few CDs. To me it’s an album people often describe in one way when the production is all over the map. Every song is a little different. “Snowblind” for example has crisp, unified sound while something like “St. Vitus Dance” is really guitar heavy and almost like a different album. Sabotage, otoh, is very consistent all the way through. Iommi was just as obsessed with it but his working with Mike Butcher I think really gave the album a cohesive sound. I think it’s one of the best produced albums of the seventies.
